Is The Batman canon to the DC Universe? Set photos from the production of Clayface seemingly reveal if Robert Pattinson will be the franchise’s Caped Crusader.
While fans are excited to see Clayface for its own merits, much of the discussion about the film online centers around the questions it will answer for the franchise as a whole. This includes smaller questions like how disconnected some projects will be to the main storyline and if post-credits scenes are required. However, the project also served to answer the biggest mystery in the DC Universe: will Robert Pattinson be the franchise’s main Batman actor?
There’s been a lot of push and pull over this question over the last few months. One side argues that the comments made directly by James Gunn and Matt Reeves confirm that The Batman isn’t canon to the DC Universe. Others argue that they’re lying to save the reveal of Robert Pattinson for a major post-credits scene moment. Yet both sides seem to agree that the answer to the conundrum will be found in the frames of Clayface.
Is Robert Pattinson’s Batman In Clayface?
Luckily, it seems as though fans won’t have to wait until Clayface releases for their answer. The latest batch of set photos seems to reveal the truth about Robert Pattinson’s place in the DC Universe’s canon. Namely, a map of Gotham City seen seems to look completely different to the layout seen in The Batman, suggesting that the film isn’t actually canon to the franchise’s main timeline.
Matt Reeves’ Gotham vs DCU’s Gotham
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/dRsrQ6paBg
— MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH) September 2, 2025
Of course, there are still some saying that this map doesn’t mean anything due to how fast and loose James Gunn has been with the canon of past projects in the DC Universe. However, given absolutely nothing from Clayface has even resembled something from The Batman, it’s safe to say that Robert Pattinson will be sticking to his own corner of the franchise (for now).
Clayface is set to release September 11th, 2026. This project has not yet been confirmed by DC Studios. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the DC Universe and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!
