DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has defended the delay to The Batman 2, saying such a gap between films is “fairly common”.
READ MORE: ‘The Batman 2’: everything we know so far
On Friday (December 27), the studio, which is a division of Warner Bros., announced that the much-anticipated sequel had been pushed back another year, with a new release date of October 1, 2027.
That was just the latest delay for the film, which had initially been slated for an October 2024 release. Last year’s SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes then led to the movie being postponed to October 2026, and now fans will have an extra 12 months to wait.
Robert Pattinson in ‘The Batman’ (2022). CREDIT: DC ENTERTAINMENT/WARNER BROS. / Album
Some fans expressed their disappointment at the delay, but Gunn has come to the film’s defence in a post on Threads. “To be fair, a 5 year gap or more is fairly common in sequels,” he wrote. “7 years between Alien and Aliens. 14 years between Incredibles. 7 years between the first two Terminators. 13 years between Avatars. 36 years between Top Guns. And, of course, 6 years between Guardians Vol 2 and Vol 3.”
The film will see Matt Reeves return to the director’s chair, with lead actor Robert Pattinson also set to reprise his role. Jeffrey Wright will return as Jim Gordon, as will Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth and Colin Farrell as the Penguin.
In announcing the latest delay, Warner Bros. also revealed that the film’s initial 2026 slot will now be filled by a new, untitled Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Tom Cruise film.
In a four-star-review of The Batman, NME wrote: “Director Matt Reeves has mixed up gritty mob drama with film-noir detective thriller – and thanks to Dano’s ultra-creepy villain, some psychological horror too. Most of the time it comes off brilliantly.”
NME also praised Kravitz’ portrayal of Catwoman, calling her “perfect” for the role: “Here, Reeves gives Kravitz a proper backstory and tells it via seedy nightclubs and abandoned construction sites.”
Reeves’ version of the iconic story led to a spin-off exploring Farrell’s Penguin character. The Penguin was released on Max this year, also experiencing delays in production as a result of the strikes.
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