James Gunn announced Batman: The Brave and the Bold in 2023 as part of DC’s “Gods and Monsters” lineup, promising a new take on The Dark Knight within the rebooted DC Universe. While there’s still no word on who will play Batman—or which members of the Bat Family will appear—the movie’s focus on an older Bruce Wayne and his son Damian already hints at a darker, more mature story.
Andy Muschietti (The Flash, It) is confirmed to direct, and that’s where the movie’s potential villain practically picks itself. Known for his horror sensibilities and eerie dream sequences, Muschietti could bring a terrifying edge to Gotham through one of Batman’s most psychologically rich foes: Scarecrow.
Scarecrow’s ability to weaponize fear aligns perfectly with Muschietti’s visual style. His horror background, particularly in It, shows a knack for turning internal trauma into nightmarish imagery, exactly the kind of tone a story about a hardened Bruce Wayne and his violent son Damian could benefit from. The father-son dynamic is already emotionally volatile, and Scarecrow’s manipulation of fear could push both characters to their limits.
If The Brave and the Bold aims to distinguish itself from past Batman movies, introducing a villain who thrives on psychological terror rather than brute force could do just that. Scarecrow has often been underused on-screen, but under Muschietti’s direction, the character could finally reach his full potential as a horror-tinged antagonist worthy of the new DCU.
Andy Muschietti Is The Perfect Director To Introduce Scarecrow To The DCU
After directing It and It: Chapter 2, Muschietti returned to the universe with It: Welcome To Derry on HBO Max. The series takes place 27 years before the events of the first film, and focuses on another time where the town of Derry, ME was terrorized by Pennywise in his various forms.
The first episode was directed by Muschietti, who wasted no time in reintroducing audiences to the bizarre and haunting imagery associated with this series. He knows how to create nightmare sequences where kids experience frightening images that are traumatizing and make them question their own reality.
Muschietti’s knack for creating effective fear sequences makes him the perfect director to introduce Scarecrow into the DCU. In the Batman universe, Scarecrow is a former psychologist who developed a fear toxin that makes its victims experience their worst nightmare.
The Dark Knight trilogy portrayed his toxin a few times, primarily showing how effectively his mask can terrify people when exposed to his toxin. However, Muschietti could expand on these fear sequences more, effectively portraying how horrifying Scarecrow’s toxin can be.
The DCU Can Continue To Lean Into Batman’s Horror Elements
Image via Max
Despite Matt Reeves’ Batman universe taking a darker approach to the character, Gunn appears to be doing the same thing in the DCU. While there are more fantastical elements, the DCU is embracing Batman’s more terrifying characters, especially with its upcoming Clayface movie.
Clayface is taking a body horror approach to the character, and is directed by James Watkins, the director of 2024’s Speak No Evil. It’s an unusual choice for a solo film as the box office for superhero films become more uncertain, but it shows the DCU isn’t afraid to tackle the horror genre.
Scarecrow is another villain that embraces his horror roots, and is often portrayed with haunting visuals, like in Batman: Arkham Asylum. Muschietti is at his best when tackling the horror genre, and using Scarecrow in The Brave and the Bold would allow him to deliver more of his unique vision to a classic Batman villain.
