James Gunn, co-chairman of DC Studios, recently addressed the delay of ‘Batman 2’, defending the decision as part of a common trend in Hollywood sequels.

The film’s release, originally scheduled for 2026, has now been pushed back by a year, with the new release date set for October 1, 2027.

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Gunn pointed out that a gap of five years or more between sequels is not unusual, citing examples from successful franchises such as ‘Alien’, ‘The Incredibles’, ‘Terminator’, ‘Avatar’, and ‘Top Gun’.

In a post on social media, James Gunn explained that the delay was primarily due to the script not being ready. He noted that the writing process can be unpredictable, with no set timeline for completion. “Matt [Reeves, the director] is committed to making the best film he can, and no one can accurately guess exactly how long a script will take to write,” Gunn wrote.

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He added that once the script is finalized, the film will go into a two-year process of pre-production, shooting, and post-production.

The delay has led to a shift in Warner Bros.’ release schedule, with the vacant slot now occupied by an untitled project from Alejandro González Iñárritu, starring Tom Cruise. Despite the delay, the studio has seen success with its recent ‘Batman’ universe films, including Robert Pattinson’s 2022 ‘The Batman’, which grossed nearly $772 million globally.

The film also spurred the creation of an HBO Max series centered on Colin Farrell’s character, The Penguin.

Additionally, Warner Bros. has made other adjustments to its upcoming slate, swapping the release dates for Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Mickey 17’ and Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’. ‘Mickey 17’, starring Robert Pattinson, will now open on March 7, 2025, while ‘Sinners’, which reunites Coogler with Michael B. Jordan, will move to April 18, 2025.