The Batman 2 Canceled In Wake Of DC Shakeup?
Just cut it out Zaslav!
Correction (8/13/22): After we published this article, James Gunn issued a statement on the social media platform Threads, in which he debunks Variety’s report. When asked if The Batman II had been canceled he clearly and emphatically stated “No.”
One would think that after the insane success of Matt Reeves’ reimagining of the story of the caped crusader in this year’s film The Batman, Warner Bros. Discovery would be throwing as much money as they could into getting a sequel. However, it seems that this just isn’t the case and that The Batman 2 may be even canceled. According to Variety, the followup production that would reveal more murder and mayhem in the city of Gotham has yet to be given the official go from the studio.
Let’s be real. Things at Warner Bros. Discovery have been a little wild and unorganized since the two studios merged together. With so much content now in one place, we imagine papers are being shuffled and big decisions are being made as to what ends up on the cutting room floor and what goes into production. While Matt Reeves is hard at work behind his computer, click-clacking away at the plot and script, the fact that no further announcements have been made creates a dark cloud of suspicion over whether The Batman 2 will just be canceled altogether.
Regardless as to whether The Batman 2 faces the ax of a canceled production, it will still be a long while until fans see the continuation of the story where the first movie left off. The action packed flick took a turn from the characters of the WB’s DCEU, featuring Robert Pattinson as the Dark Knight rather than Ben Affleck who has been the latest actor to throw a batarang in recent films including Justice League. While fans flocked to theaters to see the film, dropping a whopping $770 million+ in cash on the feature in the global box office, critics loved it just as much. Currently, the film sits on Rotten Tomatoes with an 85% critics score, something that should be celebrated all on its own.
The Batman saw a very dark telling of Bruce Wayne aka Batman protecting his beloved Gotham. Paul Dano played the Riddler, a sadistic serial killer bent on peeling and revealing the deep levels of corruption within the city. Colin Farrell’s Penguin likewise gives Batman plenty of trouble on his own, but thankfully the caped crusader got some help and a will-they-won’t-they vibe with Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman. In perhaps the most talked about scene in the entire movie, the final moments revealed the hopeful trilogy’s plan to introduce Barry Keoghan’s Joker into the fold should The Batman 2 not be canceled. Also starring in the feature were Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner James Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and John Turturro as Carmine Falcone.
Unfortunately for the DC Universe, The Batman 2 isn’t the only project that’s being rumored to be canceled. Constantly making headlines for all the wrong reasons, Ezra Miller, who plays The Flash in the universe’s films, is once again in hot water after another run-in with the law in Vermont. This time, they have been accused of breaking into a Vermont man’s home and stealing alcohol from him. The news spells a headache for the studio which has previously said they would be moving forward with the Miller led feature, The Flash which has already wrapped filming.
