Summary
Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson’sThe Batmanproved to bea major hit upon its release in 2022, grossing $772 million worldwide. It achieved the second-best pandemic-era opening weekend domestically, and fans have continued to talk about this particular version of the iconic character ever since.
An eager audience is ready for more stories from this particular world, and Pattinson’s portrayal of the Dark Knight has been well-received by fans and critics alike. However, there is a growing impatience as fans have waited three years without any updates regardingThe Batman Part II, and DC Studios CEO James Gunn has now had enough of it.
Even though Gunn hasn’t given many promising signs about including Pattinson’s version of Batman into his DCU, which will kickstart withthe release ofSupermanon Jul 29, 2025, he does remain passionate aboutThe Batman Part II.Due to his new role with DC Studios, he is going to have some involvement in it, and he has spoken toEntertainment Weeklyabout his growing frustration with the fans' impatience about their wait.
“Listen, we’re supposed to get a script in June. I hope that happens. We feel really good about it,” Gunn said. “People should get off Matt’s nuts because it’s like, let the guy write the screenplay in the amount of time he needs to write it. That’s just the way it is. He doesn’t owe you something because you like his movie. I mean, you like his movie because of Matt. So let Matt do things the way he does.
“I am irritated by people,” Gunn continued. “I mean, it’s just that thing people don’t need to be entitled about. It’s going to come out when he feels good about the screenplay. And Matt’s not going to give me the screenplay until he feels good about the screenplay.”
Warner Bros delayedThe Batman Part IIfrom June 14, 2025, to July 30, 2025,which is why there has been a wait on the script. This will hopefully lead to Reeves fine-tuning it to be as close to perfect as possible so that there isn’t a need for mass changes when it has been submitted. However, that delay caused frustration among fans, and Gunn defended the decision when it was first announced. He clarified that a five-year gap between movies is common for sequels, highlighting that there were six years betweenThe Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2and the third movie, which ultimately didn’t hurt that franchise.
Given the popularity of Batman as a character, the wait will likely not hurt the sequel when it releases,as people will always be interested in seeing the superhero as part of the film. However, striking while the iron is hot also helps build a franchise as the story involving the characters remains fresh in people’s minds, which is helpful, as the word of mouth also remains positive. Instead, Reeves and Pattinson hope that fanswill rememberThe Batmanwhen the time comes for a sequel to be released, which is still several years away.
There have also been rumors that Gunn could end updebuting a different Batmanin the meantime, opting not to use Pattinson’s version of the character in the DCU at all. While it would be a shame not to see his performance added to the wider franchise that is being created, it could lead to aBatmanmovie being released sooner if Gunn presses forward. However, having two versions of the character around simultaneously could be confusing for casual fans who aren’t locked into everything that’s happening. This is why it might be beneficial for Gunn to use his own advice and be patient while waiting forThe Batman Part IIto add this version of the character to his grand plans.
