The year 2015 was supposed to be the one that Batman and Superman fans have been looking forward to their whole lives. As was announced at last year's San Diego Comic-Con, Zack Snyder's Man of Steel sequel is set to be the first live action movie featuring both the Man of Tomorrow and the Dark Knight, and when the project was announced it came with a promise that the film would be out during the summer of 2015. That is no longer the case. According to The Wrap, Warner Bros. has pushed the untitled Batman vs. Superman movie back a full 10 months. In a statement, a representative from the studio said that the move is being made to "[allow] the filmmakers time to realize fully their vision, given the complex visual nature of the story."
Instead of coming out on July 17, 2015, the film will now be getting released on May 6, 2016. The reason why this news is especially significant is because that weekend also happens to be a release date that Marvel Studios has marked down on their calendar. In June of last year the competing comic book studio planted their flag in not only May 6, 2016, but also July 18, 2016, and May 5, 2017. It's a bold move on Warner Bros. part and possibly an introduction to a game of chicken between the studios, but it's also possible that there are dealings going on behind the scenes that suggest Marvel is already looking at a different release date for their first 2016 film.
Those who have been following the behind-the-scenes development of Batman vs. Superman likely aren't surprised that the movie needs a bit more time to get made. In addition to starring Henry Cavill as Superman and Ben Affleck as Batman, the movie is also set to have Gal Gadot appear as Wonder Woman. What's more, there have been rumors constantly swirling around suggesting that even more superheros could wind up in the sequel, eventually leading to a Justice League film a la The Avengers. If the Man of Steel sequel is being pushed back to 2016, that means we probably won't be seeing that culmination film for a long time.
There are two ways to take this news. Either you can be happy that the filmmakers and the studio are taking their time with such a valuable project, or you can be upset that you're not getting the movie sooner rather than later. Let us know what you're thinking in the comments section, and while we wait for Zack Snyder's next movie enjoy the Batman/Superman experience of watching Man of Steel and The Dark Knight Rises trailers back to back:
