Amidst the confusion and turmoil currently plaguing the DCEU, there’s been one tidbit of enticing news – Ben Affleck will be returning as Batman in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. This was quite surprising to many fans, especially those familiar with The Flash, because that film was believed to be resetting the franchise and replacing Affleck with either Michael Keaton or Leslie Grace’s Batgirl. That is seemingly not happening anymore since Batgirl was tragically shelved.
However, this could be part of the grand plan they’ve supposedly concocted. Batman is arguably the most essential DC Comics character, so if they want to get the DCEU right, they first have to get him right – which they did with The Batman, but that was established to be a separate entity. Whatever the case in how and when he features, this could open up the opportunity for his iconic supporting characters and allies to get their own projects in the DCEU, and these characters stand the best chance right now.
Batgirl (Barbara Gordon)
One of the most prominent Batman characters deserving of their project is the one who had theirs stolen away. Leslie Grace was set to star as Barbara Gordon in Batgirl, but it was tragically canceled as part of the Warner-Discovery restructuring before anyone really had a chance to appreciate it. This was because it fell into a tricky situation, and budgetary concerns didn’t deem it worth marketing.
It’s a shame audiences have to wait longer to see Batgirl in live-action, let alone in her own project. If there’s any chance that the film can be saved in the future, many fans would love to see it, but perhaps it could be reworked to a miniseries format. However, first, they need to make Batman a stable piece of the DCEU.
Nightwing (Dick Grayson)
There is no Batman ally more iconic and beloved than Nightwing, and there were hopes he could get a prominent role in the DCEU, but those have likely been pushed to the back-burner. Nevertheless, when the opportunity becomes available, they should find a way to bring him into the fray – either in the MCU or as part of The Batman’s universe.
In the DCEU, Dick Grayson is supposedly dead – having been killed previously by the Joker as shown in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – but if the franchise is reset or reworked that could be changed. Introducing Nightwing, along with Batgirl, would allow for other prominent members of the Bat-Family, like the many Robins, Spoiler, and Batwing, to find their way into the DCEU too.
Deathstroke (Slade Wilson)
While the heroes naturally get most of the focus, Batman’s iconic rogue's gallery is home to many villains worthy of heading up their own project, including Deathstroke. He’s already part of the DCEU, being played by Joe Manganiello in Justice League, and while the character has also recently featured in Arrow and Titans, there’s still more of his story to tell in live-action.
He was intended to be the main antagonist in the Batman film Ben Affleck was developing before Matt Reeves took over, and since he also has an extensive history with Nightwing, that role could be translated to his film or show should he get one. However, many fans would love to see Deathstroke get his own thing to showcase his complex backstory.
Red Hood (Jason Todd)
Killing off a Robin in the DCEU might limit Nightwing’s introduction, but it plays right into Red Hood’s. Jason Todd was the second Robin and a far more rebellious and antagonistic one than Dick Grayson. His popularity waned to the point of being killed off in 1988’s A Death in the Family storyline, but nearly twenty years later he was revived as the villain, Red Hood.
Since then, he’s reformed to become a hero again, though he still remains the black sheep of the Bat-Family. This transformation was explored recently in season 3 of Titans, but it could still find be part of the DCEU. Eventually, he could even head up his own team in the franchise – The Outlaws, a team with Red Hood, Bizarro, and Artemis of Bana-Migdhall.
Batwoman (Kate Kane)
Whether any of the Batgirls from Barbara Gordon to Cassandra Cain get their own project in the DCEU, Batwoman has already proved to some extent that she can helm her own. Batwoman ran as part of the Arrowverse, at first telling the story of Kate Kane – Bruce Wayne’s cousin – before moving onto an original creation, Ryan Wilder, as Batwoman.
Alternatively, Kate Kane’s Batwoman would be a logical addition to The Batman’s universe, even in the proposed sequel, since the first film focused deeply on Bruce’s family. Bringing in his cousin, Kate, as a fellow caped crusader would allow for even more exploration on that matter – plus it would allow for some much-needed LGBTQ+ representation in these stories.
League of Assassins
Like Deathstroke, the mysterious League of Assassins – or the League of Shadows as many might remember them as from Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy – would make for a very captivating subject for a miniseries. Obviously, this could focus deeply on Ra’s Al Ghul and his discovery of the Lazarus Pits and/or it could showcase some of their modern stories.
Ra’s’ daughters, Talia Al Ghul and Nyssa Raatko could also feature predominately, which could in turn be a great way to introduce Talia and Batman’s son, Damian Wayne. Regardless of if they get their own project – which would be quite interesting to witness – Ra’s, Talia, Damian, and the League will hopefully be part of the DCEU in the near future.
Court of Owls
Another secret organization that could make for a compelling miniseries is the Court of Owls and their legendary assassins, the Talons.
Specifically, it could focus on William Cobb, one of the most prolific Talons who is also Dick Grayson’s great-grandfather – though he still operates in modern days thanks to special regenerative abilities granted by the Court of Owls. That relationship could be manipulated to make sense in the DCEU, but it would also lend itself quite well to him being the main antagonist in a Nightwing project. However, some theorize they could end up the villains of The Batman 2 since Robert Pattinson has expressed interest in them.
Huntress (Helena Bertinelli)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead was delightful in the role of Helena Bertinelli, not only effectively capturing her killer instinct, but infusing her with comical energy that worked well opposite her castmates.
She could surely show up in Black Canary next, having formed a crime-fighting team with her and Renee Montoya, but after that, her future is ambiguous. Much of her comic stories focus on her drive for revenge and relationship with Batman, but in the DCEU, they can take a different approach and highlight her new life as a hero.
Zatanna
Batman has been part of nearly every iteration of the Justice League including their supernatural counterpart, Justice League Dark, along with Zatanna. Of the magical heroes in the DC Comics Universe, she is the most prolific and widely-recognized, and as such, a character logically deserving of their own film.
A Zatanna film is supposedly in development and was to be part of a Justice League Dark mini-franchise within the DCEU organized by JJ Abrams – however, those plans have been halted and likely won’t be on HBO Max if they happen, and thus won’t be part of the DCEU. However, Zatanna seems to be different from the rest and will hopefully be moving forward.
Batman (Terry McGinnis)
One exciting idea is Terry McGinnis as the new Batman. He is the original creation of Batman Beyond, one of DC Comic’s best animated series, who has since crossed into the comics, and someone many fans would love to see in live-action soon.
A Terry McGinnis live-action show, however, might be difficult to work into the DCEU’s strange timeline since his story takes place in the relative future, however, he could be defined instead as the Batman from another universe. That way, as part of a multiversal story like The Flash or Crisis on Infinite Earths, he could be incorporated. Otherwise, many would just love to see a live-action adaptation of Batman Beyond, regardless of whether it is in the DCEU or not.