There's something lurking in the shadows that terrifies criminals to their very core. It always watches, and it's always ready to strike. No matter how long the night, it could jump into action in a heartbeat... unless you're a bad guy living in the new DC Universe, that is. Ever since the new superhero franchise was born under the leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran, fans have had the same question in mind: When will we see Batman's true debut?
The Caped Crusader had a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo in Creature Commandos, which is considered the DCU's first "official" project. However, we couldn't see who was behind the cowl, meaning the mystery still remains. Some were hopeful that Robert Pattinson's Bruce Wayne would be integrated into this new saga and share the screen with David Corenswet's Superman. Unfortunately, James Gunn has repeatedly stated that Matt Reeves' saga takes place in an alternate universe. Hope may have seemed lost, but a new set picture from the set of The Batman: Part II has reignited speculation that the two sagas take place in the same world.
Anarky's potential involvement in Clayface and The Batman: Part II could suggest that both projects are connected
The Batman: Part II's script is shrouded by a lot of mystery. There have been multiple rumors that suggest Sebastian Stan could portray either Harvey Dent or Victor Zsasz. Meanwhile, conflicting reports have claimed that Scarlett Johansson is playing either Gilda Dent or Poison Ivy. To make this riddle all the more complicated, Matt Reeves' comments about the upcoming film suggest that the Court of Owls could finally make an appearance (and set pictures have doubled down on this idea). However, it seems there's yet another bad guy in town.
New photos and videos from the set of The Batman: Part II feature a curious-looking henchman who's wearing a white mask. What makes this character all the more interesting is that his jacket has a big letter A spray-painted on the chest, and if this logo looks at all familiar, it is because it's used by the Batman supervillain Anarky to identify his crusades against the government.
👀👀 pic.twitter.com/Ee75yIrD6V
— Everything_DCU (@EverythingDCU_) September 13, 2026
Anarky has yet to appear in a live-action Batman film, but he was one of the main assassins in Batman: Arkham Origins and was an antagonist to Oliver Queen in the CW Arrow TV show. Interestingly, there's a chance that this DC character goes from appearing in no movies to starring in two of them. After all, eagle-eyed fans also spotted his symbol in the latest Clayface trailer.
Before we head any deeper, it's worth exploring the most likely possibility: The Anarky symbol is simply an Easter Egg (as has been the case in other Batman projects), and it doesn't mean there's a connection between the two franchises. However, there's also a slight chance these little details are the result of a bigger, interconnected universe that shares the same characters. At least, that's what some users on social media are choosing to believe.
James Gunn has always been very honest about how the DCU will introduce a new version of the Caped Crusader that's completely separate from that of Robert Pattinson's Batman. But if the two sagas were to collide, it could be the result of the underwhelming reception of Supergirl.
The DCU found its first major flop just two films in, which is not a promising sign. Furthermore, Clayface (the universe's third movie overall) was always a risky project to greenlight regardless of its quality, as it stars a B-list Batman villain general audiences are not too familiar with. Maybe DC decided to fast-track Batman's introduction in the DCU to reinvigorate the saga with new energy, and since Robert Pattinson's take on the character was already beloved by fans worldwide, he could've simply been thrown into the mix.
Of course, it's best not to get our hopes up until DC confirms who will portray the Caped Crusader in its new cinematic universe. In the meantime, we'll learn more about what the DCU's iteration of Gotham is like thanks to the upcoming release of Clayface.
The Batman: Part II will be released on Feb. 18, 2028.
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