A new report claims that The Batman is set in DCEU's Earth-2. Directed by Matt Reeves, the movie will debut Robert Pattinson as the new Caped Crusader. Specific plot details have been scant at the moment, but this version of the hero is still in his early years of assuming the vigilante persona and is figuring out how to make sure he serves his intended purpose. Also factoring in the narrative is the Riddler (Paul Dano), who is supposedly the primary villain, while also featuring a couple of other antagonists such as the Penguin (Colin Farrell) and Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz). Commissioner Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) and Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis), on the other hand, will also appear.

When The Batman was first announced, it was supposed to be written and directed by Ben Affleck, who would also reprise his DCEU role in it. But after persistent rumors that he was done with the character after the less-than-ideal reception to the films in the franchise took a toll on him, it was eventually confirmed that the initially planned solo movie was no longer happening. But instead of simply recasting, The Batman has been totally reworked to be something different from its original iteration. Like Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix's Joker, it will be separated from the DCEU.

Related: What Ben Affleck's Solo Batman Movie Was About (Snyder Cut Setup)

As Warner Bros. pivots its superhero efforts to the multiverse, it's now being reported that The Batman will be set in DCEU's Earth-2. Additionally, the report from THR also claims that, except for The Batman, DC is planning for its films and shows to share the same universe. This means that The Batman will be an outlier, unconnected to the rest of the DCEU.

Ben Affleck Batman return explains Robert Pattinson in DCEU

While Affleck has long been gone from the DCEU, he made his return through Zack Snyder's Justice League which debuted on HBO Max in March. Aside from his cut scenes from the theatrical version, the actor also returned for some reshoots as director Zack Snyder added the Knightmare sequence at the film's end. This was supposed to springboard the scrapped Justice League sequels. However, as with the Release the Snyder Cut movement, it's difficult to say the sequels will never be made, leading to the possibility that Affleck's Batman could continue his arc in the DCEU, albeit briefly. This shouldn't present any issues with The Batman, however, since Pattinson's version of the Dark Knight is on Earth-2. What's exciting is the prospect of these worlds colliding for an epic crossover.

For now, however, the focus is to build his own mini-universe on Earth-2 starting with The Batman. Since Pattinson's version is in his early years as the Caped Crusader, Warner Bros. can develop his character throughout the next several years, chronicling his arc to becoming the confident version of the hero. But first, he needs to come to terms with his family's involvement in Gotham's corrupt system — something that he will learn more about in the movie.

More: Was Jared Leto's Joker in Ben Affleck's Batman?

Source: THR

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