James Gunn Confirms DC Studios’ 4th Non-DCU Batman Movie

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James Gunn recently shared an update about a fourth Batman movie from DC Studios that isn’t connected to the main DC Universe (DCU). While a Batman film is planned for the DCU as part of The Brave and the Bold, it seems the studio is currently focusing on another Batman project – one that’s further along in development.

Beyond the main DC Universe movies, several standalone Batman stories are in development. These include Matt Reeves’ highly praised The Batman and its planned 2027 sequel, the new animated film Batman: Knightfall, and another project confirmed by James Gunn.

During a recent question-and-answer session on Threads, James Gunn shared that another DC movie is also planned as a separate “Elseworlds” Batman story. He confirmed that the upcoming animated film, Dynamic Duo from Swaybox, won’t be connected to the main DC Universe he’s building.

A fan asked James Gunn if the comic series “Dynamic Duo” was being reworked as part of the new DC Universe. Gunn responded with a straightforward “no.”

Q: “Hey James, is true ‘Dynamic Duo’ is being rewritten to be part of the DCU?”

A: “Nope.”

There’s been a lot of uncertainty about the new animated film. When it was first announced, most people thought Dynamic Duo would be a standalone story, separate from the main DC Universe. But DC complicated things in August 2025, when they posted an update to their website clarifying that the announced projects didn’t include films not connected to the shared DC Universe.

The upcoming film, Dynamic Duo, will follow former Batman sidekicks Dick Grayson and Jason Todd as they team up to fight a shared enemy after their time as Robin. It’s planned as a visually distinctive movie, combining computer animation with puppetry and stop-motion techniques, and is scheduled to hit theaters on June 30, 2028.

DC Studios’ 4 Non-DCU Batman Projects

The Batman

Although originally developed before James Gunn and Peter Safran took charge at DC Studios, they’ve now adopted Matt Reeves’ The Batman as part of their creative universe. This is mainly because the planned sequel will be fully produced by DC Studios.

The newest Batman movie features Robert Pattinson as the iconic hero, facing off against a mysterious serial killer known as The Riddler (played by Paul Dano). This film, The Batman, launched a darker, more realistic version of the character, and that style will continue in the upcoming The Batman – Part II.

The Batman – Part II

The next Batman movie, currently titled The Batman – Part II, will be the first live-action film featuring the character to be made under the new leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran at DC Studios. Continuing the story from the well-received 2022 film The Batman, it will again star Robert Pattinson as a young Batman protecting Gotham City.

Production on The Batman 2 is scheduled to begin this spring, and the movie will be released on October 1, 2027. While the main villain hasn’t been announced yet, several well-known actors are joining the cast, including Scarlett Johansson and Sebastian Stan.

Batman: Knightfall

Later this year, DC Studios will release Batman: Knightfall, a new animated film. It’s based on the popular comic book storyline of the same name, originally created by writers Chuck Dixon, Jo Duffy, Alan Grant, Dennis O’Neil, and Doug Moench.

This upcoming animated movie focuses on what everyone believes is Batman’s death at the hands of Bane. With Batman gone, another character, Jean-Paul Valley – also known as Azrael – steps up to become a new, secretive, and brilliant hero.

Dynamic Duo

The final Batman story currently in development that isn’t part of the main DC Universe is called Dynamic Duo. Created by the New Orleans animation studio Swaybox, this project will be different from other DC stories, blending traditional animation with stop-motion and puppetry for a unique visual style.

While the specific story is being kept secret, the movie will follow two former Robins teaming up to defeat a powerful villain after their time working with Batman.

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2026-01-19 21:35