Theongoing production of HBO Max’sBatgirlhas teased yet another reference to the DCEU, further establishing its evident connection to the ongoing lore of the DC’s shared cinematic continuity. A photo taken on the film’s set suggests that Lex Luthor, the arch-nemesis of Superman and former head of Lex Corp., is still in prison. It’s an image of a magazine cover that claims to account for an exclusive interview from Luthor and his efforts to appeal his sentencing, thus, establishing that the conglomerate-turned-maniac is still fighting his case. The image not only references Zack Snyder’s initial films that formed DC Extended Universe but also putsBatgirlin an intricate position within the DCEU timeline.
The Set Image: Lex Luthor’s Presence In DCEU
The image shows the magazine cover of Gotham Tattler, featuring snippets from a detailed exclusive interview of Lex Luthor inside. The cover headline states:
Billionaire Villain Lex Luther Hires New Lawyer To Appeal Sentence
The headline, which surprisingly misspells the man’s surname, refers to Lex Luthor’s fate at the end ofBatman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. In that film, after his involvement in Doomsday’s attack is out, he is sent by the Batman to the Arkham Asylum. It is revealed inJustice Leaguethat he has somehow escaped his captivity and is revitalizing his resources to wage a battle against the newly formed team-up of superheroes. He then decides to take out his first target, Bruce Wayne, with the help of Slade Wilson/Deathstroke, who has a personal enmity with the caped crusader. Luthor’s arrest and admission into the Arkham Asylum were kept as a canon plotline inZack Snyder’s Justice League, which Snyder’s fellow DCEU directors believe to be the true continuation toBatman v. Superman.
He Is The Same Lex Luthor
The image also probably establishes thatBatgirlis a part of the original DCEU which began withMan of Steel, andit isn’t set in an alternate timeline.Batgirl’spresence in the DCEU timeline was though cleared whenJ.K. Simmons was brought back to play Commissioner Jim Gordonfrom the previous films; however, it was once again left in confusion when the Batman iterationthe film signed up was Michael Keatonand notBen Affleck. There were fan speculations thatThe Flashshall erase Snyder’s films from the shared continuity, which will make Keaton’s Batman the primary dark knight of DC Extended Universe.
However, if the image is to be believed, those events aren’t getting erased from the timeline at all. The magazine cover also mentions the infamous Capitol Bombings inBatman v. Supermanthat Luthor planned and executed to frame Superman. The headline says:“Witness Testimonies From The Capitol Building Bombing.”
The reference indicates that Luthor is still being tried for his role in the attack on Capitol and seeking new counsel. If such a crucial moment from that film is referenced here, it’s unlikely that those events will ever be erased from the original DCEU timeline. How those events will fit in the film’s plot is yet to be known, and it would be interesting to see how the film explains the fact that Luthor is somehow back in prison after he escapes from Arkham inJustice Leagueand itsSnyder Cut.
Batgirlis Set in 2022?
The magazine cover probably suggests that it’s the November 2022 issue that features Luthor’s interview. Though the final digit is not clear in the image, given the film is releasing in the same year, it could be possible that the story will also be set in 2022. It’s still a question to raise how the film is going to set itself around the past chaotic events of the DCEU, especially when it has to factor the multiversal setting ofThe Flash, whose story would have a huge impact onBatgirl’spremise and plot, as well as all the future outings of DC Extended Universe.Batgirlstars Leslie Graceas Barbara Gordon/Batgirl,alongside Brendan Fraser as Firefly, Micheal Keaton as Batman, and J.k. Simmons as Jim Gordon. Jacob Scipio, Rebecca Front, Corey Johnson, and Ethan Kai have also been cast in the film. Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah,Batgirlwill release exclusively on HBO Max this year.
