James Gunn Vows DCU’s Batman Won’t Repeat Spider-Man’s Downfall

James Gunn has recently opened up about his vision for Batman in the DC Universe, making it clear he’s steering clear of a misstep that once plagued Sony’s Spider- Man films: launching two major movies in the same year. When a fan questioned him on Threads about whether he was downplaying Bruce Wayne’s significance in the DCU, Gunn responded candidly:

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.

His reply signals a deliberate move to avoid releasing his Batman project alongside Matt Reeves ’ take on the Dark Knight within the same calendar year—a strategy that backfired for Sony when they doubled up on Spider-Man-related releases.

Spider-Man’s Double Release: A Costly Lesson

Back in 2021, Sony dropped both "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," two films tied to the web-slinger’s universe. While "No Way Home" soared at the box office, "Let There Be Carnage" struggled to keep up, highlighting the risks of crowding the market with similar titles.

"No Way Home," starring Tom Holland, was produced on a $200 million budget and raked in an impressive $1.9 billion worldwide. In contrast, Tom Hardy’s "Let There Be Carnage" brought in $501.5 million on a $110 million budget. The latter’s underperformance wasn’t just about quality—though it did earn a lukewarm 58% from critics and a more favorable 83% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. The timing, with two major releases so close together, likely played a role in splitting audience attention and box office returns.

Gunn’s Strategy for Batman’s Future

Gunn has made it clear he won’t let his Batman film compete with Matt Reeves’ upcoming "The Batman: Part II." He’s also provided updates on "The Brave and the Bold," the project set to introduce Bruce Wayne in the reimagined DCU. When asked about when fans might hear more, 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 described the writing process as challenging, noting that sometimes a script feels just one draft away from completion, only for the next version to reveal it still needs more work. This means fans may have to wait a bit longer for concrete news about the new Batman film.

Gunn’s careful approach suggests he’s determined to give each Batman story its own space to shine, learning from the past and ensuring the Caped Crusader’s next chapter in the DCU stands out.