James Gunn has revealed the first official look at Batman in the new DC Universe. The glimpse comes from a flashback scene in the sixth episode of his animated series Creature Commandos, which aired on January 2, 2025.
In the scene, Doctor Phosphorus (voiced by Alan Tudyk) looks up at his nightclub’s skylight and sees Batman in silhouette, with lightning flashing outside.
The brief appearance shows that this version of Batman has white eyes, wears trunks, and has a long cape. He also appears bulkier than other versions. This confirms that Robert Pattinson’s Batman from the Matt Reeves films will not be part of the DC Universe.
Gunn spoke about the scene in an interview with Rotten Tomatoes. He explained that Batman’s origin story will not be retold in the DC Universe.
“We don’t need to hear the origin story again,” Gunn said. “Batman already exists in this universe. He’s an important part of it, and we will show his impact.”
Gunn, a lifelong Batman fan, expressed his excitement about the character’s future in the DCU. “I love Batman. He’s one of my favorite characters,” he said. “We’re going to do great things with him.”
It’s still unclear who will play Bruce Wayne/Batman in the upcoming DC Universe films. The first Batman film, The Brave and the Bold, is still in early development.
