AceShowbiz - James Gunn's announcement of a new actor stepping into the role of Batman for the upcoming "The Brave and the Bold" movie has sparked a whirlwind of conversations among fans and insiders. While the idea of a fresh take on Batman is tantalizing, Robert Pattinson, who captivated audiences in Matt Reeves's "The Batman", still harbors a dedicated following.

Matt Reeves' Batverse, significantly distinct from the broader DCU, was initially intended to run as an "Elseworlds" franchise. Yet, recent reports suggest that Reeves is resistant to integrating his Batman universe with Gunn's DCU. As Jeff Sneider shared on "The Hot Mic", "James wants Pattinson into the DCU. I think so. I think Reeves is resistant to that."

Coincidentally, "The Batman Part II" is facing production delays. However, sources insist these delays are attributed to personal matters unrelated to the potential DCU merger. Reese is still polishing the script, with filming expected to commence next year.

The upcoming Clayface movie, though produced by Reeves, will coexist with Gunn's DCU roster, showcasing darker elements distinct from Gunn's own Superman interpretation. This approach is melding diverse narrative tones under the overall DCU umbrella.

There's talk of "It" director Andy Muschietti helming "The Brave and the Bold", but official comments have been sparse following the lackluster performance of his recent "The Flash" movie.

Still, Gunn remains open to the idea of incorporating Pattinson as the DCU's Batman, balancing "Elseworlds" stories with mainstream DCU arcs. "I'm committed to both telling stories in the DCU and telling Elseworlds stories. We want to be able to tell a story where Superman is very different or tell a Red Son story or whatever," Gunn commented.

In contrast to his interest in Matt Reeves' Batman, James Gunn distanced himself from Todd Phillips' Joker. Although the first movie gained critical and commercial success with Oscar win for lead actor Joaquin Phoenix, the second movie suffered the opposite results both in box office and critic circle.

As soon as reviews put "Joker: Folie a Deux" in an unfavorable light, Gunn wasted no time to draw firm line between his DCU and Todd Phillips' adaptations. The "Guardians of the Galaxy" filmmaker took to social media to declare that "Joker" series under Phillips' directions is "not a DC Studios film."

Ultimately, the future of Joker hangs in the balance and it remains uncertain whether Pattinson will don the cape in a unified DCU or remain in his Elseworlds narrative.

What do you think? Should Robert Pattinson stay on as the DCU's Batman, or is it time for a new Caped Crusader?