The DCU’s Batman: The Brave and the Bold has the opportunity to break an ongoing trend that began with Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy. Starring Christian Bale as the titular Caped Crusader, Batman movies became much darker and grittier with The Dark Knight movies. Although those are predominant traits of Batman and the greater mythos on the page, other elements of Bruce Wayne have yet to be explored on-screen for quite some time.
Currently in development for the rebooted DCU envisioned by new DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran, Batman: The Brave and the Bold stands to be a significant departure from what’s been seen from past and current on-screen depictions of Batman. The bulk of what’s known so far is that the film will be connected to the greater DCU narratives being told and will feature a new Bruce Wayne who joins forces with his son Damian who becomes his next Robin. This means there’s a chance to offer a more balanced version of Batman compared to the past Caped Crusaders of recent years.
Batman Movies Have Been Grittier Since The Dark Knight Trilogy
It’s undeniable that Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy was a massive success, a reinvention of what superhero movies could be going forward. However, the trade-off was that future versions of Batman such as Ben Affleck and Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusaders largely followed suit with similar depictions for their Dark Knights. While the DNA is inherent in the comics, The Dark Knight movies started the darker trend where Batman is largely viewed by the public of Gotham as a potential menace. Likewise, depictions of Batman overall have pushed more into violent and scary antihero territory.
Bale’s Batman is allied with the GCPD only briefly before he’s largely seen as a threat by the public to be brought down, having taken the blame for Two-Face’s crimes. Likewise, the Dark Knight had very few allies in his crusade, and even fewer who were able to suit up and join him in Gotham’s streets. The same is true for Ben Affleck’s Batman who was largely isolated while also being seen as an urban legend despite working in Gotham for twenty years. Similarly, Pattinson’s Batman was seen as a potential threat met with public scrutiny, only having Selina Kyle’s Catwoman as a costumed (and at times untrustworthy) ally.
The Brave And The Bold Can Show A Lighter Side To Batman
Now, Batman: The Brave and the Bold has the exciting chance to show the lighter side of Batman. While darkness is inherent within Batman’s crusade, grittiness is not all there is by any means. Albeit with a much different lens, the people of Gotham in the comics view Batman as a figure of hope not unlike Superman in Metropolis. The difference is that Gotham is a much darker place in comparison, having birthed a darker and more intense protector as a result. That said, Batman being a darker figure doesn’t mean he always has to be tormented and gritty.
On the page, Batman does indeed have friends and allies who can come to his aid (even if he struggles to ask for said help). While this eventually happened for Ben Affleck’s Batman and the Justice League, The Brave and the Bold can go even bigger and more dynamic with the greater Bat Family of Gotham vigilantes. While Damian’s Robin is Bruce’s biological son, he also cares for the preceding Robins whom he adopted. The same goes for the trio of Batgirls in the current comics. He also inspires the people (and even the police) of Gotham to a degree that hasn’t been seen as much on screen.
Why A More Balanced Batman Works Best
This lighter side of Batman has largely been missing on screen, but Damian’s inclusion in The Brave and the Bold opens the door for it to finally come through. This includes any other Bat Family members and DCU allies who may be featured in the movie as well. In general, there should be some more levity to balance out the darkness. That way, when the darkness does really get to Bruce, there’s contrast.
Thankfully, it seems as though The Brave and the Bold’s Batman will indeed have someone like Robin to help bring him back from the brink. It’s something that consistently happens on the page in all sorts of interesting ways which the DCU can finally make use of in live-action. It’s a concept that’s just as compelling as the fully dark and gritty themes that have been seen in recent years. As such, it feels like the time has come to break the trend and enter new territory for the DCU’s upcoming Batman (and Robin).
