The changes at Warner Bros. Discovery have come thick and fast, as the company tries to realign its DC film universe. While the news that James Gunn and Peter Safran are the co-CEOs of DC Studios is a big deal, it’s even more telling what Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said about the DC Universe’s Batman moving forward.
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Speaking at the RBC Capital Markets’ Technology, Internet, Media and Telecommunications Conference, Zaslav said, “I think in the next few years, you’re going to see a lot of growth and opportunity around DC. There’s not going to be four Batmans.” Zaslav’s statement is in relation to the fact that there are several different universes spinning around on screen right now, with Robert Pattinson, Ben Affleck, and Michael Keaton all portraying versions of the Dark Knight. Again, this isn’t shocking news, as Zaslav has gone on record to say Warner Bros. Discovery should be looking at the Marvel Studios’ MCU model of one shared and unified universe. But what does this mean for the future of the Batman actors? Let’s take a closer look at the different actors and who should be the main Caped Crusader moving forward.
Robert Pattinson’s Batman
The latest actor to don the cape and cowl is Robert Pattinson, who starred in Matt Reeves’ The Batman. The film made over $770 million (via Box Office Mojo) and it has an 85% critic approval and 87% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. For all intents and purposes, it’s a homerun and a good piece of business from the studio’s side.
However, there’s still a part of the fan base that doesn’t see Pattinson as anything else but “the sparkly vampire from Twilight.” While it is a silly comment and exposes the ignorance of the people who obviously aren’t watching enough movies, it isn’t aided by the fact that Warner Bros. Discovery hasn’t gotten behind Pattinson as the DC Universe’s Batman yet. With all the talk of Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton still appearing in other films as the hero, it doesn’t help Pattinson’s cause to be the one true Dark Knight. The studio might like the money that The Batman made, but there still appears to be trepidation about fully getting behind Pattinson.
Ben Affleck’s Batman
It’s funny how these things turn out. When Ben Affleck was announced as Zack Snyder’s choice as Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the Internet soiled its pants. Yet, Batfleck won over his doubters with a fearsome performance as older, grislier Dark Knight. While he got caught up in the constant flux of the DC Extended Universe and all its changes, he still managed to become a fan-favourite casting in lieu of all the surrounding turmoil.
However, Affleck keeps playing a game on in and out with the DC Universe. He retired the cape and cowl, choosing not to do the solo film, but he returned for The Flash then showed up for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. It’s given many fans a sense of hope that his time as the DC Universe’s Batman might not be done after all. But here’s the thing: Affleck is unlikely to stick around for too long since he has other interests as a filmmaker. Maybe DC Studios could convince him to return for a few movies here and there, but the result is likely to be the same as the last time with Affleck wanting out not too far down the line.
Michael Keaton’s Batman
After last appearing as Batman in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns in 1992, no one expected Michael Keaton to return to the role three decades later. It was a piece of ground-breaking news, though, with insiders saying he would serve as the DC Universe’s Batman after Affleck and make Nick Fury-type of appearances in future films. Also, there was the talk of him passing on the mantle to another hero.
It appeared like all systems go for Keaton’s Dark Knight as he boarded The Flash, then went on to film scenes with Leslie Grace’s Barbara Gordon in the Batgirl movie. The latter, though, fell apart when Warner Bros. Discovery made the controversial decision to can the movie after it had already been filmed. Naturally, this raised alarm bells about Keaton’s continuation in DC films, especially since there are rumours that Affleck’s appearance in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was a reshoot to replace Keaton’s scenes. Right now, it appears like Keaton’s return to the DC world might be a one-time deal in The Flash.
Who should be the DC Universe‘s Batman?
Taking the above into consideration, there is only one logical choice here: Robert Pattinson. While the Restore the Snyderverse movement will scream until their eyes bulge out of their cartoon avatars, the reality is, it’s time for the DC Universe to move forward. This constant start-stop approach isn’t helping anyone. Snyder has moved on, and it appears as if actors like Affleck are ready to as well.
Instead of hanging on and trying to rebuild a universe that started nearly a decade ago, it’s a good time to look ahead and not back. The Batman proved to be a fantastic film, and it should be something to build upon for sequels and to map out the trajectory of the DC Universe. Pattinson deserves the chance to lead as the DC Universe’s Batman, without having the shadow of other actors looming over him. Zaslav has made some questionable decisions in his tenure as the studio’s CEO, but the decision to not have multiple universes might prove to be the best way to get the DC Universe back on track.
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I think ben affleck. Batman should be the main batman. Not pattinson I thought he sucked in the part