Zack Snyder stated in an interview that he still wants to adapt Frank Miller's comic The Dark Knight Returns into a film and hopes the film will be independent of the DC Universe. This is his creative intention, and there is currently no news of the film being approved for production.
Snyder was involved in establishing the DC Extended Universe, which began in 2013, and his last involvement in related film work was in 2021. The Dark Knight Returns, which he wants to adapt, was created by Frank Miller and published in 1986. Snyder has spoken about this idea multiple times before.
When discussing the reasons for the adaptation, Snyder linked The Dark Knight Returns with Watchmen. He had brought Alan Moore's Watchmen to the screen in 2009; in his view, the two comics explore the superhero genre from different directions, and adapting the former would create a resonance with his previous work on Watchmen.
Currently, the DC Universe's own Batman film, The Brave and the Bold, is still in development. Andy Muschietti was hired to direct in June 2023, but by February 2025 he was no longer actively involved in the project; writer Christina Hodson was confirmed to be participating in January 2026. The film plans to focus on the relationship between Bruce Wayne and his son Damian Wayne, who will appear as Robin. The actor for Bruce Wayne has not yet been determined.
Outside of the DC Universe, another Batman film already exists: The Batman Part II, directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson continuing as Bruce Wayne, is scheduled for release in 2028. It belongs to the "Elseworlds" line, separate from the main DC Universe continuity; Snyder's desired independent setting also needs to be considered alongside existing film arrangements.