James Gunn has hit out at fans speculating over which characters could feature in The Batman Part II, branding the speculation “nonsense”.
Little has been disclosed about the sequel to Matt Reeves’s 2022 film other than that it is now scheduled for release in 2027, having originally been earmarked for 2026.
Although Reeves is said to have finished the script for Robert Pattinson’s next outing as the Dark Knight, details about which characters will be in the film are being kept under wraps.
That, though, hasn’t stopped fans from reporting fake rumours about the plot, including that Batman’s sidekick, Robin, will be in the film.
After seeing the rumour on Threads, Gunn took to the social media platform to shut down the gossip.
“Guys, please stop believing this nonsense. I think six of us have read the script. No one knows anything about The Batman 2,” the co-CEO of DC Studios wrote.
His response comes just days after he quashed another report claiming that the villain Hush would be in the film. Responding to a fan account, Gunn said: “Everything you’ve heard is a total guess or made up. No one in the world knows anything about the concept for the story except four people.”
Gunn, 59, is no stranger to voicing opinions about his movies and any criticism they might receive.
The Superman director has recently faced conservative backlash in the US after he claimed that his film is an “immigrant” story about “kindness”.
Reacting to the director’s remark, Fox News anchor Kellyanne Conway said on: “We don’t go to the movie theatre to be lectured to and to have somebody throw their ideology onto us. I wonder if it will be successful.”
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Online reactions to Gunn’s comment at the time also mocked his position, with some commentators claiming they wouldn’t watch the film because it was too “woke”.
“How to lose $200m in 30 words or less,” wrote one person on X/Twitter. Another said: “So, in other words, he just took the source material and made it woke. Sounds about right.”
Responding to the criticism, Gunn said Superman was for “everyone”.
“I’m not here to judge people,” he told Variety at the Superman premiere in Los Angeles. “I think this is a movie about kindness and I think that’s something everyone can relate to.”
Gunn’s iteration of the iconic DC superhero features David Corenswet as the titular Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as the villainous Lex Luther. The movie became a box office hit, earning more than $323m (£240m) domestically.