DC Studios co-head James Gunn confirms the DCU’s Batman will not be played by George Clooney or anyone who has already portrayed the hero.

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Contrary to circulating rumors, actor George Clooney will not be reprising the role of Batman in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe. Instead, Gunn confirmed that someone else will be brought in to don the iconic cowl on screen.

On social media, Gunn confirmed that it is “absolutely not” true that Clooney will play Batman and that DC Studios will look to cast a “new actor” for the role. The studio head did not offer more details to curious fans.

Gunn previously confirmed that actor Ben Affleck would not be returning, but that Robert Pattinson will continue playing Bruce Wayne in Matt Reeves’ separate universe, stemming from The Batman. However, Gunn also added that Affleck, who played Batman in the DCEU, will have a part to play in this new universe. “We’re working with Ben Affleck, who has been a part of our team trying to bring things together and he really wants to direct one of our projects. We’re excited for him to do that,” Gunn explained.

DC Studios recently unveiled the upcoming slate of films and television shows, all comprising the new DC Universe. This first phase will be split into two chapters. Chapter One is titled “Gods & Monsters” and will kick off in 2025 with Superman: Legacy, a film centered on the younger days of the iconic Kryptonian. One of the projects to follow is The Brave and the Bold, which centers on Batman as he tries to be a father to his son, the assassin Damian Wayne. No casting details have been announced for Batman or any of the characters set to appear.

The Batman Mythos on Screen

There have been several iterations of the Dark Knight on the big screen in the last decade or so. Following the conclusion of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy in 2012, Affleck donned the cape and cowl of the Batman for Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice film, reprising the role again in Justice League and Suicide Squad. Following attempts to develop a solo film for the character, Affleck exited the role, making way for what eventually became Robert Pattinson’s take on the character in Matt Reeves’ widely-praised film, The Batman.

As the DCU takes shape, Reeves continues to develop his separate universe, which will expand with the upcoming Penguin spinoff series on HBO Max, as well as The Batman – Part II. It exists in a similar state as Todd Phillips’ Joker film and its upcoming sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, which also draws inspiration from the Batman mythos.

This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

Source: cbr.com