According to Deadline, The Batman has officially halted production due to the coronavirus outbreak. This is just the latest Hollywood production that has been affected by the pandemic. Initially, Warner Bros. indicated they weren’t going to stop filming on Matt Reeves’ upcoming DC Comics adaptation. However, as things have gotten more severe, their hand was forced.
“Warner Bros. Pictures feature production of The Batman will be on a two-week hiatus starting today. The studio will continue to monitor the situation closely” The studio said.
Warner Bros. has also had to halt planned production and Fantastic Beasts 3, the third entry in the Hary Potter prequel series. The movie business, in general, has taken a massive hit in recent weeks, as productions have had to stop abruptly and movie theaters around the world have closed, including in the U.S. Industry estimates now have the overall impact on the entertainment industry, financially speaking to be $20 billion.
The Batman is one of the most high-profile films on deck for 2021. Reeves, who previously directed War for the Planet of the Apes and Cloverfield, co-wrote the screenplay in addition to his duties as director. Robert Pattinson, who is known best for his role in the Twilight franchise but has starred in a number of acclaimed indie movies in recent years, such as High Life and The Lighthouse, is on board to play Bruce Wayne/Batman.
“Batman’s not a hero, though,” Pattinson previously said in an interview with the New York Times. “He’s a complicated character. I don’t think I could ever play a real hero — there’s always got to be something a little bit wrong. I think it’s because one of my eyes is smaller than the other one.”
While plot details remain scarce, Reeves has said it will be a noir-influenced detective story. We also know quite a few villains will be involved. Beyond that, much has been kept secretive, despite what fans have been able to discern from set photos. Though, Reeves did reveal our first look at Pattinson in the Batsuit, as well as the new Batmobile, on Twitter.
The cast includes Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman, Paul Dano as the Riddler, Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon, John Turturro as Carmine Falcone, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth and Colin Farrell as the Penguin, with Peter Sarsgaard and newcomer Jayme Lawson rounding out the ensemble.
The Batman is currently set to hit theaters on June 25, 2021. The delay is not expected to have an effect on the release date at this time.
So what do you think? Did Warner Bros. make the right decision? Are you excited for what Reeves and Pattinson are going to bring to the Caped Crusader? Join in on the conversation over on Facebook or Twitter!
