What a confusing, strange week for the DC Comics extended universe. We saw announcements come through for not one, but two different movies starring not one, but two different actors playing Batman’s grinning arch-nemesis, the Joker. Then, the Wrap stumbled across an interview with The Batman director Matt Reeves from back in July, which is ancient history in comic-book movie time, saying that Bats’ standalone flick wouldn’t be part of the extended universe. Finally, the Hollywood Reporter suggested that Reeves was looking for a new actor to play the caped crusader. That statement has since been retracted. Reeves took to Twitter to clarify the whole situation through his official account:

Just to be clear: Of COURSE Batman will be part of the D.C. Universe. Batman will be BATMAN … In my comments from a while back about not being part of the DCEU, I was talking about The Batman being a story specifically about Batman … not about the others in the Universe. That it wouldn’t be filled with cameos servicing other stories — that it would be a BATMAN story.

That is to say, The Batman will fit into the overall picture of the DCEU, but it won’t have any interlocking pieces like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (or every Marvel movie since 2008) did. It’s just going to be its own thing in that universe. Personally, I’d love to see more superhero movies like that. I’d love to go to these movies without the feeling that it’s kind of like doing homework.

As to whether Ben Affleck is still the Batman, neither Reeves nor Warner Bros. has addressed the issue, so it’s impossible to say for sure. That kind of silence is pretty damning, though, and word from Affleck’s younger brother doesn’t help. Affleck, for his part, denies the rumors. With Justice League just three months away from its November 17 release, though, that news probably can’t stay hidden for much longer.

Interlocking pieces

That is to say, The Batman will fit into the overall picture of the DCEU, but it won’t have any interlocking pieces like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (or every Marvel movie since 2008) did. It’s just going to be its own thing in that universe. Personally, I’d love to see more superhero movies like that. I’d love to go to these movies without the feeling that it’s kind of like doing homework.

As to whether Ben Affleck is still the Batman, neither Reeves nor Warner Bros. has addressed the issue, so it’s impossible to say for sure. That kind of silence is pretty damning, though, and word from Affleck’s younger brother doesn’t help. Affleck, for his part, denies the rumors. With Justice League just three months away from its November 17 release, though, that news probably can’t stay hidden for much longer.