Matt Reeves Talks About Whether Superman Exists in the World of THE BATMAN and If We Could See a Future Crossover
Batman is a DC Comics character, and in films past like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League, the caped crusader teamed up with, or against, some of the other superheroes in his universe. So while we can see that this upcoming film The Batman is an individual story about Bruce Wayne’s struggles, it may cross some fans’ minds, wondering if we could see the other most popular DC superhero, Superman, in this Batman’s world in the future.
In a recent interview with Collider, director Matt Reeves was asked about the possibility, and he responded, saying:
“It's a high wire act to do a Batman movie, right? Because the character's been around for 80 years, everyone has their own version in their head and there have been great movies. The last thing I wanted to do was come in there and feel like I had to do something with the highest degree of difficulty and then also find the ways that it connects to everything else. My thing was, from the beginning, I said, ‘Look, I think it's enough to try and just do a bat verse, to do a Batman movie,’ and that that's where this begins.
I suppose it's not impossible to believe that somewhere down the line, they could connect to something else, but that was not my interest in this, and it's not my interest in what we would do in follow-ups at the moment either. I feel like the whole point in us working with this incredible cast and this incredible crew to realize this movie that sort of, I really believe, is a fresh and different version of these characters is to pursue every ... There are a lot of great characters in the Gotham world and so the idea of leaning into that, that's really my interest right now.”
While that was an in-depth answer, the interviewer clarified, asking not whether Superman would be involved in an upcoming movie, but if he even exists in this Batman’s universe. Reeves went on to say:
"You mean if it could? Is that what you're saying? I mean, if something like that did happen, because I was very careful about ... To me, what I try to do is take ... I did this in the Apes films too, and even Cloverfield, this idea of taking the one fantastical element and then have everything around it, so it'll be as grounded as possible, so that it could feel ... I want it to feel emotionally real and to make everything feel very believable. In this movie, even further I think than what I did in those films, I tried to find the practical, believable version. If suddenly in the Batman world, you discovered that there was an alien that was Superman, there'd be a lot of shock. I mean, people would have to say, oh my God, and maybe that would be the one fantastical element.
But to be honest with you, that is not the intention at this point, to figure out how to make that come. Look, we should be so lucky that this is a world that people embrace and that they say, oh my God, we want to see what would happen when those things collide. I think if that challenge ever presents itself, it would be an exciting one to explore, but I'd have to try and do it through this lens. You know what I mean? And that is absolutely right, that at the moment, to me, this world is the place that I want to focus.”
Based on what he said, it’s clear Reeves currently has no intention of introducing Superman or anyone else outside of Gotham to his version of Batman’s storyline anytime soon. But if he were to ever consider it, it sounds like he’d try and find a way to make it as believable as he could. This is an easier feat to accomplish when working with the one superhero who doesn’t have actual super powers. It would get trickier when bringing in the complicated alien that is Clark Kent.
Whatever happens, I trust that Matt Reeves will do a great job with the franchise he has been entrusted with. He’s a good director, and I can’t wait to see what the future of Batman looks like.
The Batman hits theaters this Friday, March 4. Do you have your tickets yet?