Matt Reeves’The Batman - Part IIlooks increasingly unlikely to arrive anytime soon, but theDCElseworldsmovie is still receiving updates about its slow-moving production. Matt Reeves’The BatmanturnedBen Affleck’s canceled DCEU Batman solo movieinto an extremely popular and highly acclaimed, standalone Batman movie that’s totally independent from any cinematic universe.The Batman’s critical and commercial success opened the door for a direct sequel, and Matt Reeves devised plans not only forThe Batman - Part II, but also for spinoffs and series.TheArkham AsylumandGotham PDspinoff series were canceledonly a couple of years later.
Two years afterThe Batman’s 2022 release,The Penguinrevisited Matt Reeves' Gotham City through the eyes of Colin Farrell’s Penguin.The Penguintook the Golden Globes for Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Limited Series. WhileRobert Pattinson’s Batman doesn’t appear inThe Penguin,The Penguinfinale teases the Dark Knight’s return with the closing image of the Bat-Signal illuminating the Gotham skyline.The Batman’s ending suggests Bruce Wayne will take a more hopeful approach to his Batman duties, andThe Penguin’s ending almost guarantees Oz Cobb will return inThe Batman - Part II, but when the sequel will hit theaters is yet to be confirmed.
What Robert Pattinson Doing Dune 3 Means For The Batman 2
Robert Pattinson’s Dune 3 Role May Delay The Batman - Part II A Bit Further
Robert Pattinson is reportedly being eyed for a role in Denis Villeneuve’sDune 3. Naturally, Pattinson’s possibleDune 3casting has sparked speculation aboutThe Batman - Part II’s release date, asThe Batman - Part IIhas already been delayed multiple times. Pattinson is also co-starring with a star-studded cast in Christopher Nolan’sTheOdyssey, which is filming in Q2 2025 and is set to release in 2026.Robert Pattinson’s commitments to Christopher Nolan’sThe Odysseyand Denis Villeneuve’sDune 3might pushThe Batman - Part IIa little further to accommodate Pattinson’s schedule — possibly half a year more.
3 Months On, It’s Even Harder To Ignore How Much The Batman 2 Needs To Bring Back The Best New Live-Action DC Villain In Years
Matt Reeves The Batman universe is set to expand again in 2027, but the movie should bring back one essential villain who debuted recently.
On the other hand,The OdysseyandDune 3are ensemble movies. Robert Pattinson will be one of many A-list stars sharing the screen with a packed cast in both movies, meaning that Pattinson may only be unavailable for a brief period. After filming his part, Pattinson may be fully available forThe Batman - Part II. What’s more, Matt Reeves’The Batman - Part IIhasn’t started pre-production yet. Even ifThe OdysseyandDune 3took a bit longer than expected, Pattinson would likely be available by the timeThe Batman - Part IIis about to start production.
The Batman 2 Release Date Is Set For 2027 (But Has Been Delayed Twice)
The Batman - Part II Isn’t Completely Guaranteed To Release In 2027
Since its announcement,The Batman - Part IIhas been delayed multiple times. First,The Batmanwas scheduled to release in October 2025. In December 2024,The Batman - Part IIwas delayed an entire year, to October 2027. At this point,The Batman’s first sequel risks releasing very close to the DCU’s own Batman movie, Andy Muschietti’sThe Brave and the Bold.One of the few updates aboutThe Batman - Part II’s scriptshared by Matt Reeves came in December 2024, when Matt Reeves confirmed he was finishing the script and thatThe Batman - Part IIwould start filming in 2025.
Robert Pattinson’s availability in late 2025 might still be crucial
Matt Reeves' shared his script update a few days beforeThe Batman - Part II’s latest delaywas announced. This delay is supposed to affectThe Batman - Part II’s filming start date minimally, pushing the start of production only a few months, but delaying the movie’s release date a whole year later due to its"VFX-heavy"post-production.Taking Matt Reeves' script update into account, however, there must be little Matt Reeves and his crew have left to do before they’re ready to advance to the next stage.Robert Pattinson’s availability in late 2025 might still be crucial.
Why There’s Concern About The Batman 2
Matt Reeves' The Batman Franchise Isn’t The Only Dark Knight Franchise In The Works
Matt Reeves is taking his time to perfect every aspect ofThe Batman - Part II, but fans are growing impatient, and audiences are moving on to other franchises.The Batman’s cast is also moving on to new commitments elsewhere. For instance,Colin Farrell is reportedly in talks to star inSgt. Rock— the DCU’s WWII movie previously reported to be eyeing Daniel Craig for the titular role. Robert Pattinson may also be signing on to a long-term commitment with movies the size ofThe OdysseyandDune 3. Other stars like Andy Serkis, Zoë Kravitz, and Cristin Milioti could follow suit.
Matt Reeves' “Surprising” The Batman 2 Villain Comments Could Be Good News For The Most Rumored Antagonists
The Batman Part II’s main villains might not be the most rumored ones because Matt Reeves might be saving them for the third installment.
Meanwhile, James Gunn and Peter Safran are quickly expanding their DCU franchise with the introduction of several Gotham characters such asCreature Commandos' Doctor Phosphorus,Clayface’s titular villain, andDynamic Duo’s Jason Todd and Dick Grayson. Andy Muschietti’sThe Brave and the Boldis only starting to define a script, but at this rate,The Brave and the Boldcould catch up toThe Batman - Part II. If James Gunn’s DCU casts its Batman actor, anticipation forThe Batman - Part II,The Batman’s third installment, and any other spinoff could dwindle.
Will The Batman 2 Actually Happen?
The Batman - Part II Will Take A While, But It Likely Won’t Be Canceled
If there are no further delays before then,The Batman - Part IIwill start filming in late 2025. By then, Robert Pattinson could easily finish his work onThe OdysseyandDune 3beforeThe Batman - Part II’s production starts.While a five-year period between the first and the second installment is quite a lot,The Batman - Part IIis currently on track to meet its July 29, 2025 release date. Of course, this release date requires Matt Reeves to completeThe Batman - Part II’s script and start pre-production very soon, and it requires all the cast to clear their schedules for the end of the year.
The Batman - Part II’s filming schedule might also lead DC Studios to withhold anyThe Brave and the Boldupdates until 2026, at the earliest.
On July 23, 2025,James Gunn debunked the theories that Robert Pattinson will be the DCU’s Batman, stating that,“it’s imperative"and"the plan for The Brave and the Bold.“At the 2025 Golden Globes,Matt Reeves teased thatThe Batman - Part II’s main villain will be surprising, suggesting that the antagonistic force ofThe Batman - Part IIhas already been settled and is ready to be cast. Since everything points toThe Batman- Part IIstarting production in late 2025, fans can expect casting news and plot updates towards summer or fall.
