Safran: Batman Exists During Clayface but Doesn't Appear
DC Studios' Peter Safran said Batman is present in the DCU during Clayface, which he called the first step into the live-action Gotham.
DC Studios Co-Chairman Peter Safran said Batman exists in the DCU during the events of Clayface, even though the character does not appear in the film, according to slashfilm.com. The project is a horror film centred on the Batman villain.
Safran said he and DC Studios co-head James Gunn have not discussed what Batman is doing while the events of Clayface unfold. He described the film as the first step into the DCU's live-action Gotham.
An established presence
Batman's place in the shared universe was previously signalled on screen: a silhouette of the character appeared in the DCU animated series Creature Commandos.
The DCU launched in 2025 with Superman, the first film in Gunn's version of the universe. This year brought Supergirl, a spin-off about Kal-El's cousin. A Batman film for the DCU, The Brave and the Bold, has been planned.
Separately, the The Batman franchise starring Robert Pattinson will not be integrated into the DCU, a point those involved with DC and the films have stressed. The Penguin, an HBO series set in Gotham, belongs to that separate line.
Quick answers
Does Batman appear in Clayface?
No. Safran confirmed Batman exists in the DCU during the film's events but does not appear in it.
Is Robert Pattinson's Batman part of the DCU?
No. The Batman franchise starring Pattinson will not be integrated into the DCU, according to those involved with DC and the films.