The Flash Director Will Make The First Batman Film Of The New DCU

Republished By Plato

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Andy Muschietti, whose new film The Flash has just opened in theaters, has been lined up to direct Batman: The Brave and the Bold, which will be the first Batman film in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new, official DC Studios continuity (as opposed to the sequel to Robert Pattinson’s The Batman, which now exists under the non-canonical DC Elseworlds label).

The Flash features at least two Batmans (Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton), so Muschietti has had some practice with the character, if nothing else.

The Brave and the Bold was announced by Gunn and Safran when the fresh DC Studios chiefs unveiled their first slate of projects early this year. It’s based on a Grant Morrison comic series in which Bruce Wayne’s Batman is joined by his biological son Damian — a trained assassin, because reasons — as Robin. Gunn said it would be “the beginning of sort of the Bat Family in the [DC Universe].” There’s no screenwriter attached to the movie yet.

“We saw The Flash, even before taking the reins at DC Studios, and knew we were in the hands of not only a visionary director but a massive DC fan,” Gunn and Safran told Variety in a statement about their new hire. “It’s a magnificent film — funny, emotional, thrilling — and Andy’s affinity and passion for these characters and this world just resonates through every frame. So, when it came time to find a director for The Brave and the Bold, there was really only one choice. Luckily, Andy said yes.”

While not everyone might agree on The Flash’s quality, there is a case to be made for Muschietti being a good fit for The Brave and the Bold. His handling of Michael Keaton’s Batman as less of a tormented loner and more of a paternal foil for unruly younger heroes is one of The Flash’s most successful elements, and seems well matched to the return of Batman and Robin to cinema screens for the first time since Joel Schumacher’s ill-fated 1997 movie.

Prior to The Flash, Muschietti made Warner Bros.’ hugely successful two-part adaptation of Stephen King’s It, and horror breakout Mama.

The other projects in DC Studios’ reboot, titled “Chapter One: Gods and Monsters,” are Superman Legacy (to be written and directed by Gunn himself), The Authority, a Supergirl film, Swamp Thing, and TV shows Creature Commandos, Waller, Booster Gold, Lanterns, and Wonder Woman prequel Paradise Lost. With plans for lynchpin heroes Superman and Batman firming up already, it seems Gunn and Safran have their priorities straight.