Has David Corenswet's Superman Already Met Batman? James Gunn Teases It Might’ve Happened

James Gunn isn’t giving away much when it comes to how the DC Universe will unfold, but every now and then, he drops a comment that makes fans’ ears perk up.

Case in point: Superman and Batman. Have they met in the DCU? Are they friends, foes, or something in between? According to Gunn, the answer might be more complicated than expected, and possibly already in motion.

During a recent interview with ExtraTV, Gunn was asked how David Corenswet’s Superman might react to seeing Gotham’s Dark Knight for the first time. Gunn’s response was sly:

“Well first of all, we don’t know if he’s already seen a man dressed up as a bat. But I think that he’d probably see a kindred spirit in that [here’s] another crazy person wearing a crazy costume [albeit] with a very different intent.”

What’s clear is Gunn’s vision for Superman and Batman’s relationship leans more toward collaboration than conflict. World’s Finest, not Batman v Superman. And given that Superman (2025) picks up with Clark Kent already three years into his hero career, it’s totally plausible the two have already crossed paths.

It’s a departure from what we’ve seen on screen before. Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman played up the ideological clash between the two icons, while earlier comic iterations often leaned on mutual respect and reluctant partnership. In fact, their relationship has had many different starting points across DC history.

In Superman #76 (1952), Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne awkwardly discover each other’s identities while sharing a cruise ship cabin. In Man of Steel #3 (1986), a more seasoned Batman schools a rookie Superman in Gotham. And in the New 52, their first meeting is all business and smack in the middle of a boom tube-fueled alien invasion. Each version redefines how they see each other and what kind of team they might become.

What makes Gunn’s DCU intriguing is that it doesn’t have to rehash the “first meeting” trope. If Superman’s already on the job, and if Batman is also out there doing his thing, maybe they’ve already had coffee.

So, is the DCU’s Batman already brooding somewhere in the shadows, keeping tabs on Metropolis’s flying boy scout? Is the World's Finest duo already a thing behind the scenes?

It’s very possible, and that mystery might just make their eventual on-screen interaction all the more satisfying.

How do you want to see the first Batman/Superman moment play out in the DCU? Drop your take in the comments.