By
Kevin Erdmann
Published 17 minutes ago
Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero.
With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention.
Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.
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Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for DC's Batman/Deadpool #1Marvel Comics and DC have just pitched an idea I think could arguably be even bigger than an MCU/DCU crossover. Having joined forces for the first time in 20 years, Marvel and DC have just released their second Batman/Deadpool crossover one-shot of 2025, and one key moment could be the perfect foundation for something amazing in the future.
With both issues featuring all-star writers and artists, it's no wonder that Grant Morrison's newest Batman/Deadpool story just gave us what I believe could become something truly epic as a live-action blockbuster event. With former MCU director James Gunn now in charge of DC Studios, a potential MCU/DCU crossover in the future has definitely been a topic of conversation.
However, the surprising return of one comic superhero and the brand-new debut of another in Batman/Deadpool #1 has me thinking in a whole other direction (and universe).
Deadpool & Batman Did More Than Just Team-Up In Their Newest Crossover (They Amalgamated!)
Deadbat clean
Deadpool and Batman's newest team-up saw Wade Wilson and Bruce Wayne taking on Cassandra Nova while trapped within a bizarre mindscape. In a moment of desperation after Batman's "plot armor" couldn't save him from a hail of arrows, Deadpool throws the Caped Crusader into a nearby Lazarus Pit. While Batman is revived, he remarkably returns as Dark Claw, the epic combination of Batman and Wolverine first seen in Marvel and DC's old Amalgam Universe from the 90s where Marvel/DC heroes were merged into brand-new heroes.
Eventually, Batman is able to return to his original self, though only briefly before The Dark Knight and Deadpool use The Writer's Cosmic Keyboard to amalgamate themselves as the brand-new DEADBAT. As a brilliant combo-hero ripe for a brand-new Amalgam Universe crossover, DEADBAT successfully decapitates Nova's head from her body, thus ending their wild multiversal and mind-bending adventure.
A Live-Action Amalgam Crossover Could Be So Much Bigger Than MCU/DCU
Combined with the epic return of Dark Claw, one can only imagine how cool it would be if Marvel Comics and DC brought back the AU with their future crossover efforts. Going further, what if the Amalgam Universe replaced a future DCU crossover with the MCU?
A theoretical MCU/DCU crossover would be massive, but it would likely be quite messy to pull off. Effectively, you have two respective cinematic universes, each with their own tones, rules, histories, and controlling studios. Considering each one's multiversal baggage, an on-screen crossover would require endless exposition just to explain how any of it works.
The Amalgam Universe would solve this problem. Instead of trying to merge decades of continuities, why not build them from scratch, fusing Marvel and DC icons into single hybrid characters. This way, you’re not juggling two universes but instead exploring one unified world where Dark Claw replaces Batman and Wolverine, and Super-Soldier steps in for Steve Rogers and Superman.
A live-action adaptation of the AU could give audiences something genuinely new rather than a multiversal cameo-fest. An MCU/DCU crossover would certainly be a big event. Conversely, a live-action Amalgam would be a fascinating reinvention that could be cleaner/easier for studios to get behind (and arguably more compelling).
Batman/Deadpool #1 is on sale now from DC Comics.
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Deadpool
Alias
Wade Wilson
Created By
Fabian Nicieza, Rob Liefeld
POWERS
Healing factor, regeneration, superhuman strength and agility,
Franchise
Marvel
Birthday
November 22
Height
6'2”
The merc with the mouth first appeared in an issue of New Mutants in 1990, and since then has gone on to get his own series and a massive cult following. With his incredible powers of healing and regeneration, Deadpool was initially depicted as an X-Men villain but went on to become an anti-hero. After getting his own movie series starting in 2016, the third Deadpool movie finally brings the wisecracking, fourth-wall-breaking character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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Batman
Alias
Bruce Wayne
FIRST APP
Detective Comics #27 (1939)
Created By
Bob Kane, Bill Finger
Franchise
D.C.
Race
Human
First Appearance
Detective Comics
One of DC's most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world's leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
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Batman
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