Warner Bros. Has No Plans To Move The Batman Just Yet
The pandemic rages on, and I'm very tempted to use a certain quote about getting out and being pulled back in. Every time we think things are getting better, we get a new variant (I blame Loki), people refuse to wear masks, or something else awful happens. I don't need to remind you, I'm sure. One thing the pandemic has done is goof up all the movie releases, and mess with the ones that are out there. For instance, it was recently announced that Pixar's "Turning Red" is going straight to Disney+, and "Morbius" had its release date moved yet again.
The Warner Bros. 2021 slate including "The Matrix Resurrections" and "Dune" premiered both in theaters and to stream on HBO Max at the very same time (for the first 31 days, at least), and there were certainly some issues. "The Batman" starring Robert Pattinson and directed by Matt Reeves is probably the most anticipated title coming out of the studio this year, and it's been scheduled to go into theaters only for a 45-day window beginning on March 4, 2022. For now, at least, it appears that this is still the case, despite the Omicron variant surge that is overwhelming hospitals, messing with flights, and causing shakeups just about everywhere.
WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar did an interview with Puck News (via Variety) and said of the release date, "We're certainly paying attention to everything going on with Omicron. We feel good about the date right now. We're gonna watch it day by day."
'We're Certainly Paying Attention... '
This is a hard call to make, and I don't envy anyone having to make the decision about whether to push a film to a different release date, keep it where it is, or put it on a streaming service so we can all see it from the safety of our homes. While it is a decision that affects consumers, it also affects the actors and crew involved in the making of the films. Releasing straight to streaming as well as in theaters was a decision that prompted a lawsuit from Scarlett Johansson when "Black Widow" was released straight to Disney+ Premier Access.
This is a scary time. In the future, of course, we'll all be able to put an asterisk next to box office receipts from the beginning of the pandemic until ... well, until things get back to normal if they ever do. The thing is, right now, how a film does is dependent on a lot more than a good ad campaign, top-billed actors, and anticipation. Now we have to take into consideration how many people are coming down with this Covid variant, including theater staff, the fear of being in public places right now, a desire to return to normal warring with common sense, and how badly we want to see something on a big screen. /Film will keep you updated on any changes in the release schedule.
"The Batman" is directed and co-written by Reeves with Peter Craig. It stars Pattinson as Batman, Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Paul Dano as The Riddler, Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon, John Turturro as Carmine Falcone, Peter Sarsgaard as Gil Colson, Gotham's district attorney, Jayme Lawson as Bella Reál, a mayoral candidate in Gotham, Andy Serkis as Alfred, and Colin Farrell as the Penguin. It is scheduled to be released in theaters on March 4, 2022, and on HBO Max on April 19, 2022.