The DCU Batman Needs Less Dark Knight And More Caped Crusader
Once James Gunn finishes his Superman film, there’s a good chance he will switch his focus to the new DCU Batman. With any luck, his interpretation of the character will be a complete reversal of the grimdark Synderverse version. In other words, I really hope Gunn’s Batman is less Dark Knight and more Caped Crusader.
Most Modern Adaptations Are Frank Miller Inspired
Batman has been around for 85 years—longer than the microwave oven! In that time, the character has gone from a cold-blooded pulp hero to a swashbuckling adventurer, a campy crime-fighter, and beyond. Yet, for some reason, Hollywood is stuck on the darkest, broodiest aspects of the character.
It all started with 1986’s Frank Miller comic book The Dark Knight Returns. The four-issue miniseries saw an older, bleaker take on Batman than fans were used to. The comic has become such a dominant part of the character’s mythos that you can see its influence in everything from Batman (1989) to The Dark Knight (2008) to The Batman (2022). Only the DCU can break the dark Batman cycle.
Gritty Batman Has Worn Out His Welcome
Don’t get me wrong. Gritty Batman has its place in the fandom. As someone old enough to remember when Tim Burton’s Batman first came out, I can not express how cool it was to see Michael Keaton’s black, rubber-clad vigilante on the big screen.
After an early childhood filled with Super Friends and Adam West’s campy antics, Burton’s Batman blew my eight-year-old mind. At 43, however, I’m over it. All I want from the DCU is a more light-hearted Batman closer to the one of my youth.
The Brave And The Bold Got It Right
Obviously, I don’t mean he should dance the Batusi or call Robin “Chum,” but someone who doesn’t blatantly murder his opponents would be nice. No one is asking James Gunn to go full Batman: The Brave and The Bold (2008). But given that the DCU Batman film is also titled The Brave and The Bold, taking a few cues from its lighthearted cartoon namesake wouldn’t be the worst idea.
Gunn can start by making the DCU Batman’s costume blue and grey. While there were technically blue and grey suits in The Flash, they took a backseat to the usual all-black armored look. Having a blue and grey suit as the main Batman suit would go a long way towards a lighter Batman.
How About A Little More Screen-Time For Robin?
The announcement that the DCU’s Batman will have a Robin is also a step in the right direction. The Boy Wonder has existed for 84 years—only one year less than Batman—yet has appeared in only three live-action films. One was the big-screen adaptation of the ’60s Batman show, so I’m not sure it even really counts.
As you can imagine, Robin’s character has been an important part of Batman’s life for most of those years. You wouldn’t know it based on the films, though. A plucky ray of optimism doesn’t align with Hollywood’s pessimistic view of the Batman mythos. That and the whole child soldier thing.
Hopefully, Gunn won’t overcompensate by making the DCU version of Robin a thirty-year-old man like Batman Forever.
Batman Doesn’t Always Have To Brood
Does a kinder, gentler Batman work in live-action, or will it just come off as goofy? I’m honestly not sure, but I do know one thing: I can’t take another pitch-black brawler with a mouth full of hot gravel. Batman is more than just his darkness and angst.
He’s also about hope and the belief that criminals can be redeemed through mental health care.
Basically, James Gunn just needs to make Batman: the Animated Series in live-action. If the DCU’s Batman can hit the same balance of light and dark as Kevin Conroy’s portrayal, then it might be my favorite live-action Batman of all time. Just don’t have him ask anyone if they bleed.
