DC Studios has officially recognized Matt Reeves‘ The Batman Epic Crime Saga, featuring Robert Pattinson, as its own extended universe, operating alongside the main DCU projects. This announcement formally establishes the Robert Pattinson Batman Epic Saga’s separate place within DC Studios’ slate, following developments around DC’s broader film and TV strategy.
The Batman Epic Saga Recognized as a Distinct Universe
DC Studios confirmed that Matt Reeves’ The Batman Epic Crime Saga, which began with the film’s release in 2022, is part of its own extended universe. This recognition comes as James Gunn and Peter Safran lead the studio, introducing a complete relaunch of DC’s superhero universe and rolling out new titles such as Superman and Creature Commandos. The Batman universe, under Reeves’ direction, has seen steady growth, with fresh expansions now on the horizon.
Further confirmation arose from the release of
“Superman: The Art and Making of the Film,”
describing the DC films slate to include
“Matt Reeves’s The Batman and its extended universe, including HBO series The Penguin.”
– Superman: The Art and Making of the Film
This marks the initial instance where the Batman Epic Crime Saga has been officially defined as its own extended universe by DC Studios. The 2024 release of the HBO Max series The Penguin, starring Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb and set after The Batman’s events, played a significant role in this designation. The universe is set to grow with The Batman: Part II scheduled for 2027, and discussions about another season of The Penguin continue. Reports also indicate Reeves is developing another mystery spin-off that will expand the saga further.
Elseworlds Projects and the Main DCU
The Superman art book highlights that Reeves’ Batman continuity—often referred to as the Batman Epic Crime Saga—is among a selection of stories positioned outside the primary DCU timeline. Another example given is Todd Phillips’ Joker and its sequel Joker Folie à Deux. Since Gunn and Safran began overseeing DC Studios, fans and media have questioned how such projects align with the new continuity vision, particularly in light of ongoing franchise changes.
From early on, Gunn and Safran stated that “Elseworlds” projects, meaning films and series outside the main canonical universe, would continue to exist. The Superman art book reiterates that this blend of canon and Elseworlds stories was intended to
“mirror how readers have enjoyed a combination of main line and bespoke DC Comics over the years.”
– Superman: The Art and Making of the Film
Currently, DC Studios officially maintains two separate superhero universes: the main DCU, featuring characters like Superman and Peacemaker (with upcoming additions such as Supergirl and Clayface in 2026), and Reeves’ Batman Epic Crime Saga, which remains in its own Elseworlds continuity.
Multiple Batman Timelines Advance in Parallel
It has long been understood that The Batman is set apart from the central DCU storyline, with fans at times hopeful that DC Studios might integrate Robert Pattinson’s Batman as the primary Batman in the DCU. These hopes intensified as the DCU has yet to cast a new actor for its planned Batman project, The Brave and the Bold, which is still in early stages of development.
In the meantime, the studio is moving forward by expanding the world around Batman in the DCU, such as introducing the Clayface character in 2026. The presence of a Battinson logo on the set of Clayface has triggered speculation regarding a potential merger of the universes, though DC Studios has not issued any confirmation of such plans.
The approach DC Studios will ultimately take remains uncertain, but The Batman Epic Crime Saga is progressing according to its established trajectory, while the DCU grows with guidance from Gunn and Safran. The first entry in the saga launched in March 2022 with The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne, alongside performances from Zoe Kravitz and Colin Farrell. The narrative will continue in The Batman: Part II, scheduled for release on October 1, 2027.
DC’s official recognition of separate superhero universes allows for both mainline DCU storytelling and specialized Elseworlds projects, granting creators and audiences room to explore different interpretations. As the Robert Pattinson Batman Epic Saga continues to expand, fans of the character and franchise can look forward to fresh developments in both familiar and experimental territory, reflecting the variety historically present in DC Comics.
