Is It Too Late for The Batman 2? The Long Road to Gotham’s Return
Published On: June 29th, 2025
After years of delays, director Matt Reeves has finally completed the script for The Batman Part II, sharing a cryptic Instagram post with co-writer Mattson Tomlin captioned “Partners in Crime (Fighters)” alongside a blurred first page bearing the iconic Batman logo. The sequel, initially announced in April 2022, has faced multiple setbacks, pushing its release to October 1, 2027, over five years after the original film’s $772 million box office success.
While fans celebrate this milestone, concerns linger: Is The Batman 2 arriving too late? With DC Studios launching a new interconnected universe (DCU) under James Gunn, starting with Superman (July 2025), Reeves’ standalone Gotham saga risks being overshadowed. Gunn has repeatedly dismissed rumors of the project’s cancellation, calling it “still really important”, but the extended timeline raises questions about audience fatigue and creative momentum.
The delays: Art vs. impatience
Reeves’ meticulous approach has been both praised and criticized. James Gunn defended the delays, stating: “People should get off Matt’s nuts... He doesn’t owe you something because you like his movie. You like his movie because of Matt. So let Matt do things the way he does.”.
Comparisons to other franchises highlight the risks of long gaps. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (5-year gap) underperformed, while The Dark Knight Trilogy and Burton’s Batman sequels were released within 3 years, maintaining momentum. Yet Gunn counters with examples like Top Gun: Maverick (36 years later) and Avatar: The Way of Water (13 years later), proving that patience can pay off.
Robert Pattinson’s “Old Batman” dilemma
Robert Pattinson, now 38, joked to Hero Magazine: “I started out as young Batman and I’m going to be fucking old Batman by the sequel.” Though he remains committed, his packed schedule, including Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey (2026) and rumored Dune 3, could further strain timelines. Meanwhile, DCU’s The Brave and the Bold, featuring a new Batman, looms, potentially diluting interest in Pattinson’s iteration.
DC’s dual universes: Can both thrive?
Gunn’s DCU plans are ambitious, with Superman, Supergirl, and Clayface (2026) dominating the slate. The Batman 2 exists outside this continuity, a double-edged sword. On one hand, it offers creative freedom without ties to broader lore; on the other, it risks being sidelined if DCU succeeds.
Reeves’ Gotham-verse has expanded via The Penguin (2024), which teased the Bat-Signal in its finale. But with no production start date confirmed, despite Pattinson hinting it may start late 2025, the clock is ticking.
Fan skepticism: Has the moment passed?
Online discourse reflects divided expectations. Optimists argue Reeves’ deliberate pace ensures quality, citing The Batman’s critical acclaim. Pessimists fear Joker: Folie à Deux’s lukewarm buzz post-Joker (2019) could foreshadow diminishing returns. With that in mind, Gunn’s assurance that The Batman 2 is “imperative” offers little comfort to those wary of WB’s history of abrupt course corrections.
A test of legacy
The Batman Part II’s fate hinges on three factors: production timelines, DCU’s success, and cultural staying power. For now, Reeves’ Gotham endures—but whether it thrives or becomes a relic of a bygone DC era remains to be seen.