When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.<\/i><\/p>\n Credit: Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Bros. Pictures, DC<\/p>\n James Gunn\u2019s Chapter One of the DCU<\/a> continues to expand after Superman\u2019s summer blockbuster performance, and every new DC movie<\/a> project is under the microscope. One of the most talked-about titles is the upcoming Clayface movie<\/a> and, upon another batch of DCU set photos<\/a> hitting the web, some are convinced they\u2019d found a hint that Robert Pattinson\u2019s Batman could be folded into the greater DCU. With that, Gunn is now speaking out about it.<\/p>\n A recently shared set image shows a red dumpster with a bat sticker slapped to its side. Fans quickly noted that the sticker resembles the emblem design of Pattinson’s version of Batman, leading to theories about its implications for the DC Universe’s Caped Crusader. James Gunn responded on Threads<\/a> after a fan suggested that the “Battinson” signal indicates a merging of continuities. He wrote:<\/p>\n Although the trash can is from the set I have a hard time believing the bat was put there by the art department, but if so it never came across my desk (I don’t have time to ok every piece of set dressing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The specific question from the fan was, “James, people are saying the merge is happening after seeing the battinson logo on the Clayface set. However i don\u2019t think u guys would confirm something this big like this right?”<\/p>\n And, fair enough. Gunn gave a straightforward answer that doesn’t leave much doubt. Besides, the co-DC executive has had a busy 2025 movie release schedule<\/a>, penned Peacemaker Season 2 and is now gearing up to begin work on the officially announced Superman follow-up<\/a>, Man of Tomorrow. With that kind of workload, it\u2019s hard to imagine Gunn has time to oversee something as small as a bat sticker on a dumpster. In other words, the dumpster is a real set dressing; the bat icon likely isn\u2019t an intentional breadcrumb from DC Studios.<\/p>\n The Super filmmaker’s explanation about the leaked image likely won\u2019t stop the fan theories, of course. Right now, the DCU is in that electric phase where every project feels like a potential puzzle piece.<\/p>\n Clayface is especially ripe for speculation, not only because the character is new to this era but because his movie reportedly leans into body horror and seems like it could sit beside Matt Reeves\u2019 take on the Dark Knight. Maybe an overzealous set dresser added the bat emblem to the trash can as a playful nod\u2014or it was simply the only bat symbol on hand. Either way, Gunn clearly doesn\u2019t want the Internet connecting those dots.<\/p>\n Credit: Warner Bros. Animation, DC Studios<\/p>\n For those who don\u2019t know, Clayface is based on a script that Mike Flanagan presented to DC<\/a>, and the powers that be allegedly gushed over it, spurring the project into production. Early reporting framed it as a gruesome, R-rated body horror movie<\/a> set within the DC Universe, and the set photos so far have been pretty intense. Still, many fans have wondered on which continuity this film occupies, whether it sits outside the mainline DCU or is a DC Elseworlds story<\/a> in the vein of Pattinson\u2019s The Batman and its upcoming sequel<\/a>, Joker, and Joker: Folie \u00e1 Deux.<\/p>\n However things shake out, the Slither screenwriter has provided a bit of \u201cbat\u201d clarity. While it won\u2019t end the speculation (because nothing does) it does reset expectations. If and when the DCU decides to bridge worlds with Pattinson\u2019s Batman or casts its own take on the Gotham Vigilante, it likely won\u2019t be through a mystery decal on a dumpster. It\u2019ll probably come via an official announcement, which is far more in James Gunn\u2019s style.<\/p>\n<\/span><\/div>\n
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