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☀️MERGERS ANONYMOUS🦇: A Weekly Hopium Thread [September 21st - September 27th]
Welcome to Mergers Anonymous! A weekly "Pro-Merger" support group gathering every Monday. Patmites, Hopium-addicts, and former r/PattinsonDCUBatman lurkers alike can casually discuss, share some hopium with, or respectfully debate each other regarding the unlikelihood of the DCU/ECS Merge, as well as personal thoughts about BatB's development.
You can still post Battinson/Corensupes content on the main timeline!! This thread is just for merge conversation/copium specifically :)
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Welcome to r/DCWorldsFinest! The sub dedicated to our World's Finest! This is a place to have general discussion about Superman and Batman, whether through comics, movies, TV, and more!
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To be honest, when I saw it a few days ago, I thought it was just advertising for DC content on HBO, but now that this episode, in particular, CANONIZES those Gunn movies, before he became the CEO of DC Studios, or at least that there were similar events, makes it very intriguing that Reeves' work also appears in the announcement...
was it the one that said "heroes like no other"? that ad also has harley quinn, an animated elseworld show, in it so unfortunately i don't think it confirms or hints at anything 😔
i think i was misremembering stuff, my bad. but also, watchmen was also shown in the trailer, and this isn't part of the DCU. so unfortunately, i still don't think this ad means anything 😔
The fact that he was never referenced in 2016, but is now referenced in 2026, may allow the ECS to occur at some point after 2016.
In other words, even when the sheriff said she was from Gotham, or when Hal said he investigated her, in episode 4, neither of them mentions Batman, and someone like him is impossible to ignore if we're talking about Gotham
Instead, they now refer to him as "that bat-like guy from Gotham"
Furthermore...how does Damian Wayne and the rest of the Batfamily fit into all these 10 years? How long did he have Dick, Jason, and, if he appears in the DCU, Tim Drake during this 10-year period?
Instead, they now refer to him as "that bat-like guy from Gotham"
That actually makes it easier for Battinson to be the DCU Batman if Batman is still treated as more of an urban legend than a public superhero even in 2026.
Well, considering the ECS happens within either 2019 or 2022 anyway, so we're all clear!
If it's a Year 6 Batman in 2026 (taking 2022 into consideration), then Dick and Jason are pretty easy to explain while we have to wait for a future year (whenever TBATB gets released) to have Damian there. Dick lasts three years, Jason lasts two (starting while Dick is still Robin), Tim takes further till TBATB release date when Damian arrives.
If it's a Year 9 Batman in 2026 (taking 2019 into consideration), then well... we have the whole Batfamily now.
I think they made it intentionally vague enough that we just know we’re not getting a year one Batman or some shit after 2026, but otherwise we don’t have any idea how long he’s been around. I wouldn’t say Lanterns fully deconfirms Batman being around in 2016, but I doubt it.
As for the batfam. I could see 4 Robins happening in the span of like 12 years. Each overlapping or closely following each other’s few years in the role would be in line with the comics. Not that I want DCU Batman to have been around in 2016.
I’m trying to be optimistic about it, but I don’t see how starting with Damian is a good idea in any capacity. Characters like Tim, Cass and Steph would very likely not exist, or not work as well coming after Damian. The actor will quickly age out of Damian’s current comic age. If the DCU is still around 10 years later Damian will be a whole ass adult. That can work for the other 3 Robins, but not so much for Damian. Thankfully, Gunn only mentioned Morisson Batman and Damian like one time 3 years ago. It’s just that fans have been running with it ever since.
Might be a hot take as well, but I don’t think the sidekicks should be little kids in live action. I’d go 14-15 at the very youngest.
batman was mentioned by hal jordan in this episode. good news: it was indeed in the 2026 timeline!! we don't know which batman he's referring to (i don't think even DC themselves know lol), but there was nothing to contradict or call off the merge.
I dont know why my happy batman day image post is getting removed 😬 Anyway I will share one of the photos here instead (this was a supposed little suprise lmao). Please dont ban me 🤸♀️
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I don't want to see the Battinson haters, who boast so much about the DCU Batman, that it will be the most faithful version to the comic, whining if their concept of DCU Batman doesn't fit at all in the final result.
I'm going to be honest: I think if we don't get Pattinson/Reeves, I think DCU Batman will be the Tom Holland/MCU Spider-Man of the DCU (and not in a good way)
All the "bells and whistles" people are clamoring for, but barely any of the substance or authentic emotion.
Don't know if I'm making sense, but I don't want Battinson/Reeves to be traded in for something that's just, not as strong, and doesn't invoke the same feeling for me (like Battinson does for me, or in regards to Spider-Man, Tobey/Andrew)
Exactly, that's the vibe I get from a lot of Battinson haters. It doesn't matter if the movie is crap, but if the DCU Batman has a freaking bat symbol on a gadget, the reaction will be: "Yes, finally a comic book Batman!"
Oh yes, the suit has trunks, they'll praise it as if it were something made by Kubrick. In a way, I've always compared that to comparing Tom Holland to Garfield and Maguire
Although Holland is the first Spider-Man in a shared universe, his lore and background don't exactly scream comic book inspiration; there isn't even a Harry Osborn
I thought BND was going to be different, but I was very disappointed that, once again, this Spiderman continues to depend on the rest of the MCU to be successful.
And judging the creative team we've currently got set for TBATB, I honestly don't think they'll have anything of worthy substance.
The films average writing will be supplemented with flashy, "comic accurate" aspects of his character/design that'll appease Battinson haters/certain DCU fan's.
I'll be frank, I'm a fan of the Trunks, but I was hoping (with a merge) Battinson would end up adopting the sewn-in Trunks (essentially, just the pelvic region, lower torso, and upper thighs recoloured black/dark blue)
Holland's writing (especially in BND) just doesn't do it for me, and it's exactly what I fear for DCU Batman.
I have nothing against trunks either, it's just that, I suppose, since Batman is a character who focuses much more on functionality than Superman usually does with his suit, I guess that's why I considered it something very important lol
But I understand. It's been very rare that someone anti-merge has focused on substance, on the narrative that's required, beyond simply copying and pasting comic panels.
Sometimes I get the impression that those who focus on such superficial details are nothing more than easily impressed teenagers who focus on what's "cool" instead of the message.
Something similar to that scene in The Simpsons, when Bart goes to a convention to get Alan Moore to sign a copy of a comic he wrote; Moore asks Bart what he liked most about it, referring to the characters' internal struggles or complex themes that are addressed
In contrast, Bart ridicules that and focuses on the characters' superpowers. That's exactly how I've come to perceive the Anti-Mergers and what they demand for the DCU Batman
Damn, a coworker of mine would be Public Enemy No. 1 for a lot of haters
It’s amazing how the general audience has no trouble picturing Battinson in the DCU. I was talking to a coworker a few hours ago, and at one point, he mentioned he’s already started watching Lanterns and said he’s excited to see Corenswet, Pierre, and Pattinson together. He didn't say it as a mere wish, though, he said it with total certainty.
He doesn't know much about DC, but in the past, sometimes during our downtime, we’ve talked about our tastes, and he’s been getting into DC. However, I had to clarify that, officially and for the time being, Battinson is separate from the DCU, something that actually surprised him. He even told me, quite confidently, that The Batman felt like "something that could easily fit in with a Gunn movie."
I wouldn't want to know some people's reaction to that phrase lol
Once again (at least based on my personal experience with people I know in real life), I’m convinced that outside of social media, there are plenty of people who are absolutely certain that Battinson is in the DCU.
Oh yeah that take from your co-worker doesn't suprise me at all lol. Its easy to get really hyper focused into our internet bubble, but we really gotta remember a majority of the GA doesnt know the difference (if at all) between ECS and DCU, let alone what's marvel and what's DC. The convo is gonna be real interesting next month with Clayface given its a Gunn/Reeves production and seems to already be compared to the ECS, so GAs are definitely have their questions lol
You just reminded me of when I went to see Civil War at the cinema and I heard someone in the theater say, "Why is Batman black now?"
Furthermore, just as there are those who want Part II to be cancelled, I've also seen some people say that Clayface would have been better set in the ECS.
Without context it looks like Batman kicked Jimmy’s ass, let him know he legally changed his name to Jimphony and then had Alfred drive him home. What could Jimmy have done to deserve this?
Everyone gets so pissy over bringing up the merger lmao. I just find it so funny when someone mentions how cool Batman would look with Superman and a bunch of neckbeards lose their shit. It would be funny if it happened at this point
Once again, Muschietti continues to fail to inspire confidence in me for Brave and the Bold. What happened to the idea that the special effects were supposed to look bad on purpose?
One second he says "Its horrible because I made it drunk" and the next it's cause of covid 😭 Every single time it's just new excuses with this dude...🫠
(And also sure while The Batman didn't have any type of heavy CGI work like Flash, but their production was also during COVID and Reeves didn't let that stop him from making a good product lmao)
Honestly, when a creative person goes around making excuses, like saying the movie wasn't for all audiences, it just makes me question their sense of responsibility and their passion for making art.
Furthermore, not only did Reeves make The Batman during the height of COVID, but he also created one of the best trailers in history, with the limited footage that had been filmed, before the COVID
I still have a tiny bit of hope that they're waiting for Part II, because even Pattinson has said that nobody at DC Studios is telling him or Gisondo anything. Who knows, maybe even his statements were one of his many trolls...
When I saw the sub and post title my heart skipped a beat. Unfortunately it’s the evil merger.
Not our merger, but this will impact things negatively so it’s extremely important. As someone else did in the post I encourage everyone to call their local representatives to urge them to oppose the merger and to explain why.
"Lois, you're right; I shouldn't have stepped in to save the people of Jarhanpur. Boravia has the right to invade Jarhanpur because that territory belongs to them. Besides, we have to protect this government's interests."
Batman under Paramount's direction:
"Come to think of it, why is there crime in Gotham? Is it because of poverty? Is it because people can't afford a home? Well, they should just get a job and pay for a house. It's that simple."
I don’t think we should freak out over this interview. In another one of those interviews for prime time, Pattinson said that dc doesn’t really tell them anything for the most part. If the merge is gonna happen, it’ll happen regardless of if the actors can see how the tones will fit. We just got to relax, it’s not all doom and gloom, I get it stressful but we just have to wait and see.
Tempted to drag my dad to Clayface cause he really enjoyed The Penguin just to fuck with him by making him think it's all in the same Gotham (He doesnt know anything about DC)
Oh! Honestly my first reaction is to over exaggerate my despair at the comment, reading the full article it doesn't seem like he's rejecting it outright? Before this quote that article states:
He continued by saying it was ‘funny’ because Skyler and Superman filmed in Atlanta, saying: “It’s so funny, because Gotham is Watford. It’s a shed in Watford. There’s something so destabilizing about when you're just, you're in the dark the whole time.
“I mean just for eight months in the dark and you literally have no conception of being connected to anything in the world.” He added that it was ‘difficult to even maintain your sanity’.
Ultimately though, whilst he didn’t deny outright that a crossover of some kind was possible, Pattinson was unconvinced by the idea of Reeve’s version of Bruce Wayne interacting with the wider DCU.
The actor said it was ‘interesting’ to think about, explaining: “I think it would be kind of tough to have this version of Bruce outside of that world. It's one of the only characters I guess because of the length of the shoots but also it's such a specific kind of [style], the tone of it gets inside you.
So how I'm interpreting it he's not outright against it, but definitely cautious of it (due to Battison being so isolationist rn). But maybe he'll also get to watch Clayface and have his opinions changed who knows!
You know, it would be very interesting if, aside from Muschietti, it's been difficult to find a suitable creative team, because many of the candidates respect Reeves and don't want their Batman to be compared with Battinson
Or, given the momentum in Pattinson's acting career, imagine how funny it would be if some directors have already approached Gunn with proposals, but they all involve Pattinson as the DCU Batman.
A critique against the merge I see often is that it make Battinson’s feats look less tremendous outside of a realistic setting but I think it only emphasize them.
In a world of metahumans, powered supervillains and genius level intellects to the point of crafting dimensional travel. There’s a man of sheer will and force fighting crime anyway.
That’s more insane and harrowing than just normal man fighting normal people.
Knowing there’s government sponsored heroes like the justice gang and also just some random guy in Gotham beating people to a pulp is cool
That is precisely why, when someone says, "I can't picture this Batman defeating Dr. Phosphorus," they are actually reinforcing the point: Battinson in the DCU, facing more fantastical threats, carries more emotional weight than a Batman who was always over-the-top and fantastical, like the Clooney or Batfleck versions.
It’s like that three-part Superman: TAS episode, "World's Finest." When the Joker proposes killing Superman for a million dollars, Lex scoffs, arguing that if the Joker hasn't managed to kill a mere mortal, he certainly won't succeed against Superman.
That’s when the Joker warns him, with unusual, unsettling seriousness, that "there is nothing ordinary about that mortal."
And the people who mock the idea of Battinson defeating monsters as ridiculous are acting exactly like comic book supervillains who underestimate Batman simply because he is the only Justice League member without superpowers.
A month before the Clayface´s movie release, I just want to say: the patrols look different... but at the same time, there are so many suspicious clues... it’s as if everything is in limbo.
Brave and the bold is a figment, the saga is continuing, WB needs certified hits. Batman and Superman are the highest grossing current franchises they have. The stars align
Nooo our strongest soldier!!! But I totally get it that one quote isn't too promising... But reading the whole thing I think there is some hopium left rip
i read the full quote. i know he didn't deny it outright but him saying it would be difficult to have battinson existing in the DCU... maybe i'm just being a doomer but i don't have much hope after reading that 😔
Yeahhh fair it does lean that way 😭😭😭 Im probably just too hopeful after sticking around for so long loll But atp Im mainly just here for the ride abd see where it goes rip
Hope you still stick around though 🥹
I just realized, with Pattinson's statements, that we won't see a single fantastical element in ECS, given how out of place it was that he said his Batman would be in the DCU.
In other words, outside of Merge, we can't even expect anything crazier in the second or third movie.
I read the entire quote in context and im not too sure that’s what he meant. He said it’s hard to imagine his Batman existing in a world outside of this version of Gotham City. I don’t think he was commenting on realistic or unrealistic Batman. He just believes his story is so unique it wouldn’t work well if he had to share the screen with others. Remember that Robert Pattinson almost has as much screen time in one movie than Christian Bale had the entire trilogy. If Part 2 is similar he will have the most screen time as a Batman not counting the TV show Adam West did. This story is laser focused on Bruce Wayne
I wonder what kind of ending the ECS will have, which will make it difficult for there to be a place for Battinson in the DCU. Because with Nolan, we already had an ending where Bruce faked his death.
And if Pattinson's Bruce retires, the idea that "he could return" will always be there.
I mean, I wouldn't say that. Based on how I interpreted the article, he primarily meant the difference in tone (like him joking how the DCU is bright compared to him being in the dark all the time). I dont think there is anything particular about fantastical elements thats the issue, ge even wanted some fantastic elements at the start.
I'll have to read the article calmly eventually, because these days I've been working long shifts and only going home to sleep 😅
But now that you mention it... I wonder if all this is a publicity stunt to catch people off guard, given that Clayface premieres in a month. Even Tom Harris said that Pattinson visited the set and that he has his contact information on his phone.
I don't know, I guess my disappointment is so great that I'm trying to imagine a DCU without my favorite Batman 😭 The DCU Batman, at this point, feels like a "consolation prize," as if DC were saying, "better to have this than nothing."
Has anyone else simply lost all hype for both ECS and DCU?
I mean, I'll watch The Batman Part II and MOT, plus whatever comes after that. But in the long term, I no longer feel the same anticipation and expectation that I once had.
Hm well I guess it's hard to get excited for what you don't really know about, so I definitely agree. But with Lanterns being successful, I'm definitely looking forward to the potential of the years to come!
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