James Gunn’s Chapter One of the DCU continues to expand after Superman’s summer blockbuster performance, and every new DC movie project is under the microscope. One of the most talked-about titles is the upcoming Clayface movie and, upon another batch of DCU set photos hitting the web, some are convinced they’d found a hint that Robert Pattinson’s Batman could be folded into the greater DCU. With that, Gunn is now speaking out about it.
A recently shared set image shows a red dumpster with a bat sticker slapped to its side. Fans quickly noted that the sticker resembles the emblem design of Pattinson's version of Batman, leading to theories about its implications for the DC Universe's Caped Crusader. James Gunn responded on Threads after a fan suggested that the "Battinson" signal indicates a merging of continuities. He wrote:
Although the trash can is from the set I have a hard time believing the bat was put there by the art department, but if so it never came across my desk (I don't have time to ok every piece of set dressing.
The specific question from the fan was, "James, people are saying the merge is happening after seeing the battinson logo on the Clayface set. However i don’t think u guys would confirm something this big like this right?"
And, fair enough. Gunn gave a straightforward answer that doesn't leave much doubt. Besides, the co-DC executive has had a busy 2025 movie release schedule, penned Peacemaker Season 2 and is now gearing up to begin work on the officially announced Superman follow-up, Man of Tomorrow. With that kind of workload, it’s hard to imagine Gunn has time to oversee something as small as a bat sticker on a dumpster. In other words, the dumpster is a real set dressing; the bat icon likely isn’t an intentional breadcrumb from DC Studios.
The Super filmmaker's explanation about the leaked image likely won’t stop the fan theories, of course. Right now, the DCU is in that electric phase where every project feels like a potential puzzle piece.
Clayface is especially ripe for speculation, not only because the character is new to this era but because his movie reportedly leans into body horror and seems like it could sit beside Matt Reeves’ take on the Dark Knight. Maybe an overzealous set dresser added the bat emblem to the trash can as a playful nod—or it was simply the only bat symbol on hand. Either way, Gunn clearly doesn’t want the Internet connecting those dots.
For those who don’t know, Clayface is based on a script that Mike Flanagan presented to DC, and the powers that be allegedly gushed over it, spurring the project into production. Early reporting framed it as a gruesome, R-rated body horror movie set within the DC Universe, and the set photos so far have been pretty intense. Still, many fans have wondered on which continuity this film occupies, whether it sits outside the mainline DCU or is a DC Elseworlds story in the vein of Pattinson’s The Batman and its upcoming sequel, Joker, and Joker: Folie á Deux.
However things shake out, the Slither screenwriter has provided a bit of “bat” clarity. While it won’t end the speculation (because nothing does) it does reset expectations. If and when the DCU decides to bridge worlds with Pattinson’s Batman or casts its own take on the Gotham Vigilante, it likely won’t be through a mystery decal on a dumpster. It’ll probably come via an official announcement, which is far more in James Gunn’s style.
Until then, DC fans will surely keep the theories fun. The next entry in the mainline continuity is Supergirl, which hits the 2026 movie schedule on June 26, followed by Clayface on September 11.
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