New DC Movie Set Photos Fuel Speculation Of The Batman's Secret Connection To Gunn's DCU

Matt Reeves’ The Batman may have another spinoff, after all, but not in the sense DC fans expect. Matt Reeves’ The Batman was born from the ashes of Ben Affleck’s canceled DCEU movie. Thanks to Reeves’ vision, The Batman spawned its own franchise with The Penguin and the upcoming The Batman – Part II. However, Reeves’ franchise won’t expand to the level of a cinematic universe.

The DCU’s Batman will be a recurring major character, from his cameos in Creature Commandos to his solo debut in Andy Muschietti’s The Brave and the Bold to eventual team-ups and crossovers. Meanwhile, The Batman‘s Elseworlds continuity will continue to develop, but it’s expected to remain fully standalone. At this point, Matt Reeves seems fully focused on The Batman – Part II.

Clayface’s Set PH๏τos Have Created A Theory That The DCU Movie Is Set In The Batman’s World

Bruce looks over a Gotham City sunrise in The Batman

While Matt Reeves’ The Batman and James Gunn’s DCU are growing separately, fan discussion about a possible merge hasn’t stopped. Several similarities between Robert Pattinson’s Batman and David Corenswet’s Superman have fueled the fire. Now, Clayface set footage adds more details that could be interpreted as evidence that the two DC continuities are one and the same.

Clayface set pH๏τos reveal a gritty Gotham that closely resembles the one from The Batman and The Penguin, similar police uniforms, and a newspaper article about a party drug called “Bliss.” Bliss is a substance central to The Penguin, and it could play a significant role in future The Batman stories. Clayface‘s Gotham City Courthouse motto is also the same as in The Batman: “Sic Parvis Magna”.

In 2022, The Batman‘s realistic tone raised fan interest in a gritty reinterpretation of fantastical villains, including Mister Freeze, Poison Ivy, and Clayface. To this day, The Batman – Part II‘s main villain is yet to be confirmed. If DC Studios planned to merge both franchises, revealing Clayface to be a prequel to The Batman – Part II would be an effective strategy.

Why It Doesn’t Seem Like Clayface Is Actually Set In The Batman’s World

Meanwhile, James Gunn has addressed the DCU’s Batman, saying, “it’s not what’s happening right now. Everything’s in flux, so we’ll figure out what we’re doing next.” This means that details about the DCU’s exact Batman haven’t been decided yet. Integrating Robert Pattinson’s Batman into the DCU would force James Gunn and Andy Muschietti to commit to Matt Reeves’ vision indefinitely.

Most importantly, animated and live-action projects coexist in James Gunn’s DCU. Both the Batman and the Clayface featured in Creature Commandos are the same versions who will appear in The Brave and the Bold and Clayface, respectively. Hence, the DCU’s Batman has already sent multiple fantastical villains to prison, and Tom Rhys Harries’ Clayface exists in the same continuity as David Corenswet’s Superman and the Justice Gang.

Also spotted on James Watkins’ Clayface set were signs and cups sporting the “Jitters Coffee” brand, with Tom Rhys Harries’ protagonist even holding a cup himself. Jitters Coffee is a fictional brand with a continuous presence in the DCU. Peacemaker season 2’s Keeya works at Jitters Coffee, and David Corenswet’s Clark Kent arrives at the Daily Bugle holding a cup of Jitters at the beginning of Superman.

The Clayface Theory Highlights A DCU Strength Even If It Doesn’t Come True

Barry Keoghan's Joker at the end of The Batman — Barry Keoghan’s Joker at the end of The Batman

Clayface being a secret part of Matt Reeves and James Gunn’s shared DCU-The Batman franchise still seems unlikely. However, all the similarities between Clayface and the The Batman universe are testament to the quality of Reeves’ vision. At least in spirit, Clayface may become proof that Matt Reeves’ The Batman is the ultimate modernization of both the Dark Knight and Gotham City.

Some ideas are so good that they’re reused in unrelated projects. For example, Harley Quinn made her jump into the comics, TV, and movies following her introduction in Batman: The Animated Series. Similarly, after Tim Burton’s Batman, almost every live-action Batman actor has worn an all-black Batsuit. Over at Marvel, both Phil Coulson and the JARVIS AI were quickly incorporated into the comics.

Likewise, James Gunn’s DCU might use many similar elements that made Matt Reeves’ The Batman a DC phenomenon. A similar Gotham City, a similar GCPD, and a similar look into the city’s corruption would help the DCU’s Gotham feel alive and familiar. But even then, DC Studios will likely make sure the distinction between both continuities is clear to audiences.

That said, there’s still a chance that Clayface will be independent enough from the rest of the DCU to allow for headcanons. James Gunn has repeatedly clarified that each DCU insallment can be enjoyed as a standalone story. Therefore, Clayface may be an official part of the DCU, but whoever wishes to see its self-contained origin story as part of a different franchise may be able to do so.