Rocksteady is due to return to the acclaimed Arkhamverse with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League this year. The game will venture outside of Gotham for the first time in the series, with the new entry exploring a wider cast of DC characters as Amanda Waller's Task Force X is sent on a mission to stop Brainiac from invading Superman's home, Metropolis. However, it has been speculated that this could end up being the final entry in the Batman: Arkham series due to Warner Bros.' recent restructuring of DC media and its formation of a new interconnected cinematic universe under the newly formed DC Studios, with some of the studio's first projects due to be announced this month.
DC Studios is being led by The Suicide Squad writer-director James Gunn, and the producer of many of DC's previous movies, Peter Safran, with both acting as Co-CEOs. Speculation has been rampant surrounding the duo's plans, with Gunn regularly taking to Twitter to debunk false rumors, or provide clarity on some of the official announcements, such as the cancelation of previously announced movies or casting. Via a fan interaction, Gunn revealed that the DCU would include games, setting it apart from its main competitor Marvel with another form of storytelling interwoven with its films and TV shows. The move has divided opinion, with some general movie-goers worried that they will miss out on part of the narrative.
Rocksteady Should Be Allowed To Continue The Arkhamverse After Suicide Squad: KTJL
Some of the speculation surrounding the announcement of DC games becoming a part of Gunn and Safran's connected universe is that it will likely mean the end of the Arkhamverse if the studio doesn't allow stories to be told outside of its main cinematic universe. With players only just getting to experience part of the wider parts of Rocksteady's universe, it would be a shame not to continue exploring this further. While Batman: Arkham characters such as Harley Quinn will be returning, Suicide Squad: KTJL will see major characters who had previously only been mentioned in NPC dialogue or Easter eggs, such as Superman or Flash appear for the first time in this universe.
Some of the Arkhamverse's characters' journeys, such as Batman's, should come to an end. This is partially to pay respect to the definitive Batman actor Kevin Conroy, who is returning in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League in his final performance as the character prior to his heartbreaking death; but also due to Batman: Arkham Knight's ending, which saw the character fake his own death once his identity was revealed. The latter has already caused some confusion among fans following the reveal that Bruce is still Batman in Suicide Squad: KTJL in the game's "Shadows" trailer, with many expecting another hero to don the mantle, or at least for the Arkhamverse's residents to believe this was the case.
As popular as Batman may be, the character has been focused on extremely heavily over the years, and it's time for other DC heroes to take the spotlight for a change. Rocksteady introducing its take on the Justice League opens a whole realm of possibilities for spin-offs and new stories focusing on some of DC's most prominent heroes, provided that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League doesn't make good on its titular promise to have the Suicide Squad actually kill the Justice League off during the game's campaign. To end their arcs as soon as they're introduced would be a disservice to the worldbuilding Rocksteady has already done, and would leave so much of the Arkhamverse's potential untapped.
The Batman's Fate May Give Arkhamverse Fans Some Hope
Most of the announcements surrounding the future of the DC Universe so far have focused on the fates of many of Warner Bros.' past DC adaptations. While it seems clear that a lot of the "Snyderverse" era of DC films will be coming to an end, with Henry Cavill no longer returning as Superman, and Gal Gadot's next Wonder Woman movie being canceled, Gunn and Safran have confirmed that The Batman and Joker's stories will continue as stand-alone series independently of the DC Universe, while still being produced by DC Studios. This could give fans of Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham series hope, as it could follow a similar path within the gaming realm.
Part of the reasoning behind this is that both movies were released to critical acclaim, much like the Batman: Arkham series. Joker was nominated for and won several awards, primarily for the performance of Joaquin Pheonix as the titular character, and has a sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux in the works that will also star Lady Gaga. The Batman was also praised for its take on the DC characters and world, which saw Robert Pattinson's Batman in a Neo-Noir detective story, uncovering thrilling mysteries and conspiracies for the first time on film, and will be expanded upon in sequels and HBO Max spin-offs focusing on Arkham Asylum, and Penguin's rise to power.
The Batman: Arkham series has been hugely popular with fans too for the most part. From much of its cast comprised of fan-favorite actors reprising their roles from other media, such as the 90s and 2000s DC Animated Universe, to its stories, side missions, and Easter eggs pulling from all areas of the DC mythos, it's clear why it has been such a success. Rocksteady's attention to detail made its version Gotham feel like a pre-established, lived-in world by the time players got to explore it, and the expectation is that this will also be the case with its version of Metropolis in Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League.
With this high praise from fans and critics alike, the Arkhamverse could fall into the category of projects that are allowed to continue independently alongside Gunn and Safran's DC Universe. Suicide Squad takes place after Batman: Arkham Knight but in many ways, it feels like an entirely new chapter for the Arkhamverse. This is in part due to its new setting, a tone that's brimming with dark humor, and shooter mechanics that are a far cry from the gameplay and darker world of the Batman: Arkham titles and seem to offer players something fresh. Hopefully, if Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is successful, this new direction for the Arkhamverse won't be short-lived.
Source: DC/YouTube