As both DC and Marvel move towards exploring the idea of a cinematic multiverse, it has been confirmed in a recent report that director Matt Reeves’The Batmanwill be set in DCEU’s Earth-2. An alternate Earth that will be familiar to comic book fans, this puts Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight in a completely separate universe to the likes of Ben Affleck’s (something which had already been assumed) enablingThe Batmanto craft its own world away from the idea of a shared universe.
Of course,The Batmancould potentially one day crossover with the likes ofGal Gadot’s Wonder Womanand the rest of theJustice Leaguemuch like in the pages of DC comics.
This same report also claims that, whileThe Batmanwill stand alone in Earth-2, DC is planning for its upcoming movies and shows to share the same universe. The news thatThe Batmanis being set onEarth-2away from the rest of the DCEU is further confirmation that the studio are moving towards exploring the idea of a multiverse, which will no doubt lead to all manner of comic book movie craziness.
DC’s Earth-2 will be familiar to fans of the comic book source material, having first appeared in the 60s as a way to establish the concept of a multiverse in the DC mythos. It should also be familiar to fans ofThe CW’s DC shows, with Earth-2 making appearances in the likes ofArrowandThe Flash.
The Batmanwill evidently be the beginning of an Earth-2 shared universe, with a small screen spin-off already being planned based around the Gotham City Police Department,Gotham PD, with the intention for crossover with characters from Pattinson’s big screen outing, including the likes of Jeffrey Wright as Batman ally Jim Gordon. Where Joaquin Phoenix’sJokerfits into proceedings is anyone’s guess…
Looking beyondThe Batman, there have been ongoing rumors that J.J. Abrams and Ta-Nehisi Coates' upcomingSuperman Rebootwill be set within the DCEU, but with the news that Earth-2 is being brought into the fray, it’s very possible thatThe Batmanand the newSupermanwill be set in the same alternate universe. This is further supported by the other ongoing rumor surrounding Abrams’Superman, which claims that a black actor is being sought after for the new Man of Steel. This should have bells in the heads of DC fans ringing, as Earth-2 is known as the home of Val-Zod, one of the last Kryptonians of his universe and the second to use the mantle of Superman.
Before any of these multiverse shenanigans though, audiences are still awaiting the release ofThe Batman, which follows the early days of the Caped Crusader and focuses on a young Bruce Wayne who has become disheartened by the lack of impact he is having on crime in Gotham. Suddenly, Batman is needed more than ever when a series of murders occur at the hands of The Riddler. Led down a path that will reveal dark secrets about his parents, Bruce is forced to confront the corruption going on in the shadows of his city, all while trying to catch The Riddler before he kills again.
After a series of delays amid the ongoing global situation, director Matt Reeves recently confirmed thatThe Batmanhas finally wrapped filming, with the movie scheduled for release on August 18, 2025.
