Batmanmade his first appearance inJames Gunn’s DCU. Kind of.
Thesixth episodeofCreature Commandos, “Priyatel Skelet”, shows viewers the backstory of DoctorPhosphorus. It’s the classic story where your average nuclear scientist gets caught up with the mob. Betrayal leads to murder leads to the nuclear scientist becoming a radioactive metahuman and a crime lord. A tale as old as time.
The flashback climaxes with a montage that shows the new, exciting life of Doctor Phosphorus: victories in violent turf wars, loads of money, and this lavish party where he’s joyously dancing as a ballroom full of guests bask in his nuclear glow.
Then the lights cut. And high above, through the skylight, a silhouette against the night sky: Batman. A flash of lightning reveals the barest glimpse of the caped crusader. And that’s it. The implication is that Batman arrested Doctor Phosphorus.
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From Adam West to Robert Pattinson, who pulled off the cape and cowl best?
James Gunn Explains The Importance Of Batman In The DCU
James Gunn has been doing weekly easter egg episode reviews withRotten Tomatoes TV. There he provided some insight into everything Batman.
When they first gave [the episode] to me, we saw a lot more Batman. And I was saying, “I’m not ready to commit to that, I’m not ready to commit to that, I’m not ready to commit to that!” So I was just like “More silhouette, more silhouette, more silhouette!” And I think it’s a great way to show that Batman does exist, he already exists in this universe. Just like when we come to [the]Supermanmovie, we see Superman already exists, he’s already known by the people in Metropolis. We don’t need to hear the origin story again.
So, yeah, that’s just a way to introduce that Batman is a part of this universe, is an important part of this universe, and he has an impact on it, including defeating such pretty, dangerous, scary people like Phosphorus, who’s pretty tough. This is the DCU Batman.
Listen, I gotta tell you, I just love Batman. I’ve loved him since I was a little kid. He’s one of my favorite characters. I’ve gone on records in the past, when I was at Marvel, saying my favorite character was Batman. I love him. And we’re going to do great things with him. He’s the most popular superhero in the world. And I can’t wait for people to see more of him. Along with Superman. And together.
When Will Batman Next Appear In The DCU?
No one knows! As far as anyone knows, the DCU hasn’t even cast anyone as Batman. Maybe they’ll be some kind of Batman teaser in an after-credits scene inSuperman. Or 2027’sSupergirl. But the first Batman movie listed for the DCU isThe Brave and the Boldand that currently doesn’t have a release date.
“What about Robert Pattinson?” The Matthew Reeves Batman stories are their own thing. Gunn calls them Elseworld stories. Apparently Reeves didn’t want his Batman to be part of the DCU and Gunn respected that. Maybe Gunn’s hoping that changes?
I certainly wasn’t expecting something as bold as introducing Batman via an animated show about characters most mainstream audiences won’t know. But it’s a good way to get people who had been waiting for theSupermanmovie to check outCreature Commandos. We’ll see what other big surprises Gunn has in store as he continues to establish the DCU.
Creature Commandos
