UPDATED: Director Matt Reeves has since taken to Twitter regarding his statements surrounding Batman, confirming his involvement in the DCEU:
Jeez, what'd I miss, guys…? 😀
Just to be clear: Of COURSE Batman will be part of the D.C. Universe. Batman will be BATMAN…
— Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) August 24, 2017
In my comments from a while back about not being part of the DCEU, I was talking about The Batman being a story specifically about Batman…
— Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) August 24, 2017
…not about the others in the Universe. That it wouldn't be filled with cameos servicing other stories — that it would be a BATMAN story.
— Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) August 24, 2017
🦇
— Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) August 24, 2017
ORIGINAL STORY:
Well, some real s**t seems to be going down over at Warner Bros. On the heels of the announcement that Todd Phillips and Martin Scorsese are working on an ‘80s-set Joker origin film separate from the DC Extended Universe, we’re now learning that another familiar movie will also be pulled from the DCEU. That’s right. I’m talking about Matt Reeves’ The Batman.
RELATED: Todd Phillips & Martin Scorsese Developing Joker Origin Film Outside Of The DCEU
Speaking in an interview with KCRW, Matt Reeves himself said:
“Well, I have a vision for a way to do something with that character that feels like it resonates with me personally, and a perspective that can grow out into other things. When they [Warner Bros.] approached me, what they said was ‘look, it’s a standalone, it’s not part of the extended universe.’”
Okay, so let’s break this down. The Batman is no longer a part of the DCEU. This is the film that Ben Affleck was originally attached to star in and direct. It’s the film that he stepped down from directing duties on, and since then, fans have been wondering if he’d leave as Batman altogether. Is this news the final nail in the coffin that Affleck is leaving? Is this whole deal nothing but a way to save face for them losing one of the best aspects of Batman v Superman? Well, that’s all speculation on my part, but we wouldn’t doubt it.
Admittedly, this is not horrible news. I’m happy to see that Warner Bros. is allowing Matt Reeves to have the creative freedom to create something all his own. That’s an aspect we can get behind, as Warner Bros. has historically been a director-focused studio. That being said, it is a bit confusing.
But what do you think? Is this film breaking away from the DCEU a good thing? Let us know your thoughts down below!