Robert Pattinson Explains Why His Batman Probably Won’t Swing Into James Gunn’s DCU

Ever since David Corenswet’s ‘Superman’ kicked off James Gunn’s DC Universe last year, fans have been dreaming about one crossover in particular: Robert Pattinson’s Batman sharing the screen with the new Man of Steel. The idea has stuck around for years, fueled by the success of Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’, which earned more than $770 million worldwide in 2022.

Officially, the 2 worlds remain separate. Pattinson’s Dark Knight lives under the “DC Elseworlds” label, while DC Studios has a different Batman planned for the main DCU in ‘The Brave and the Bold‘. Reeves said in January 2025 that bringing his version into the DCU wasn’t planned, though he was open to the idea if it made sense, while Gunn told ET it simply wasn’t what was happening right now.

Now the man under the cowl has shared his own take, and it’s not great news for crossover fans. Speaking to LADbible while in production on ‘The Batman Part II’, Pattinson said it was interesting to think about but admitted he doubted it would work.

“I think it would be kind of tough to have this version of Bruce outside of that world,” Pattinson told LADbible. “It’s one of the only characters, I guess, because of the length of the shoots, but also it’s such a specific kind of [style]; the tone of it gets inside you.”

The actor explained that the role takes a real toll on him during production. “I remember that happened to me the last time I did it; it took a while. You’re just in the dark the whole time,” he continued, adding that he can’t see anything for months, both in terms of mood and lighting.

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That description fits the gritty, noir-inspired world Reeves has built. It also helps explain why Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne might feel out of place standing next to a brighter, more hopeful DCU hero.

The comments quickly spread across social media, with The Batman Saga News sharing them on X to more than 11.6K views and 439 likes. Some fans were relieved, with one reply arguing that the best Batman shouldn’t be pulled into Gunn’s universe at all.

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LADbible noted that Pattinson didn’t outright deny that some kind of crossover could happen. Still, his reasoning suggests he sees Reeves’ Gotham as a self-contained story rather than a stepping stone to a larger shared universe.

For now, Pattinson’s focus is squarely on the long-awaited sequel. Gold Derby reported that cameras have been rolling in London, where fans recently spotted fake protestors picketing his character with signs referencing a “Court of Fowls,” a nod to the Court of Owls storyline.

The sequel has faced multiple delays, moving from October 2025 to October 2026, then to October 2027, before landing on February 18, 2028. Set during the winter after Gotham’s flooding, the story follows Bruce as he investigates another case exposing the city’s corruption.

Colin Farrell returns as the Penguin, alongside Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon and Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth. Scarlett Johansson and Sebastian Stan have also joined the cast, while Zoë Kravitz is not expected to return as Catwoman.

Pattinson’s comments don’t slam the door completely, but they add weight to the idea that his Batman belongs in his own corner of the DC landscape. With a third film already planned to conclude Reeves’ trilogy, there’s still plenty of Gotham left for this version of the character to explore.

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