Why “The Batman 2” and “Joker 2” are not part of James Gunn’s DC Universe.

[{"selector":"#anim-676a38da-2d5e-4240-958b-c56b018cc81b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d343d0f0-5646-46ad-9b9a-a446044a7ac5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(117.46032%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a2dcf80d-26ef-4d44-84a7-977a4be7691c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-459d85b6-50c5-4f91-90f4-d2d5c2a29dbe","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] James Gunn has confirmed that “The Batman 2” and “Joker 2” will not be part of his DC Universe.

[{"selector":"#anim-c0532f28-1629-4ffb-97ee-b60b9f89e6c3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(12.514648210040342%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-580799ec-e336-42c0-84fb-e56d28b783cf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fe2f496a-53f4-4b50-9473-e7b2935ae5d3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-28299fb6-0b41-455c-9ca8-077c004b0bfe","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has had mixed success with some movies being smash hits while others have been received less positively.

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[{"selector":"#anim-36a3e919-191c-4b2f-ba4b-2f3312d35144","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-82b2ae89-06d9-4d88-8d0c-b55f5aa9aabc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-73ce8af3-eee5-4087-9669-918f21db3a57","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13145525-c8a6-4b5c-9577-9aaeb4e384aa [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(12.514648210040342%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] “Joker” serves as an R-rated origin story for the iconic Batman villain, with an Academy Award-winning performance from Joaquin Phoenix as the titular Joker.

[{"selector":"#anim-c91eaa71-757a-409e-a6fd-03282c76cd0e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(12.514648210040342%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f242a233-eff3-4e85-993d-56abac6e55dc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-253ef3e3-a9a6-4c8a-b9a0-be245569adcd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1a00502f-cff1-4f5b-aa5b-a6426970cdcb","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] “The Batman” received almost equal attention for arguably the darkest take on the Caped Crusader.

[{"selector":"#anim-f815bad3-3e94-4042-9037-dcbe4cab1d32 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(64.06249990400296%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c108b576-3d5a-4008-b0db-b32dd3b6e74e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0c841b85-c756-45eb-8ec5-5de2c5e3e48e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e0acccd-ea3b-40b2-ac40-313af3066266","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8cea11df-b221-46c6-a8c3-8e06cb02c699","keyframes":[{"offset":0,"transform":"translate3d(0, -201.98227%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.29,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.45,"transform":"translate3d(0, -56.797414324%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.61,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.71,"transform":"translate3d(0, -19.309505012000002%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.8,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.85,"transform":"translate3d(0, -7.251163493%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.92,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.96,"transform":"translate3d(0, -3.150923412%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":1,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"}],"delay":0,"duration":1500,"fill":"both"}] Both films are sequels to massive financial and critical successes.

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[{"selector":"#anim-29e30e02-6039-483b-a475-6cf1e3972ef2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(12.514648210040342%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ee265b1d-a99b-4d0d-a9fd-600ccbf1b5b2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b17ab595-e7fd-4baa-a8c2-84b3dcce88c1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cb431652-c612-44e2-a2fc-74531b946941","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Much like how Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy wasn’t connected to Zack Snyder’s DCEU, these films will not be connected to the James Gunniverse.

[{"selector":"#anim-79ae2cfd-de63-457e-8a52-1f0578b73efd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(49.12109365400295%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7d271d13-4f6d-423c-a87e-dacfcb034df1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.33334%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-42bbc453-48d8-4e4e-8b49-19c501b02cd5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-22c1e166-c140-453a-bd82-43f29e0873cf","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] The Batman & Joker’s Twisted Tango: Exploring the Hype and Uncertainty of Their Sequels Read More

Why “The Batman 2” and “Joker 2” are not part of James Gunn’s DC Universe.

By: Nitin Singh

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