“The Flash” Director Andy Muschietti to Direct New Batman Movie “The Brave and the Bold”
Director Andy Muschietti’s work on The Flash so impressed new DC Studios co-chief James Gunn that he called it one of the best superhero movies he’d ever seen. Then, he went a step further and tapped Muschietti to direct DC’s upcoming, brand new Batman film The Brave and the Bold, which will introduce not only a new Bruce Wayne but also his son, a very troubled Damian Wayne.
The deal was struck just as The Flash makes its debut in theaters. The Flash gave Muschietti a crash course in handling the Batman character—in fact, he handled two, with both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton playing Batman in different universes as Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller) speeds through time and across the multiverse in an attempt to change the past and save his mom. Both James Gunn and his co-chief at DC Studios, Peter Safran, saw the film even before they officially took over at the studio and were blown away.
“We saw The Flash even before taking the reins at DC Studios and knew we were in the hands of not only a visionary director but a massive DC fan,” Gunn and Safran said in a statement. “It’s a magnificent film – funny, emotional, thrilling – and Andy’s affinity and passion for these characters and this world just resonates through every frame. So, when it came time to find a director for The Brave and the Bold, there was really only one choice. Luckily, Andy said yes. Barbara signed on to produce with us, and we were on our way. They’re an extraordinary team, and we couldn’t have better or more inspiring partners as we embark on this thrilling new adventure in the DCU.”
Barbara refers to Muschietti’s sister and producing partner, Barbara Muschietti, who has been his key collaborator throughout his career. The duo now joins James Mangold, who signed on with Gunn and Safran to direct a new film centered on Swamp Thin. DC Studios now has a growing stable of filmmakers, with Gunn himself directing a brand new Superman film, Superman: Legacy, which he’s in the process of casting now.
The Brave and the Bold will tackle one of the more intriguing, darker storylines in the Batman oeuvre. Created by comic book writer Grant Morrison and artist Andy Kubert, Damian Wayne is the murderous son of Bruce Wayne (Bruce wasn’t aware of his existence, mind you) and was raised by two assassins. Damian’s mother is Talia al Ghul, daughter of Ra’s al Ghul (played by Liam Neeson in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins), and eventually, in Morrison and Kubert’s telling, he becomes first Robin and then Batman. It’s a dark father-and-son story that Gunn and Safran teased when they revealed their vision for a revamped DC Studios slate with new takes on some of the most iconic characters.
The Brave and the Bold will fall under the main DC Universe banner, with Robert Pattinson’s version of the Dark Knight in Matt Reeves’ The Batman and the upcoming sequel exists under the new DC Elseworlds title, which is where films that exist in an alternate universe from the main unified world that Gunn and Safran are building will get to explore their worlds.
For more on The Flash, check out these stories:
“The Flash” New Images Tease Michael Keaton’s Batman and Sasha Calle’s Supergirl
“The Flash” Clip Finds Michael Keaton’s Batman Joining the Fight
“The Flash” Drops Electrifying Final Trailer With Fresh Footage of Batman & Supergirl
Michael Keaton’s Batman Fights General Zod in New “The Flash” Teaser
Featured image: Andy Muschietti at a screening of “The Flash” in Canada. Photo by: SAM SANTOS 5-28-23
