The Batman Part 2 Gets Huge Delay, Is It Canceled?
Big news for Batman fans with Warner Bros. deciding The Batman Part 2 is no longer opening on October 3, 2025. Instead, its release date has been pushed out an entire year to October 2, 2026. This type of move is usually not a good thing, prompting some to wonder whether it’s getting canceled altogether, but Deadline reports the new date is due to the aftermath of the dual SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
The Batman Caught Up In Warner Bros Discovery Drama
In addition to the strikes, there have been some shake-ups at the newly-merged Warner Bros Discovery, including James Gunn and Peter Safran, who were made heads of a new on-screen DC Universe. The Batman Part 2‘s studio Warner Bros. is actually shuffling quite a few projects around.
An Ironic Replacement
The Bride, written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and starring Christian Bale, will take The Batman Part 2‘s old spot on Oct. 3, 2025. It’s interesting to note that it means an old Batman is replacing the new. The Bride is a remake of the classic horror film Bride of Frankenstein. It seems like Frankenstein has been on Hollywood’s mind lately, when you look at the success of Poor Things.
In addition, Warner Bros. has pushed Alto Knights back from 2024 to 2025. That feature brings Robert De Niro back to his on-screen mob roots and it’s a dual role for the Oscar winner. He plays 1950s mob bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello.
The Returning Cast
Matt Reeves returns as the director of The Batman Part 2, and Robert Pattinson will be back in black again as The Batman/Bruce Wayne. There are potential returns for Zoë Kravitz (Selina Kyle/Catwoman), Jeffrey Wright (Lieutenant James Gordon), and Andy Serkis (Alfred Pennyworth). Barry Keoghan’s Joker may have a larger role in The Batman Part 2, and if you have seen the ending of The Batman, you know why that is.
New Villains
The close of 2022’s The Batman sets up potential alliances with The Riddler (Paul Dano) and the Joker while potentially introducing the Court of Owls as villains. The Court of Owls is a criminal organization and secret society, which DC comics fans already know.
A Sequel Was Inevitable
The Batman Part 2 always seemed likely since The Batman was a hit. It made $771 million against a $185–200 million budget, making it the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2022. The critics liked it, too, with an 85 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. It also garnered three Oscar nominations.
Multiple Spin-Offs
Warner has also announced a number of spinoff shows set in The Batman‘s universe. Matt Reeves has been actively working on The Penguin, featuring Colin Farrell, along with a mysterious project based around Arkham Asylum. Reeves has said the series will be in the vein of the horror genre. A series focused on the Gotham Police Department was announced but was put on indefinite hold following disagreements surrounding the series.
Not The Only Movie Delayed Recently
If the delay in The Batman Part 2 is because of the strikes, it does not stand alone. Many projects have been affected, including the Minecraft movie, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and the highly-anticipated new seasons of Stranger Things and Severance.
