If you thought you’d heard Matt Reeves mention that The Batman wouldn’t be a part of the DC Extended Universe, rest assured that you misunderstood!
Following a report suggesting that Warner Bros. was developing a Joker origin movie set outside of the DCEU, someone dug up a podcast interview that Reeves gave a few days prior to San Diego Comic-Con International 2017. During the interview, he stated that the studio had told him that The Batman would be "a standalone…not part of the extended universe".
The interview didn’t attract much attention when it was originally posted, but its resurgence after more than a month since its arrival online has wreaked havoc among fans who’ve come across worry-inducing stories about the project and the shared universe. But, like most of those stories, this latest one is already six feet under!
Matt Reeves took to Twitter to set the record straight. He tweeted that The Batman is definitely set in the DCEU, and clarified that he meant that the movie is specifically about the Caped Crusader. It won't serve as a platform for setting up future DCEU installments, nor will it include cameos by other superheroes. Its sole purpose is to tell "a BATMAN story". Check out his tweets below!
Jeez, what’d I miss, guys…? ?
Just to be clear: Of COURSE Batman will be part of the D.C. Universe. Batman will be BATMAN…
"” Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) August 24, 2017
In my comments from a while back about not being part of the DCEU, I was talking about The Batman being a story specifically about Batman…
"” Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) August 24, 2017
…not about the others in the Universe. That it wouldn’t be filled with cameos servicing other stories – that it would be a BATMAN story.
"” Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) August 24, 2017
?
"” Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) August 24, 2017
We could point out that the director didn't mention Ben Affleck in his tweets. But to be honest, it's not worth agonizing about. We’ve had multiple assurances over the last three months that the actor is committed to the project, first from Reeves, then from Affleck, and finally, from Affleck's representative.
