The hype surrounding Matt Reeves’ “The Batman: Part II” has reached such ridiculous levels, and the film hasn’t even started production yet.
For years, fans have been impatiently waiting for Reeves to submit his script for the sequel, which he’s been writing for almost five years now, and when Reeves finally confirmed it had been completed, in June, there was near jubilee amongst the fanboys. The film was finally happening.
Yet, we don’t know a single thing about the sequel — what it’s about, who will return, the villain, etc. Any breadcrumbs given by cast members are met with feverish salivating. Take, for example, Colin Farrell, set to return as the Penguin, who now tells Josh Horowitz that not only has he read the script, but that it’s a “masterwork.”
I had many thoughts to share with Matt about the script. I really do think it’s a masterwork. Kind of a contemporary genre masterwork. It’s so brilliant and Robert [Pattinson] has got such a lovely journey to go on and take the audience through […] it’s dense, it’s really really intelligent, it’s so deep and detailed. I’m saying too much […] it’s really extraordinary. I think he’s going to make an extraordinary film.
How high can expectations be for this one? Is the bar set too high for those expectations to ever be met? It’s not like the first one was that great. I may be in the minority here, but I wasn’t really a fan of “The Batman.” Don’t get me wrong — impeccably shot by Greig Fraser and ambitiously told — but too sleek, too convoluted, and derivative, recycling ideas from past Batman films. It was more a glossy comic-book spectacle than a bold reinvention.
With that said, I still have hopes for “The Batman: Part II,” which is set to begin production in April 2026. Reeves, a talented filmmaker, has already implied that the sequel will lean heavily into Bruce Wayne’s personal journey. While the first installment centered largely on Batman as a symbol, Reeves now wants to push further into the psychology.
Quite honestly, the hype surrounding the sequel isn’t just about the first installment earning good reviews — not to mention an $800M worldwide gross — it’s also about Reeves. The man has proven himself to be a strong filmmaker; what he did with the recent “Planet of the Apes” trilogy was wonderful. His 2008 breakout, “Cloverfield,” also had a significant influence on modern genre filmmaking, revitalizing the found-footage style with blockbuster-scale storytelling. I wouldn’t be surprised if his ‘Batman’ sequel turns out to be great.
As mentioned, production on “The Batman: Part II” begins next spring, and while casting announcements could arrive in the coming months, Warner Bros. is keeping everything tightly under wraps. The sequel is scheduled to hit theaters on October 1, 2027.
Still no distributor for "Bucking Fastard," "Alpha Gang," "The Last Photograph," "Closing Night," and "The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd." The issue seems to be quality more than a lack of willingness to buy.