NFL
By: Rick
So far, the DCU has been a Superman-forward franchise under James Gunn and Peter Safran. The 2025 Superman was considered a great success for the studio. Supergirl is approximately 6 months away, and the follow-up Superman Man of Tomorrow will debut in 2027. Despite all that, there are some other big DC properties in the mix, and we can’t be too far from the Batman making his way into the DCU. With a tentatively titled Brave and the Bold movie, could we finally get a villain outside of the Penguin or the Joker with Andy Muschietti at the helm? Should Batman bring the Scarecrow in as the main villain? Sure, we’ve seen him in Batman movies before, but never true to his horror persona.
Established Horror Roots:
Jonathan Crane was a professor of psychology who would become a staple in Batman’s rogues gallery. After turning into a villain, known as the Scarecrow, he would develop a “fear toxin” to wage psychological warfare on his victims. Muschietti has been working on his own horror-based movies and show with the IT franchise that now includes Welcome to Derry. After watching that show, we know he has a way of bringing out terror on both the large and small screens. If the rumors are true that The Penguin was originally going to use the character only to have it cut later on, could this be a worthwhile villain for the Brave and the Bold?
Tom King’s Batman?
Tom King has become an integral part of the DCU. He’s working with the team on Lanters, and his Woman of Tomorrow was inspired by his comic. He also had a fantastic run on DC’s Rebirth comics, writing an emotional roller coaster of a story for Bruce Wayne. For those who have read it, you know how it ends. What better way to play off of Bruce’s fears than taking that story and inspiring a fear-based plot with Batman? There’s not much that could scare Bruce Wayne except for losing loved ones. A psychological horror would be a great way to pivot from your typical Batman movie.
How It Could Introduce A Fan-Favorite:
It might sound crazy, but what better way to bring in an already fan-favorite, Harley Quinn? James Gunn has already had his fun with the character in the Suicide Squad, which received mostly positive reviews. Whether or not that would be a way to bring Margot Robbie back into the mix, or introduce a lead for the character, is up in the air. But a movie where the main villain is a professor of psychology who mentally terrorizes his victims could just as easily transition to a post-fight resolve where one of the victims needs to see a psychiatrist after Batman defeats Scarecrow. It’s not a far jump from creative writing that would lead us to that psychiatrist being Harley Quinn. Despite her working at Arkham Asylum, a few creative tweaks could have made it her origin story that leads down that path in later films.
Fans have been begging for a new take on Batman for a while. Nothing about the character has changed in each iteration we’ve seen play out in movies. Can a new villain, such as the Scarecrow, leading the way in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, finally give us the fresh take we need?
