The Hot Mic’s Jeff Sneider is hinting that James Gunn might actually direct the DCU’s “The Brave and the Bold.” While this would certainly be a major development, it should be noted that Gunn had publicly expressed a desire to direct a Batman movie one day, even though he has spoken extensively about the challenges of handling the character.
Officially, Andy Muschietti is still attached to helm “The Brave and the Bold,” but many have speculated about his potential exit ever since “The Flash” bombed and the DCU went in a totally different direction under Gunn’s reign.
It should be mentioned that Sneider is the same journalist who broke the news that Christina Hodson was writing “The Brave and the Bold,” a story which the main trades picked up 24 hours later.
Gunn has previously called Batman his “biggest issue” in the DCU and has talked at length about how difficult it is to figure out a version of the character that feels distant enough from Matt Reeves’ vision. He’s stressed that Batman needs a real reason to be in the universe and isn’t just there because he’s famous.
This latest update on “The Brave and the Bold” has me digging up Gunn’s past comments criticizing Tim Burton’s and Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies. Yes, Gunn—who can’t ever seem to shut his mouth—slammed them.
Gunn reportedly called Burton’s “Batman” “poorly written” and “one of the most boring films ever,” criticizing its storytelling and soundtrack. He also said Jack Nicholson’s Joker seemed like “Jack Nicholson in The Shining with shitty clown makeup.”
In the same comments, he said he had “problems with both of Nolan’s films,” suggesting he didn’t think Batman Begins was a classic or “even really good,” though he did suggest they were at least “better” than Burton’s take on the character.
Gunn wrote these comments on his social media over a decade ago and they have since been removed.