Production on The Batman Part II has been temporarily paused as director Matt Reeves takes time away to focus on a family matter, Warner Bros. and DC Studios said Monday.
“Production on The Batman Part II has been temporarily paused while Matt Reeves focuses on a family matter,” the studio said in a statement. “Matt has the full support of DC Studios and we look forward to continuing the journey soon.”
Filming for the superhero sequel had been underway in London before the production was halted.
The film is currently scheduled to hit theatres on February 18, 2028. However, sources said it is too early to determine whether the latest production pause will affect its release date.
Robert Pattinson to return as Batman
Robert Pattinson is set to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne and Batman in the sequel to Reeves’ 2022 film The Batman.
Andy Serkis is expected to return as Alfred, while Colin Farrell will reprise his role as Oswald Cobblepot, also known as the Penguin.
The sequel’s cast also includes newcomers Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Brian Tyree Henry, Jayme Lawson, Charles Dance, Gil Perez-Abraham and Sebastian Koch.
Sequel has faced multiple delays
The latest production halt comes after The Batman Part II faced several delays since the original film was released.
DC Studios co-head James Gunn previously defended the lengthy gap between the two movies, saying that a five-year or longer wait between sequels was not unusual.
Gunn cited franchises including Alien, The Incredibles, Terminator, Avatar, Top Gun and Guardians of the Galaxy as examples of films that had lengthy gaps between instalments.
The Batman Part II will serve as the follow-up to Reeves’ 2022 superhero film, which starred Pattinson as the Caped Crusader.
