That Netflix DC Rumor Would Mean Something Insane For Batman
By Dan Bibby
December 7th, 2025
By now, everyone is aware of the merger deal that will see Netflix acquire Warner Bros. If you haven't, then Netflix is parting with a measly $87.2 billion to make it happen, according to The Hollywood Reporter. While it remains to be seen exactly what kind of restructuring will happen, it's a fairly reasonable assumption that all of the movies and TV shows made by Warner Bros. through the years will eventually make their way to Netflix —and, let's face it, there'll probably be another price hike.
So, things like the Harry Potter franchise, Game of Thrones and its spinoffs, and James Gunn's DCU could very well end up available to those with a Netflix subscription. However, one of the most talked-about properties affected by the deal is the DCEU, often referred to as the Snyderverse. Although the Snyderverse is dead, Zack Snyder fans have been rallying for its revival, and rumors have been swirling for a while now about a deal being made with a studio outside WB.
Now that Netflix is set to inherit the DCEU, it's certainly more of a possibility now that the new bosses might fold to the Snyderverse fanbase's constant demands to restore the franchise. Sure, WB was content with leaving the Snyderverse well enough alone, but Netflix might feel differently. If so, and the saga is revived, one of DC's biggest characters runs the risk of immense overexposure.
So, things like the Harry Potter franchise, Game of Thrones and its spinoffs, and James Gunn's DCU could very well end up available to those with a Netflix subscription. However, one of the most talked-about properties affected by the deal is the DCEU, often referred to as the Snyderverse. Although the Snyderverse is dead, Zack Snyder fans have been rallying for its revival, and rumors have been swirling for a while now about a deal being made with a studio outside WB.
Now that Netflix is set to inherit the DCEU, it's certainly more of a possibility now that the new bosses might fold to the Snyderverse fanbase's constant demands to restore the franchise. Sure, WB was content with leaving the Snyderverse well enough alone, but Netflix might feel differently. If so, and the saga is revived, one of DC's biggest characters runs the risk of immense overexposure.
Reviving The Snyderverse Would Mean THREE Separate Live-Action Versions Of Batman At The Same Time
Ben Affleck's Batman never had a standalone movie in the DCEU, but he did appear in several projects. Affleck's most recent Bruce Wayne performance was in 2023's The Flash, and the Snyderverse ground pretty gradually and unceremoniously to a halt shortly after. The year before that, Robert Pattinson debuted as the iconic DC character in 2022's The Batman, meaning there were actually two live-action Batman worlds active at the same time. It's excessive, but not unheard of with popular figures like this.
When James Gunn and Peter Safran became joint-CEOs at DC Studios, they killed the Snyderverse, but allowed Matt Reeves' Batman movie to continue to exist in its own reality and build its own mini franchise with a sequel and the Penguin spinoff show. Despite a brief cameo in Creature Commandos season 1, Gunn's rebooted DCU hasn't yet introduced the Dark Knight, but a script is being worked on for a movie called The Brave and the Bold to properly introduce him, with a new actor taking on the role. The movie's villain has been confirmed as Brianiac.
So, while there was about to be no shift in the number of live-action Batmen, the Netflix/Warner Bros. merger throws that into doubt. If the Snyderverse is, against all odds, brought back from the dead, then Affleck would presumably return as the DCEU's Batman. Or maybe it'd be George Clooney after that ending in The Flash? Either way, there would be three live-action Batmen at once. That's crazy, and wildly unnecessary. Plus, casual fans would surely struggle to keep up with what the heck is going on. Plus, is there really all that much demand for THREE live-action Batman projects? There are other superheroes, you know. Better ones.
When James Gunn and Peter Safran became joint-CEOs at DC Studios, they killed the Snyderverse, but allowed Matt Reeves' Batman movie to continue to exist in its own reality and build its own mini franchise with a sequel and the Penguin spinoff show. Despite a brief cameo in Creature Commandos season 1, Gunn's rebooted DCU hasn't yet introduced the Dark Knight, but a script is being worked on for a movie called The Brave and the Bold to properly introduce him, with a new actor taking on the role. The movie's villain has been confirmed as Brianiac.
So, while there was about to be no shift in the number of live-action Batmen, the Netflix/Warner Bros. merger throws that into doubt. If the Snyderverse is, against all odds, brought back from the dead, then Affleck would presumably return as the DCEU's Batman. Or maybe it'd be George Clooney after that ending in The Flash? Either way, there would be three live-action Batmen at once. That's crazy, and wildly unnecessary. Plus, casual fans would surely struggle to keep up with what the heck is going on. Plus, is there really all that much demand for THREE live-action Batman projects? There are other superheroes, you know. Better ones.
The Snyderverse Should Stay Gone, James Gunn's DCU Is Better
The DCU, while set to balloon in 2026, is currently still in its infancy. So far, all you need to do to catch up is watch Creature Commandos season 1, Peacemaker season 2 (and season 1, if you want), then 2025's Superman movie. I've loved every installment so far, and I can't wait to see what upcoming projects like Lanterns, Supergirl, and Clayface have in store. A sprawling cinematic universe is right on the verge of coming into focus, and although the DCEU also took place in a vast world, it never really felt that way.
Besides, other than the occasional outlier, the Snyderverse movies were just plain dull. Gritty and overly dramatic just doesn't serve a superhero franchise all that well. There needs to be a healthy dose of fun thrown in there as well, which is something James Gunn thrives at. Considering I've never been a massive DC guy, Gunn's reboot has made me care about these characters and the world in which they exist in ways I've never experienced.
Inversely, the Snyderverse regularly bored me to death. Netflix needs to continue to support Gunn's vision, rather than regressing to the days of the DCEU. Besides, the transition between the DCEU and the DCU was, at best, murky. I can just about accept that Peacemaker season 1 and Gunn's Suicide Squad movie can be considered as soft canon to the DCU, despite being made during the Snyderverse era. If things like Justice League are brought back into the same continuity, everything just falls apart. Don't do it, Netflix. Don't give in.
Besides, other than the occasional outlier, the Snyderverse movies were just plain dull. Gritty and overly dramatic just doesn't serve a superhero franchise all that well. There needs to be a healthy dose of fun thrown in there as well, which is something James Gunn thrives at. Considering I've never been a massive DC guy, Gunn's reboot has made me care about these characters and the world in which they exist in ways I've never experienced.
Inversely, the Snyderverse regularly bored me to death. Netflix needs to continue to support Gunn's vision, rather than regressing to the days of the DCEU. Besides, the transition between the DCEU and the DCU was, at best, murky. I can just about accept that Peacemaker season 1 and Gunn's Suicide Squad movie can be considered as soft canon to the DCU, despite being made during the Snyderverse era. If things like Justice League are brought back into the same continuity, everything just falls apart. Don't do it, Netflix. Don't give in.
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