David Corenswet’s Superman now stands as the cornerstone of the new DCU, marking a clear departure from the previous era led by Henry Cavill's iteration.
With this year's Superman (2025), written and directed by DC Studios' co-CEO James Gunn, DC has reset its continuity and established a new version of the character as the foundation of its long-term plans, just as Zack Snyder's Man of Steel (2013), starring Cavill, launched the DCEU.
Gunn's new film grossed $616.8 million worldwide and launched the DCU on the big screen, setting the tone for a vibrant and more comic-attuned world where superheroes, aliens, and larger-than-life threats have been part of everyday life for decades.
That approach contrasts sharply with the DCEU, where Cavill’s Superman was introduced as a bleak figure, and where Ben Affleck’s Batman operated in a grimmer, reactionary world shaped by tragedy and loss.
Corenswet’s Superman is already positioned as a connective figure for what comes next in the DCU. Supergirl, starring Milly Alcock, is scheduled for theatrical release in June 2026. It will be followed by Superman: Man of Tomorrow in 2027, which will see Corenswet return to the iconic role. Warner Bros. has already released the first trailer for Supergirl, further cementing the DCU’s forward momentum.
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This direction marks a clean break from the DCEU, which concluded with The Flash (2023) and its Multiverse-driven attempt to reconcile multiple timelines. Cavill’s Superman and Affleck’s Batman are no longer part of DC Studios’ primary continuity, although Gunn has selectively acknowledged certain DCEU elements when they suit the new framework.
For now, Batman remains an open question within the DCU. The upcoming film The Brave and the Bold will be a reboot, though casting for the new Bruce Wayne/Batman has not been announced. Meanwhile, Robert Pattinson’s Batman continues separately under DC's Elseworlds banner, further emphasizing the divide between the DCU and other projects.
But the divide between those continuities was recently blurred at Tokyo Comic-Con 2025, where DC Studios displayed Corenswet’s Superman alongside Pattinson’s Batman.
The Direct, who were in attendance at the event, shared images of the display. Although it's worth noting that the presence of classic Batman and Superman logos tied to earlier incarnations suggest homage rather than crossover intent.
Since the DCU was announced, fans have been wondering whether the Caped Crusader from Matt Reeves' The Batman films will be integrated into the new DCU. It's something Gunn himself has acknowledged, telling Entertainment Tonight earlier this year, “I’ve met him [Pattinson] before, we’ve talked about it before,” before adding, “But it’s not what’s happening right now. Everything is in flux, so we’ll figure out what we’re doing next.”
Whether or not the “Battinson” becomes part of the DCU remains to be seen. For now, he's getting his own sequel in 2027, the same year Man of Tomorrow will be releasing in theaters. The question is, will Corenswet and Pattinson share more than just a 2027 release window?
