James Gunn Defends The Batman Part II’s Delay

The Batman Part II was recently delayed to 2027, pushing the highly anticipated sequel back another year while also confirming that it won’t release until at least five years after the original, a move DC Studios co-head James Gunn doesn’t see as too concerning.

What did James Gunn say about The Batman Part II’s delay?

Gunn recently took to the social media site Threads to address the delay. In a reply to a since-deleted question about the delay, Gunn said that a 5-year gap between sequels is “fairly common” and pointed to some of the most famous sequels in cinema history as evidence.

“To be fair, a 5 year gap or more is fairly common in sequels,” Gunn wrote. “7 years between Alien and Aliens. 14 years between Incredibles. 7 years between the first two Terminators. 13 years between Avatars. 36 years between Top Guns. And, of course, 6 years between Guardians Vol 2 and Vol 3.”

The Batman Part II’s new release date is now October 1, 2027, moving it back a year from its originally intended release date of October 2, 2026.

Gunn explained the cause of the film’s delay earlier this month. According to Matt Reeves, the script of the film is being finished, with production likely to start soon.

The Batman was originally released in 2022. A spin-off series, The Penguin, starring Colin Farrell in the titular role was released on HBO in the interim. Both the movie and the series were released to praise from critics and audiences, with Reeves hoping to create a larger “epic crime saga” out of The Batman universe.

Little is known about the plot of The Batman Part II so far, though Robert Pattinson is set to return as the titular Dark Knight. The first film did tease the Joker and leave the Riddler alive at Arkham, so one or both of these iconic antagonists could make a return. Earlier this year, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn debunked a rumor about who the sequel’s villains could be, as well as the possible introduction of Dick Grayson/Robin.

The first film, The Batman, stars Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Paul Dano as The Riddler, Jeffrey Wright as GCPD’s James Gordon, John Turturro as Carmine Falcone, Peter Sarsgaard as Gotham D.A. Gil Colson, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and Colin Ferrell as Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin.