A range of the biggest clues about the DCU’s Batman and what the hero’s story is like now look drastically different thanks to the newest updates about the franchise. With the DCU timeline currently in its early stages, there are naturally a lot of questions about what the universe’s main heroes will be like.

As a frontrunner for the most iconic superhero of all time, Batman is, unsurprisingly, one of the DCU characters people are most excited to see get fleshed out. This makes it all the more interesting that what appeared to be a selection of the most crucial clues about the DCU’s Batman story now seem quite different.

The Latest Updates About DCU’s Batman Villain Set PH๏τos Change What They Mean Considerably

The biggest recent source of clues about the DCU’s Batman and his world has been the set pH๏τos for 2026’s Clayface movie. Said set pH๏τos appeared to reveal a range of interesting details about the Dark Knight’s rogues gallery, including allusions to the DCU’s Joker, the Penguin, and even a reference to Batman’s first Robin.

However, these interesting allusions to parts of Batman’s lore have gotten a recent update that suggests they hold far less weight for the DCU than it may have previously appeared. In an interview with IGN, James Gunn discussed the graffiti and posters within the set pH๏τos for Clayface, and implied they weren’t as significant as it might seem, stating:

You really have to take it as something that an art department put together because I never… First of all, there’s a couple of things that I don’t even think were on the set, like that bat insignia. I think somebody put that there afterwards. But I haven’t seen all those things, but they weren’t something that came across my desk.

And also, we have a guy, Phil, who is now in charge of the DCU Bible of keeping everything consistent and making sure that the cities are the same and the maps are the same and the celebrities are the same, all the stuff that they need to keep consistent. And I don’t think he’s OK’d all the art department stuff on that movie.

All in all, this gives the impression that the details that appeared to be possible to glean from these set pH๏τos – such as the allusions to the Penguin’s backstory, or the suggestion there was a gang inspired by or otherwise containing the Joker – may actually not fully tie to the world, or the lore that is intended for the DCU.

How The Clayface Set PH๏τos Update Changes The DCU

Ultimately, the news that the Clayface set pH๏τos may not have been part of an active attempt to convey canon details about the DCU in the film puts our knowledge of what the DCU’s Gotham and its villains are like back at square one in a lot of ways.

That said, there are still a range of interesting DCU Batman details to note that are still canon. For example, Creature Commandos provides some interesting build-up to Batman’s proper DCU debut, including a first look at Clayface, the show delving into Doctor Phosphorus’ rise before Batman stopped him, and a very brief glimpse at the Caped Crusader in animated form.

Though some of the Clayface set pH๏τos could turn out to still be early teases of other DCU storylines, we do have a considerable amount to work with regarding what the DCU’s Batman is like either way, even though we’re seemingly some time away from the character’s full on-screen debut.