James Gunn’s Batman Gets Its Most Optimistic Update After John Cena’s Confession

Fans have been dying to meet James Gunn’s Batman ever since he and Peter Safran announced the DCU. Although established in 2022, it has been 4 years, and we have no idea which actor will be portraying the role of Batman in the upcoming DC movies.

However, Peacemaker star John Cena accidentally revealed what Gunn’s priorities are at the moment while speaking to Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast. While answering questions about the future of the character of Peacemaker, Cena confessed that the project is on hold as long as it needs to be because James Gunn is busy prioritizing his DCU projects.

Now, this dude [Gunn] gets to play with a whole box of toys, and because you get the whole box of toys, address the really valuable ones first. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman- there’s so many!

Although John Cena clarified that these aren’t official projects in development, but if he were in a leadership spot (like Gunn), these projects would be his priority too.

John Cena’s Comments Confirm DCU’s Batman Development

John Cena in a still from Peacemaker | Credits: DC Studios

Well… although John Cena said that he couldn’t officiate the Batman and Wonder Woman projects, it does seem that James Gunn might just be diverting his attention to setting Batman up in his DCU.

With Andy Muschietti as the director, the title of the Batman movie has been revealed for a long time (it’s The Brave and the Bold, by the way). There is also speculation that Batman will be joined by Robin in pursuit of apprehending criminals across Gotham City.

However, the only thing remaining is an iconic actor who can step into the legacy of Batman and add their name to the list. John Cena’s comments have only fueled the fire that Gunn is focusing on casting Batman for the DCU, and it seems that the director might have intentionally teased the character too!

Lanterns Has Already Set Up Batman With Many Easter Eggs

A still from Lanterns | Credits: DC Studios

Well… there are plenty of easter eggs that were spotted throughout the entirety of HBO’s recent DCU show, Lanterns. Starting off the list is the character of Kerry Kane (portrayed by Kelly Macdonald).

Being an integral part of the show, her character originally hails from Gotham City, proving the existence of the city in the cinematic universe. However, the biggest clue about Batman is dropped when Guy Gardner creates his very own signal (seen in the image above), which was clearly inspired by the Bat-Signal that Batman uses.

In fact, during episode 6 of Lanterns, Hal Jordan and John Stewart are talking when Jordan brings up Guy Gardner’s signal. Talking about the beacon, Hal Jordan states that Gardner “ripped off that Bat guy over in Gotham, too”. This further confirms that Batman is alive and active in Gotham City during the time that Lanterns takes place.

All of this points to how James Gunn is quietly setting up Batman’s rise in his DCU, and the only question that remains is when.

Who do you think will be cast as Batman in James Gunn’s DCU? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Peacemaker is available to stream on HBO Max.