The DCU's First Look At Gotham City Has Me Even More Excited For Its Upcoming Batman Movie The Brave And The Bold

Warning! This article contains minor spoilers for Creature Commandos.

I have to admit, the DCU's first look at Gotham caught me off guard, but I'm so excited to see how it all shapes up in live-action in The Brave and the Bold. First of all, if you haven't been keeping up with Creature Commandos, not only are you missing out on the first official project airing from the DCU, but now you are also missing essential details that will go into making the live-action movies so much better. For example, in episode 6, while exploring the backstory of one character, the show unveils the first official look at Gotham City in the DCU.

While anticipation and excitement is building for the upcoming Superman movie and other projects that are being developed by James Gunn and the team over at DC Studios, there are core characters who will be joining the DCU down the road, but lacking in developments and announcements. Among them is one of my all-time favorite superheroes, Batman. But thankfully, the obscure animated adventure series, Creature Commandos, gave us an unexpected taste of what is to come when the DCU finally does bring the Dark Knight to the big screen.

The DCEU's Gotham City Always Lacked A Real Distinctive Style

The DCEU Focused More On Gritty Realism Than Fantasy

There is a huge challenge that comes with creating live-action superhero movies that can often be overlooked, and that is creating a unique atmosphere and backdrop. The issue is, animated shows can be a lot more creative and playful with style, color tones, and generally making the setting stand out and feel distinct. Meanwhile, in live-action projects, it can often feel as though the fantastical superheroes are simply dropped into the real world.

For the Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher Batman movies of the 1980s and 1990s, this wasn't an issue, because they really created an atmosphere and brought the comics to life. However, the DCEU failed to set the world of Gotham or any other major city apart as something that felt like it reflected the heroes that lived in it. This ultimately hurt the overall DCEU, and made it feel less exciting and immersive, and the DCU needs to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

The DCU's First Look At Gotham City Brings Back Batman's Unique Look

Batman's Stomping Ground In The DCU Is Already Unique

However, if the first look at Gotham as seen in Creature Commandos season 1, episode 6, is anything to go by, then there shouldn't be an issue. The show unveiled a version of the city that had overt gothic elements like a large gargoyle statue, a green tint that makes it feel distinctly more noir and dark, and uniform skyrise buildings with a smog in the distance. And in all reality, this kind of mundane, dull, and dark setting is perfect as the home of The Dark Knight, considering Gotham's reputation as a city that is overrun by criminals and crooked authorities.

This is great news for the DCU's Gotham, because James Gunn has already made it abundantly clear that the shows and the movies will connect. Including animation crossing into the world of live-action, which means this is at the very least a basic idea of what Gotham will look like when Batman joins the DCU. In a similar way to how Matt Reeves' The Batman movie was able to create a dark and dingy city that felt like evil was lurking around every corner, this style embodies the spirit of Gotham, and I personally can't wait to see it translated to live-action.

DC's The Brave And The Bold Needs To Give Gotham A Distinct Look And Feel

Gotham City Is A Pivotal Character That Needs To Be Portrayed Correctly

After seeing the trailer for Superman, it is clear that the version of Metropolis seen in the DCU seems like a futuristic utopia that is clean and safe. And in many ways, Gotham tends to be the opposite of Metropolis. These cities and the way they are represented on screen is just as important as the characters who take center stage in the story, so it is important to get them right. And while Metropolis appears to be moving in the right direction, Gotham's sneak preview needs to be upheld and expanded to really deliver for the DCU.

And beyond that, these are cities populated by superheros and supervillains. It doesn't make sense for them to look like any plain old boring city. The DCU needs to ensure that fantasy is not missing from the fantastical world that it is establishing. And while Batman has no real superpowers to speak of, his story still takes place in a world where scientists can turn into glowing fiery monsters, and human-sized weasels strike fear into peoples' hearts. Making the cities where these heroes operate unremarkable would be a disservice, but Creature Commandos' first look has definitely given me hope about what to expect in The Brave and the Bold.

The Brave and the Bold

Action

Adventure

Director: Andy Muschietti
Writers: Grant Morrison
Franchise(s): DC Universe

The Brave and the Bold will introduce audiences to a new Batman in the DC Universe, focusing on the unique dynamic between the Dark Knight and his son, Damian Wayne, who takes on the mantle of Robin. This film marks yet another reboot for the iconic vigilante superhero.

Main Genre: Action
Studio(s): DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Discovery, Warner Bros.
Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures