The Batman Sequel Probably Already In The Works, So Take It Easy, Sweetheart
We have been waiting years for "The Batman," a movie that has gone through two wildly different iterations with different filmmakers behind and potential stars in front of the camera. Yet, after all of the wait, director Matt Reeves' version is finally upon us, with the DC Comics adaptation hitting theaters next week. We will all know what Robert Pattinson brings to the role of the Dark Knight soon enough, and it turns out that Warner Bros. isn't wasting much time in looking towards the future, as they are already having discussions with Reeves about a possible sequel.
Reeves was recently on the red carpet for the movie's premiere and spoke with The Independent about expanding this new universe beyond this initial movie. The "Cloverfield" filmmaker pointed out that they already have a couple of spin-offs in the works at HBO Max before intriguingly stating that he has already had talks with the studio about a proper sequel to "The Batman":
"I really believe in what we've done and I'd be excited to tell more stories ... We are already telling other stories in the streaming space, we're doing stuff on HBO Max, we're doing a Penguin show with Colin [Farrell], which is gonna be super cool. And we're working on some other stuff, too, but we have started talking about another movie."
A (mostly) foregone conclusion
There is a reason that so much talk has been had about a sequel to this movie before it even hits theaters. Batman is by far the most valuable superhero Warner Bros. has at its disposal and this version of the franchise presents an opportunity to focus very specifically on that character and the world he inhabits, namely Gotham City. It will be divorced from the larger DCEU, which still counts Ben Affleck as its main Bruce Wayne, even though he is set to hang up the cape after "The Flash" arrives (Michael Keaton will reportedly be reclaiming the role). There is no Superman in this grounded take on the universe (at least not yet). It is Battinson fighting criminals such as a Zodiac Killer-inspired version of The Riddler. This is seemingly going to be very different from the so-called Snyderverse.
All of this to say, there is almost no universe in which Warner Bros. allows this to be a one-and-done situation. We know Reeves has plans for more and we know Pattinson is on board for more. The box office tracking suggests the movie is going to be successful and the studio seems to have an awful lot of faith in what they have. Barring an utter catastrophe, a sequel was always going to happen. Yes, it's early, but this seems to be steering very clear of catastrophe leading up to the opening weekend.
"The Batman" hits theaters on March 4, 2022.