James Gunn Confirms New Batman Is Coming as DC Prepares to Cast Another Dark Knight

DC Studios is preparing to cast a completely new Batman, with James Gunn confirming that another actor will take on the role of Bruce Wayne despite Robert Pattinson already playing the superhero in a separate film franchise.

The announcement is part of DC's plans to build a connected universe of films and television series, bringing Batman into the same world as David Corenswet's Superman. Although rumours have circulated for months about who might take the role, Gunn has confirmed that nobody has been selected and explained why he wants to approach the casting differently from previous Batman films.

His latest comments also offer an important clue about the age of the next Bruce Wayne, suggesting DC Studios is looking for an actor who can develop a long-running on-screen partnership with Superman.

Why is DC casting another Batman when Robert Pattinson already plays him?

DC Studios is developing two separate versions of Batman because Pattinson's existing films are not part of the new superhero universe being created by Gunn and fellow studio chief Peter Safran.

Pattinson first played Bruce Wayne in Matt Reeves' The Batman in 2022, portraying a younger, troubled version of the character during the early years of his crime-fighting career. His story will continue in The Batman Part II, currently scheduled for release on 18 February 2028, with Reeves remaining responsible for that version of Gotham City.

Meanwhile, Gunn is building a separate DC Universe in which superheroes including Batman, Superman and other familiar characters can eventually appear together. The franchise began its new cinematic chapter with Superman in 2025, introducing Corenswet as Clark Kent and establishing the foundations for future interconnected stories.

Rather than asking Pattinson to join those films, DC Studios intends to introduce another Batman who already belongs to that shared world. This means two actors will eventually be playing Bruce Wayne in different productions, although their stories are not expected to overlap.

The new version is being developed for a film called The Brave and the Bold, which was first announced in January 2023 and will explore Batman's relationship with his son Damian Wayne, who becomes Robin.

James Gunn reveals when Batman casting could begin

Speaking on The Suicide Squad: Is It Canon? The Official Podcast, released on Friday 30 October, Gunn revealed that the search for his Batman is getting closer, although he was careful to dismiss suggestions that someone has already secured the role.

"It won't be too long before we're casting Batman," he explained during the discussion with Jennifer Holland and Steve Agee, making clear that previous reports suggesting an actor had secretly been selected were incorrect.

Gunn also discussed how Batman has traditionally been cast, suggesting that previous films often relied on established Hollywood stars to attract audiences, whereas Superman has frequently been played by actors who were less widely recognised before taking the role.

He believes the next Batman should be chosen primarily because of his suitability for the character rather than his existing fame, potentially opening the door to performers who have not previously been considered major Hollywood leading men.

The director even suggested that actors who previously appeared in smaller roles in his earlier projects, including The Suicide Squad, would not automatically be ruled out, although he did not identify anyone currently under consideration.

His comments suggest that DC Studios is keeping its options open rather than working towards a predetermined choice, with the performance and long-term future of the character likely to influence the decision.

New Batman will be close in age to Superman

Another important detail from Gunn's comments concerns the age of the actor who will eventually play Bruce Wayne, particularly because Batman and Superman are expected to develop a close relationship in the new DC Universe.

"Roughly, Batman and Superman are around the same age," Gunn explained, adding that the characters are not supposed to be drastically different ages and describing them as future best friends.

Corenswet, who plays Superman, is currently 33, suggesting that the studio could be considering someone from a similar generation rather than an older actor portraying a Batman approaching the end of his superhero career.

That would distinguish Gunn's approach from Ben Affleck's Batman in the previous DC film universe, where Bruce Wayne was presented as an older and considerably more experienced vigilante when he first encountered Henry Cavill's Superman.

However, Gunn has not announced an official age range for auditions, meaning actors outside Corenswet's immediate age group could still be considered for the part.

His description of Batman and Superman as future friends also suggests that DC Studios intends to develop their relationship across several projects rather than limiting their interactions to a single film.

What do we know about The Brave and the Bold?

The new Batman film will focus on Bruce Wayne discovering and developing a relationship with Damian Wayne, his biological son, who has been raised outside his father's care and trained from childhood to become a dangerous fighter.

In DC Comics, Damian is the son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, the daughter of Batman's longtime enemy Ra's al Ghul. His upbringing creates considerable tension when he enters his father's life, particularly because his willingness to use violence conflicts with Batman's refusal to kill.

The storyline offers a different direction from Pattinson's films, which have concentrated on Bruce Wayne's early career as a detective and his efforts to tackle organised crime and corruption in Gotham City.

Andy Muschietti, who previously directed The Flash, was announced as director of The Brave and the Bold in 2023, although DC Studios has not confirmed when filming will begin or when the finished film will reach cinemas.

The absence of a release date means it is still unclear whether audiences will see Pattinson's next Batman film before Gunn introduces his version, although the two projects are being developed independently.

Could the new Batman appear in another DC film first?

With DC Studios developing several connected productions, speculation has continued about whether Bruce Wayne could make an appearance before The Brave and the Bold reaches cinemas.

One possibility discussed by viewers has been Man of Tomorrow, Gunn's next Superman film, which is scheduled for release on 9 July 2027 and will bring Corenswet back as Clark Kent alongside Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor.

However, Gunn's confirmation that Batman has not yet been cast makes claims of a secretly filmed appearance difficult to support, and DC Studios has not announced that the character will feature in the Superman sequel.

For now, Gunn's comments establish that the new Batman is still in development, with the studio moving towards the casting process rather than preparing to announce an actor who has already accepted the role.

The decision will be particularly important because the chosen performer is expected to portray Batman within a wider superhero universe, potentially appearing alongside Superman and other DC characters across multiple films.

While Pattinson continues his darker, standalone interpretation of Bruce Wayne, Gunn's version will introduce audiences to a Batman who is already a father and whose relationships with other superheroes could become central to DC's future plans.

No official trailer has been released for The Brave and the Bold, and footage circulating online should not be treated as genuine unless it comes directly from DC Studios or Warner Bros.

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Images: DC Comics/Dan Mora