James Gunn reacts to viral Batman makeover theory; teases Clayface horror, triple Lantern chaos, and Peacemaker 2

James Gunn on what’s next in DCU

Gunn didn’t reveal too much about Batman, but he didn’t shut the door on fan theories either. In an extended interview with the outlet, when asked if Batman would be donning a new costume, perhaps something different from the traditional black and grey, Gunn dodged, laughing and responding, “I have no idea what Batman’s going to wear.” He instead switched the topic to what he does know for sure is what’s immediately ahead in the DCU. “Peacemaker Season 2, which arrives in a month and is directly tied to events in Superman, with some overlapping characters,” he said. Following that, the timeline includes Supergirl, Lanterns (featuring Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner), and Clayface, which the Superman hitmaker described as a full-blown horror film set within the same universe. 

Further, Gunn emphasised that gone are the days of the old DCU; his version won’t follow a one-size-fits-all formula. “Each film will reflect the unique vision of its creators. There’s not a company style,” he said. “Just like comics, every story can be tonally different.”

While Gunn neither confirmed nor denied the Batman makeover rumours, he definitely added fuel to fan theories that have been making rounds for months. Over the years, around 11 live-action Batmen have worn the Caped Crusader’s iconic look. In an earlier interview with CBR, Gunn said, “You know, there’s no decisions made about the costume at all yet. I do [like the blue-and-gray Batsuit]! But I like the other versions, too. I like many different versions. I’m a Batman superfan. And so I like all the different versions of the Batman suit.”

Also read: Superman: James Gunn’s idea of an India-coded country is regressive and riddled with stereotypes; the Man of Steel wouldn’t stand for it

But he did hint at the trunks. “I didn’t know the trunks were going to be that important until I took this job,” he said, revealing that the first thing people asked when he got onboard DCU was what he planned to do with them. Fans have been speculating that Gunn and Andy Muschietti might shake things up costume-wise, but that’ll only become clear once the film rolls. There’s already buzz around patterns, a different colour palette, new materials, and details like longer ears and lenses,” doing the rounds online.

As for Batman, beyond the costume chatter and release timeline, Gunn dropped something more telling, how this new take pushes back against the whole ‘government puppet’ label. He pointed out how Batman has traditionally seen Superman as a tool of the establishment, especially in The Dark Knight Returns. But now that Superman’s stepping out of line and making moves on his own, he’s starting to align with Batman’s values more. “Usually, Superman and Batman have different ways of doing things, but they’re best friends. That’s something we think a lot about for the DCU,” Gunn said. So one thing’s clear, fans will get a very different dynamic between the two going forward.