Earlier this month, “The Flash” and “IT” director Andy Muschietti emerged as the “top choice” of Warner Bros. to helm the new DCU‘s upcoming “Batman: The Brave And The Bold.” Now Variety confirms that Muschietti has indeed landed the project. He’ll direct an adaptation of Grant Morrison‘s comic for the big screen as part of the DCU’s first chapter, “God And Monsters.” He’ll also produce with his sister and creative partner Barbara Muschietti through their Double Dream banner. But don’t expect the pic for at least a few years, with the current WGA writers’ strike potentially adding more time to that wait.
So, for non-comics readers, what’s “The Brave And The Bold,” anyway? Muschietti’s film adapts a comics series from writer Morrison’s run with the Batman character from the mid-2000s to the early 2010s. Morrison introduced a new character to the Batman family, Damian Wayne, son of Bruce Wayne and Talia Al Ghul, who becomes the new Robin to Wayne’s Batman. But the young Damian proves to be a handful: an adept crimefighter who’s also brash, obnoxious, and a little too violent for Batman’s taste. Morrison’s comic ended up a highly influential run for Batman, with Damian Wayne recurring in DC Comics in their “New 52” and subsequent reboots of their main comics series. And now it’ll get the blockbuster treatment.
DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran knew they wanted Muschietti for “The Brave And The Bold” after seeing an early cut of “The Flash.” “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 said. “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. Barbara signed on to produce with us and we were on our way. They’re an extraordinary team, and we couldn’t have better or more inspiring partners as we embark on this thrilling new adventure in the DCU.”
“The Brave And The Bold” marks the first time since 1997’s “Batman And Robin” that Robin makes a live-action appearance. And Damian Wayne is a much different Robin than Chris O’Donnell‘s Dick Grayson. But several things still need to be clarified about Muschietti’s upcoming Batman pic, the biggest being how faithful it’ll be to Morrison’s run with the character. Morrison is a brilliant comics writer, but often a challenging one. With no screenwriter attached to “The Brave And The Bold” currently, it’s unclear if Morrison will be involved with the project, or how much the film follows his original story.
It’s also unknown when “The Brave And The Bold” will reach audiences at the multiplex. “Gods And Monsters” kicks off with Gunn’s “Superman: Legacy,” which reboots the Superman character telling a story of the superhero as a young man. But after that film, it’s unclear what the release schedule is for all the other titles already announced for the DCU’s first chapter. Obviously, Batman is a huge commodity for DC Studios, but there’s also “Swamp Thing,” a Wonder Woman prequel series, a Green Lantern series, and a Booster Gold movie in the pipeline, too. And as for Muschietti, he also has his “IT” prequel series “Welcome To Derry” to work on with his sister over at Max. With all of these titles, “Batman: The Brave And The Bold” could come as soon as 2025 or as late as 2027-2028.
In any case, Gunn and Safran have their man for the job with Andy Muschietti. But is that something for DC fans to be excited about? Let’s see how “The Flash” does in theaters this weekend before speculating on that.