James Gunn Shuts Down Chris Pratt Batman Rumors, But Still Wants Him in the DCU
The DCU is still waiting for its Batman, and speculation just got wilder thanks to Peacemaker Season 2. With The Brave and the Bold still in development and no Dark Knight casting revealed, many fans have been wondering if James Gunn might use the hit Max series to introduce Gotham’s protector.
Some even went as far as suggesting that Gunn’s longtime collaborator, Chris Pratt, could suit up as Batman. Well, Gunn has officially put that theory to rest.
In an interview with PelucheEn ElEstuche, Gunn was asked directly about the possibility of casting Pratt as the Dark Knight. His answer was short and very clear:
"As Batman? No. As something else? Yes."
That statement is sure to calm fans who weren’t exactly sold on the idea of Pratt donning the cape and cowl. Still, the filmmaker didn’t close the door entirely on his Guardians of the Galaxy star joining the DCU in another role.
The reason these theories keep swirling is because Gunn himself has been hyping up something big in Peacemaker Season 2. Earlier this summer, he told fans the show is "very much connected to Superman and it's very much connected to what comes after," while promising "one really, really, really big cameo near the end of the show."
During his most recent comments, he doubled down on that tease:
"We have some really big, big stars from the DC Universe that are going to be near the end of the season."
That was enough to spark speculation that Batman could be making his DCU debut in the second half of the season. If Gunn already cast the Dark Knight in secret, it would certainly explain why critics haven’t been given early access to the final three episodes.
For now, fans shouldn’t expect Pratt to be Bruce Wayne, and there’s no confirmation that Batman will appear in Peacemaker at all. What we do know is that The Brave and the Bold is still in development, and more than three years into the DCU reboot, the character’s only presence so far has been a shadowy animated cameo in Creature Commandos.
If Gunn really is saving Batman’s live-action debut for a surprise, it would be one of the most exciting reveals yet. Until then, fans will just have to wait and see if that “big, big star” in Peacemaker Season 2 is truly Gotham’s Dark Knight.