Batman has an abundance of riches; the wealth he has in his stories and lore than fans and writers could latch on to. He has this gift that dates back to his first appearance to an ever evolving and growing mythos. Whether it’s his cape going through different iterations and purposes throughout the years or if it’s Alfred going from a passive mentor to a more hands on trainer, Batman has many elements writers could use. One that became an overnight success was the Court of Owls. They have been a few stories outside of their initial appearance and continue to build their legacy in the books. But as of now they find themselves in an interesting spot. The Batman universe helmed by Matt Reeves and the DCU are set to collide in some respect and because of that, there will be overlap between the elements used for Batman. The tone in The Batman has opened the door for the Court of Owls, but their supernatural flare is a better fit for the DCU. Which universe should the Court of Owls be in?
So, Matt Reeves and company has set the groundwork perfectly for the Court of Owls. In The Batman, things are gritty, cruel, dark, real and corrupt. The Riddler was able to reveal just how terrible it was. He revealed how corrupt and cruel all levels of Gotham’s infrastructure was, from the cops to the elites. Perhaps the exposure was too close for the Court of Owls. The Court is composed of Gotham’s most elite and rich families, so for a low-level criminal to nearly expose them, may ignite them to do more. Since Gotham is in shambles, the Court of Owls could take this opportunity to send out their deadly assassins, the Talons, to take out anyone and everyone that could take advantage of Gotham’s vulnerable state. Once the Talons get rid of competition, the Court of Owls could be more precise of who they place around Gotham’s infrastructure. Working with political power play is already a staple of Reeves’ Batman universe. It was clearly evident in The Batman and worked well in the movie. Batman as a character has always dealt with political problems in Gotham, so it’ll make sense for Reeves to use it. That story telling tool has now been switched over to The Penguin. It has laid the groundwork for the Court of Owls. Matt Reeves has even subtlety teased them. Not that long ago, he announced that The Batman – Part II will go deeper into Gotham’s corruption. Since the Court of Owls are the real power behind Gotham, that not even Batman was aware of, Reeves could be pointing at the Court. With the style that The Batman had, it would be great cinematography to see the elites that are in the Court wearing their expensive suits with those eerie Owl masks. Reeves’ tone and accomplishments will marry great with the lore of the Court of Owls.
What may hinder this inclusion is that there is a supernaturalism with the Court of Owls. Their Talons are undead, immortal warriors. They are in suspended animation to preserve them or their death is completely reversed. Given that there was a lot of ‘realism’ in The Batman, having the Court of Owls in the sequel could go against what Reeves is working with. Sure, that part of the Court of Owls could be removed but why should it? This could be the first time they jump to the big screen, they are a huge fan favorite and have great history with Batman and his family. If the Court of Owls do enter the world that Reeves built, they will be limited.
While Reeves’ universe, as of now, lacks an opening for supernaturalism to enter, the DCU does. Right from the start the DCU will have a small platoon of monsters then its first film it will have a few characters that have extraterrestrial links. So having an army of undead assassins and deadly political characters who have a passion for owls will not be out of place. If the Court of Owls do land in the DCU, it will give the court a lot of more room to operate, more room to accurately be portrayed. In their comic book debut, the Court were able to really mess with Batman’s head with an elaborate, underground maze. They stormed the Batcave which forced Batman to use a mech suit. Some of their own kind were disformed, picking up some characteristics of owls. Some iconic parts of the storyline that will make more sense in a world that allows more supernaturalism. And when Batman went missing in the story, it was all hands-on deck. The Bat Family had to pick up Batman’s slack. Even some of the villains went after the Court. Since the first Batman film in the DCU will have Damien Wayne, it’s safe to assume Dick Grayson, Catwoman, at least one Batgirl, Jason Todd and Tim Drake are around. If the Court do appear in the DCU, they will be the perfect villain to finally unite the Bat Family on the big screen. Since the lineup of projects for the DCU was announced, it was clear that James Gunn and company were aiming to add a lot of versatile storytelling. There’s going to be a lot of genres clashing. A DCU Batman film will add a little bit more grounded storytelling because there’s room for a political thriller tone. But add in a dash of mysticism in there to make it seem different and much like a Batman story. The DCU allows the Court of Owls to roam widely.
The Court of Owls had stiff completion when they entered the DC universe. They were a Batman villain that had to compete with classic and beloved Batman villains. Yet, they were able to successfully and quickly make their mark. Fans loved them right away and are waiting for a live action appearance on the big screen. After brewing for a while in comic books, games and animation, now is the time for the Court of Owls to make that big screen debut. Even better, the opportunity to do so is in abundance. They have two great avenues to take. Both cinematic universes give them room to fully be portrayed. But only one can have them. Given what Matt Reeves has set up and him desire to go deeper in the corruption and hidden power in Gotham City, the Court of Owls needs to step in his playhouse
