While DC comics may have taken their time in getting their shared movie universe up and running, they're moving quickly. Next summer will give us both Batman vs. Superman and Suicide Squad, but Warner Bros. isn’t waiting for either of them to even open before starting more films. Wonder Woman is about to go into full production, and while Princess Diana will first have a role in Dawn of Justice, it looks like Batman is going to return the favor for the Amazon’s solo film.
JoBlo has a complete rundown of everything known and rumored for the new Wonder Woman movie, and one of the new pieces just caught our eye. According to the story, Batman will have a small role in the film, which will actually be the reason that she’ll appear in Batman v. Superman. Wait, what? While we know that at least part of the Wonder Woman movie will be an origin story, it appears that the entire film will take place chronologically before BvS, so at least some of the connective tissue that explains Wonder Woman’s presence in the earlier film will not come until later.
According to the report, in a scene where Wonder Woman is saving civilians from an attack by Ares, the God of War, Batman will be visible witnessing the exchange. Whether he gets involved or simply watches is not clear, but the Dark Knight will make himself known to the Amazon princess at the end of the film, and make her aware that he has noticed her. It is this establishing of a relationship that will lead into the events of next summer’s Batman vs. Superman. This last note harkens back strongly to the post-credits scene of the first Iron Man with Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury wanting to discuss the "Avengers Initiative." No word if Batman will want to discuss the "Justice League Initiative," or something similar, with Diana.
If true, this rumor is slowly turning the focus of the entire DC slate toward Batman, without even giving him a stand alone movie yet. We know he’ll appear in Suicide Squad, and Wonder Woman is the only other movie currently set before Justice League Part One hits at the end of 2017. This will put Batman in every film in the series with the exception of Man of Steel, which is barely even being counted at this point.
While Batman is certainly one of the key members of the Justice League, does he really need this much attention when there are so many other great heroes who are finally going to get their time to shine?
