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Batman is the biggest icon in DC, so it’s no surprise that fans are eager to see his debut in the new DC Universe. That said, some of those hopes were dashed when The Brave and the Bold was delayed.
Now, the director has shed some light on what’s going on with the project.
Why Was It Delayed?
When James Gunn was brought on board to oversee DC Studios, he promised the studio would start producing 10 projects within the first year. However, the studio hasn’t hit that mark yet and some fans have been getting impatient about the lack of progress on Batman: The Brave and the Bold, which is supposed to introduce a new era for the Caped Crusader.
The film is intended to adapt Grant Morrison’s Batman run, which revolves around Bruce Wayne discovering that he has a son named Damian who becomes Robin. It’s not a simple story to adapt and some fans have been hoping The Brave and the Bold will introduce some major surprises that tie into the larger DC Universe, including new villains and even some of the characters from Matt Reeves’ self-contained Batman trilogy.
It’s been revealed that director Andy Muschietti is juggling several DC projects at once, including Creature Commandos and Peacemaker Season 2. That may explain why The Brave and the Bold has been delayed a bit. Muschietti has also been adamant about not rushing to get cameras rolling on the movie.
Impact on DC Universe Plans
The delay in Batman 2 has stalled development on some of DC’s bigger plans. That could spell trouble for the studio’s ambitious Elseworlds plan and Matt Reeves’ take on the Caped Crusader.
That’s especially true if the film is to be set in an alternate timeline or another part of the Multiverse. The studio has already struggled with this concept with the disastrous release of Man of Steel and Justice League. It’s also why they may not want to go down this road again if Reeves’ take isn’t well received.
It’s not hard to see why some fans have been anxious about the lack of progress on Batman: The Brave and the Bold. The project is supposed to start a new era for the Dark Knight, one that’s likely to be more tonally polar than the grounded and gritty world of The Batman. Plus, the project is helmed by Andy Muschietti, who’s best known for his work in horror with Mama and both IT films and the spinoff series Welcome to Derry.
In addition, rumors have been flying that the movie may be focused on Bane and Deathstroke rather than Batman and Robin. That would be a change from the original plan and it may indicate that the movie hasn’t been greenlit or is at least in serious trouble.
Fan Reactions
The news that Batman: The Brave and the Bold had been delayed triggered outrage from fans, especially given how much DC Universe has grown over the last three years. While Andy Muschietti has proved himself a capable director with Mama and the two IT films as well as the Welcome to Derry series, it’s hard to imagine him handling Batman with as much aplomb as the character is typically portrayed. That’s particularly true considering that the movie is intended to adapt Grant Morrison’s run where Bruce Wayne learns he has a psychotic son who he raises as Robin.
Despite juggling multiple DCU projects, including Creature Commandos, Superman, and Peacemaker Season 2, Gunn has insisted that The Brave and the Bold has not been delayed. That might not placate fans in the short term, but it will at least calm some of them down.
What Does This Mean for Future Movies and Shows?
Despite the fact that The Brave and the Bold is taking longer than expected to start production, Gunn has made it clear that the film has not been canceled. Rather, he is simply working on more projects that require his full attention and that need to be completed before cameras can roll on Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
The news comes as a relief to fans who were worried that Gunn was being held hostage by Safran and forced to delay the DC Universe film. However, it also means that the first movie introducing a new version of the Caped Crusader will be released in 2026 instead of 2027.
Andy Muschietti is currently directing The Batman Part II and it is likely that he will need to finish the film before starting work on a DC Universe movie starring the new version of Robin. As such, it is possible that the film will be delayed to 2028 or even 2029.
Gunn has also made it clear that he will continue to make nods to the new DC Universe version of Batman in his film Creature Commandos and that he is also preparing for the release of the first season of Peacemaker, which may tease the new version of the character. This is a positive sign that Gunn and Safran are taking their time to ensure that the new iteration of Batman can be properly done rather than rushed into production like the previous DCEU films were.