Mike Flanagan Sparks Buzz That Robert Pattinson Could Be the DCU Batman After Clayface

Let me save you a scroll: Robert Pattinson is still Batman, The Batman Part II is still happening, and the question of whether he jumps into James Gunn's DCU is... complicated. Here is where the key players actually stand, without the noise.

Flanagan cracks the door open

At Motor City Comic Con 2025, Mike Flanagan — the filmmaker behind DC's in-the-works Clayface movie — got asked if Pattinson's Batman could work inside the DCU. He did not hesitate: "Of course, yeah."

Then he fleshed it out. He said he does not know the grand plan, but he called Matt Reeves a creative powerhouse, praised Pattinson's turn, and said the Gotham that team built absolutely functions on both film and TV. He also thinks you could harmonize that version with the larger DC Universe, which, in his view, is what James Gunn is trying to do in his own way. A clip from the panel hit X on November 16, 2025 via @soulfulbodyedit.

Translation: from Flanagan's perspective, there is a path if the powers that be want one.

Gunn, however, taps the brakes

On Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast, Gunn said he has thought about bringing Pattinson's Bruce into his continuity. He also made it clear he weighs every possible route and keeps those conversations tight because fans (understandably) read into everything.

Then came the firmer line in a separate Rolling Stone interview. Asked the same question, he answered:

"Not likely. It is not likely at all."

So: he has considered it, but do not bet on a crossover anytime soon.

Why Elseworlds matters here

Gunn keeps emphasizing that DC is running two lanes: the DCU proper, and Elseworlds projects that live outside the main continuity — like Reeves' Batman universe. He wants to keep that flexibility. He has talked about telling stories where Superman is wildly different, up to and including something like Red Son. As a lifelong comics guy, he likes having multiple takes on the same character and does not want to nix that.

Matt Reeves, for his part, has basically said it comes down to whether or not it makes sense for him. He has also noted that Gunn and Peter Safran have been very supportive of Elseworlds staying its own thing. His focus right now is simple: keep his head down and finish The Batman Part II.

Where things stand right now

• Pattinson is back in The Batman Part II, which is dated for October 1, 2027.
• Mike Flanagan thinks Pattinson's Gotham could sync with the DCU and points to how that world already works on film and TV (see: The Penguin).
• James Gunn has contemplated a Pattinson crossover but currently says it is "not likely at all."
• Gunn wants to keep Elseworlds alive alongside the DCU so creators can tell alternate takes without breaking continuity.
• Reeves is staying in his lane for now, with Gunn and Safran backing the Elseworlds approach.

My read: Pattinson's gritty Gotham is thriving on its own, and that is by design. If the walls ever come down, it will be because a story demanded it — not because of a branding decision.

The Batman Part II hits October 1, 2027. If you want Pattinson as the DCU's main Dark Knight, make your case — I am listening.