Robert Pattinson won’t be the only Bruce Wayne appearing on the big screen in the near future.
However, whilst the sequel to 2022’s hit movie The Batman is going full steam ahead for an October 2025 release, it will exist outside of the central DC Universe (DCU) timeline, with each standalone project now part of what is dubbed ‘DC Elseworlds’.
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This means that a space has opened up for a new Batman in the DCU, with DC Studios head honcho James Gunn revealing that an adaptation of The Brave And The Bold will be our introduction to the new Bruce Wayne (although Ben Affleck, that other big screen Bruce, might be involved with some of the studio’s future projects – just not this one).
And he won’t be the only member of the Wayne family set to appear on our screens either. Here’s everything we know so far about the latest big screen iteration of Batman.
The Brave And The Bold: What’s The Story?
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As part of his DC presentation, Gunn announced that Grant Morrison’s run of Batman comics from the mid-2000s would be the inspiration for a new live-action feature.
The Brave And The Bold isn’t to be confused with the long-running comic book series that was host to an all manner of unconventional superhero team-ups – this is strictly Morrison’s iteration of the franchise.
While there are several wild storylines during this period – including time travel – there is one key aspect Gunn wants the film to linger on.
This is the introduction of a brand new Robin in the form of Bruce Wayne’s long-lost child Damian, his teen son with Talia al Ghul, who has been raised as an assassin by Talia and Ra’s al Ghul.
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Much like the devil child from The Omen with whom he (almost) shares a name, Damian is a little stinker. The early editions largely follow Bruce’s attempts to turn his unruly son into a caped crusader worthy of the Robin moniker.
Morrison’s comics naturally take this in a dark direction, leading to the eventual death of Bruce Wayne. If Gunn is aiming to avoid audience confusion about different iterations of the same hero within a single franchise, could he be preparing to do the same here?
Gunn added that the film “is going to feature other members of the extended Bat-Family, because we feel like they’ve been left out of the Batman stories in cinema for far too long”.
With Dick Grayson, the original Robin, replacing Bruce Wayne following his death in Morrison’s series, feel free to speculate as to whether Gunn will pull off the same move.
Who Is Damian Wayne?
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Described by Gunn as a “little son of a bitch”, Bruce didn’t know about the existence of his son until about a decade after his birth.
Talia faked a miscarriage in order to train Damian as a murderer in secret, in the hope that he would one day kill his father and inherit his multi-billion dollar Wayne Enterprises empire.
When Talia reveals Damian’s existence to Bruce, it’s when she leaves their son in his custody, hoping this will disrupt his plans. After all, Damian is a spoiled brat with violent tendencies, although things don’t go the way she expects.
Damian shows many signs of wanting his father’s approval, which is how he ends up taking on the Robin moniker, making for the ultimate Batman and Robin odd couple. One is a kid who was born to kill, the other is an awkward billionaire crime fighter who refuses to.
Release Date
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No date has yet been announced, but it is expected to be released within the initial chapter of the new DCU known as Gods And Monsters.
The first film to be given a release date within this phase, Superman: Legacy, will release on Friday 11th July 2025 – so expect this at some point after then.
You can read details on all of the other projects announced so far here.
