As James Gunn’s Superman prepares to hit the 2025 movie schedule and kick off a brand-new era for the DC Universe this week, the filmmaker and DC Studios co-head just dropped a quick update on the other Caped Crusader, and it’s the kind of minimal-but-meaningful comment that’s sure to send Gotham’s finest into speculation mode. That’s right, the Suicide Squad director has finally read Matt Reeves’ The Batman Part II script, and his two-word description for the upcoming DC movie is everything.
On the red carpet for the world premiere of Superman, Gunn confirmed to reporters that he’s read the full script for the long-gestating follow-up to Matt Reeves’ The Batman. In a video posted to Deadline’s official X account, and available embedded below, the Guardians of the Galaxy helmer has a very simple two-word follow-up to his recent post teasing the completed script’s cover page, which showed the Bat-symbol in full brooding glory.
James Gunn on ‘The Batman Part II’ script pic.twitter.com/mGzKObkvgwJuly 8, 2025
pushed back to October 1, 2027, and many fans speculated the sequel would never take flight.
The Slither screenwriter had previously come to Reeves’ defense earlier this year, when impatient fans online started pressing for updates. His now-iconic quote—“Get off Matt’s nuts”—was peak blunt and protective James Gunn. And now that same energy is coming through in his brief but enthusiastic praise of the script.
What’s particularly interesting here is how The Batman Part II continues to stand apart from the rebooted DCU timeline. Pattinson’s Batman isn’t part of Gunn’s Gods and Monsters chapter. Instead, Reeves’ universe, including the 2022 hit The Batman and the Max spin-off series The Penguin (available with an HBO Max subscription), falls under DC’s “Elseworlds” label. In this space, standalone projects are free to operate outside the main continuity.
Reeves himself has been tight-lipped, but in a January interview with Deadline, he teased that the sequel will build off the first film while still catching fans off guard. “We’re doing something where the story continues from, but I hope that people will be surprised by,” he said. What that surprise might be is anyone’s guess, though rumors of Clayface (who’s getting his own movie), Hush, or a more fully realized Joker (hello again, Barry Keoghan) continue to swirl in the fan trenches.
So yeah, The Batman Part II’s script is “great.” That’s not much to go on, but coming from James Gunn, it’s more than enough to get this Dark Knight fan fired up and all the excuse I need to dust off the cape, smear on the eye black, and start brooding. Until then, I’ll take my vitamins and salute the Big Blue Boy Scout when Superman lands July 11.