While the DC Extended Universe is embarking down a different path than what was initially planned, one of its most popular heroes isn’t going anywhere. The Batman is still chugging along, and while someone else will be taking over the Caped Crusader role from Ben Affleck, it remains one of the DCEU’s most highly anticipated projects. However, delivering exceptional products takes time, and in The Batman’s case, that could result in another filming delay.
Back in March, writer/director Matt Reeves, who’s been attached to The Batman since early 2017, said that it looked like the movie would start rolling cameras “around year’s end.” Now Variety’s Justin Kroll has heard that some script changes might result in that launch date being pushed back a bit. He wrote:
It’s taken a while for The Batman script to come together, as Matt Reeves was still busy with War for the Planet of the Apes when he first boarded the project, and he also re-wrote it from scratch to allow for more creative freedom. The script is closer than ever to completion, but polishing up the story is part of the game, and moving back production by just a couple months isn’t too big of a deal.
However, The Batman delaying production isn’t set in stone just yet. If these script changes don’t end up taking too much extra time, The Wrap reporter Umberto Gonzalez has heard that filming is set to begin on November 4 in London. So The Batman is still gearing up to finally begin principal photography, the question now is whether it will be unfold pre or post-Christmas 2019.
Of course, even if The Batman begins production within the next year, it’ll still be a long journey for the finished product to arrive. The movie isn’t being released until summer 2021, and while there are a few DCEU movies before then to keep fans entertained, it’ll have been four years since Ben Affleck’s Batman made his final appearance in Justice League. Still, it was a seven-year wait between Batman & Robin and Batman Begins, so this isn’t as bad.
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In any case, it sounds like we’re still in for a long wait regarding who will inherit the Batman mantle from Ben Affleck. All we know for certain is that a younger actor is being sought to put on the cape and cowl, and that Matt Reeves reportedly wants someone famous. It’s also worth clarifying that even though this Batman will be younger, The Batman is not an origin story akin to Year One.
Beyond that, Matt Reeves revealed that The Batman will a noir-driven story that highlights the eponymous protagonist’s detective skills, which weren’t prominently featured in previous Batman movies. He also noted that many members of Batman’s rogues gallery would appear, with The Penguin reportedly among them.
The Batman will cast its shadow over theaters on June 25, 2021, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates. In the meantime, you can look through our DC movies guide to find out what else is coming down the DCEU pipeline.
