James Gunn Vows Not to Repeat Spider-Man’s Batman Blunder

James Gunn has weighed in on what’s next for Batman in the DCU, making it clear he’s steering clear of a pitfall that once tripped up Sony’s Spider-Man franchise. When a fan on Threads questioned whether Gunn was “undervaluing the importance of Bruce Wayne being involved in the DCU,” the director didn’t mince words.

I’m not at all. I think both Batman and WW are incredibly important. But I’m also not going to have two Batman movies come out in the same year.

Gunn’s response leaves little doubt: he’s not planning to release his take on Batman alongside Matt Reeves’ version in the same calendar year. This is a direct contrast to Sony’s approach, which saw both Spider-Man: No Way Home and Venom: Let There Be Carnage hit cinemas in 2021. That move, as many punters noticed, didn’t do either film any favours.

Spider-Man’s Double Release: A Costly Lesson

Back in 2021, both No Way Home and Let There Be Carnage landed in cinemas, each tied to the web-slinger’s universe. While No Way Home smashed it at the box office, Let There Be Carnage struggled to keep up.

No Way Home, the third outing for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, was made on a $200 million budget and raked in a massive $1.9 billion worldwide. Meanwhile, Tom Hardy’s second go as Eddie Brock in Let There Be Carnage only managed $501.5 million off a $110 million budget. Not exactly a disaster, but a far cry from its counterpart’s success.

Of course, Let There Be Carnage copped criticism for not living up to expectations, scoring a 58% with critics (though audiences were a bit kinder at 83%). Still, having another Spider-Man film out in the same year didn’t help its chances. The overlap left both films competing for attention, and it’s clear Gunn doesn’t want to see Batman caught in a similar bind.

Gunn’s Approach to Batman’s DCU Debut

Gunn has also confirmed he won’t let his Batman project clash with Matt Reeves’ upcoming The Batman: Part II. He’s shared a few tidbits about The Brave and the Bold, but fans hoping for a release date will have to wait. On Threads, Gunn explained:

I’m dependent on when there’s an actionable script ready so there is no way of me guessing this. Also, frankly, we’re well into Batman 2, and I wouldn’t want to cloud the Batsphere until after that.

He’s admitted that nailing down a final script is no easy task, saying it can feel like “it’s one draft away and then you get the next draft and go, ‘You know what? I still think it needs one more draft to get there.’” So, it could be a while before fans get a proper update on Bruce Wayne’s new chapter in the DCU.

What’s your take on Gunn’s strategy? Let us know your thoughts below.