J.K Simmons, who plays Commissioner James Gordon in the DCEU, recently revealed that he has not yet met with The Batman director, Matt Reeves.
Right now it seems like the unofficially titled DC Extended Universe is in a state of changeability after Justice League underperformed critically and commercially. Warner Bros. has made a couple of changes at the top of the food chain in an effort to get the franchise back, so it can be a reliable tentpole for them for years to come.
Obviously Batman is a big part of the studio’s plans, considering the character’s vast popularity. There are several questions surrounding the cinematic future of Batman. After stepping down as Batman director, star Ben Affleck is allegedly noncommittal to Reeves’ project or the longterm outlook of the DCEU. As Reeves works on trying to get all the pieces lined up, Simmons is waiting for the call.
The actor was asked in an interview about his upcoming role in the DC Films universe after having a cameo in Justice League. It seems that to Simmons, The Batman has yet to officially move forward, though he’s hopeful for a chance to flesh out the character some:
“Assuming that we’re gonna go forward, the way we think it will, I’m really looking forward to that. Hopefully, it will be really fun and the character will expand a little bit, particularly in the stand-alone Batman movie. There will be more to do. I guess it’s Matt Reeves now for that one, who I haven’t met. So, it will be a whole new collaborator to get together and work with, hopefully.”
Hopefully this will all be resolved in the near future, but it would be a shame to see Affleck depart following just two movies (and a quick cameo in Suicide Squad). Though it is also understandable why leaving the DCEU would have its appeal, seeing that it would free him up to work on other films like his proposed Witness for the Prosecution remake. Let’s hope that WB will make some announcements soon.
