The Script Is Here. The Clock Is Ticking.
Matt Reeves finally finished The Batman: Part II script. That's the good news. The bad news? It was supposed to land on Warner Bros.' desk over a year ago, and now, the studio is staring down a brutal reality: their most valuable superhero won't return to theaters until October 1, 2027—six years after the first film.
For Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, that's a nightmare. A full half-decade without a new Batman movie? In an era where franchises are milked dry within months? Unthinkable. And yet, here we are.
A Director's Pace vs. A Studio's Panic
Reeves doesn't rush. He didn't with The Batman (2022), and he hasn't here, despite the sequel's instant greenlight after the first film's $800M haul. Behind the scenes, frustration has been mounting. Rumors swirled that DC was considering replacing him if the script didn't materialize. But James Gunn, DC's new co-chief, has publicly defended Reeves, telling fans (via EW) to “get off Matt's nuts” and let him work.
Still, patience isn't infinite. A studio source tells Puck that filming is slated for January 2025, once Robert Pattinson wraps Dune: Part Three. That's the plan, at least. But with Reeves' perfectionism and the sheer scale of a Batman production, delays feel inevitable.
2027 or Bust?
If everything goes smoothly—a big if—the October 2027 date holds. But Warner Bros. has been burned before (The Flash, Aquaman 2). And Reeves? He's the kind of director who rewrites scenes on set, who obsesses over every shadow in Gotham's rain-soaked streets. Can he—or the studio—handle the pressure?
One thing's certain: Batman is Warner Bros.' crown jewel. And right now, it's gathering dust.
