Many fans want to know why it is taking so long for The Batman Part II to be released considering it has been quite a while since the first film premiered.
Matt Reeves' The Batman was one of the biggest comic book movie releases of the 2020s so far. It introduced DC fans to Robert Pattinson's version of Bruce Wayne and Batman while also giving viewers a more detective-like take on the Caped Crusader.
A sequel was announced just one month after the first film premiered in theaters on March 4, 2022, meaning it has been in the works for a while. So, there have been a few issues getting the upcoming title off the ground, to say the least.
Why Has The Batman Part II Still Not Released?
Unfortunately, anytime a piece of news has surfaced regarding The Batman Part II recently, it has not been promising (except for when Reeves revealed a plot detail about the upcoming movie).
For example, it was just announced on December 27, 2024, that the upcoming film had been delayed an entire year. After previously being set to hit theaters on October 2, 2026, The Batman Part II is now slated to premiere on October 1, 2027.
This is not the first delay the movie has suffered. Originally, The Batman 2 was going to debut in October 2025.
However, it was delayed in March 2024 from that initial date to October 2, 2026. So, the film suffered two major delays in the same year, but it seems as though things may be on the right track now.
DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn already confirmed that he has a strict plan for upcoming movies under the DC umbrella.
In general, Gunn publicly confirmed that no movie or project will receive the green light and go into pre-production before a script is completely finished and finalized.
As of December 27, 2024, the script for The Batman Part II was not complete.
Gunn revealed in a Threads post that the script not being finished was the main reason for the one-year delay.
Unfortunately, Gunn also added that "no one can accurately guess exactly how long a script will take to write," so it is impossible to know how far along the script is at this point:
"Sure. Yes, it is true. The only reason for the delay is there isn’t a full script (those of you who follow me here probably know that already). Matt is committed to making the best film he possibly can, and no one can accurately guess exactly how long a script will take to write. Once there is a finished script, there is around two years for pre-production, shooting and post-production on big films."
Rumors have been swirling about why the script is taking so long to write. One of those rumors, coming from @ViewerAnon via X (formerly Twitter), indicates that "there are reasons it's taken so long," and it isn't "just procrastinating" from Reeves:
"Don't be too hard on Reeves. Things are going on. There are reasons it's taken so long for 'THE BATMAN PART II's' script to be finished, he's not just procrastinating. Promise."
One of the most promising pieces of news to come recently regarding The Batman Part II was Reeves' own words at the 2025 Golden Globe Awards Show.
In a quick interview with Deadline on the red carpet, Reeves confirmed that The Batman 2 would begin filming at some point in 2025.
Specifically, Reeves stated "[they were] going to be shooting this year:"
"I can tell you that we're going to be shooting this year and that we're excited about it. I can't really tell you anything about it."
So, while The Batman 2 recently suffered another delay, it at least seems as though the script is coming along and filming will be underway by the end of the year.
Will The Batman Part II Be Delayed Again?
As mentioned, The Batman Part II (read more about the upcoming movie's massive cast here) has been delayed multiple times. Gunn revealed that it would likely take two years from the beginning of pre-production until the end of post-production.
So, assuming that is true, that would mean the script would obviously need to be finished sometime before October 1. However, in reality, it would likely need to be finished at least a few months before October for everything to not be rushed.
It seems as though Reeves is confident filming will begin this year. His comments at the Golden Globes were optimistic, so the script is likely in or near the final stages.
Anything is possible, and delays could always happen, but it seems like The Batman 2 is well on its way to going into pre-production soon.
Yes, it will have been over five years since the release of the first film when the second comes out, but at least it will be made (unlike some films that could be entirely canceled).
The Batman is streaming on Max, and The Batman Part II is expected to be released on October 1, 2027.
