Matt Reeves’ The Batman took live-action comic book adaptations to a whole other level with his dark and gritty rendition.
Following the critical and commercial of DC’s superhero flick, it was announced by Warner Bros. that Reeves would be spearheading a Batman shared universe — a Batverse if you will — consisting of two planned sequels and two spin-off television series’ in development for HBO Max.
Variety‘s recent report on James Gunn and Peter Safran mentions the rumored release date for The Batman 2, though it might not be what fans were hoping to hear. The sequel isn’t scheduled for release until 2025 at the earliest. Obviously, Batfans were left devastated by the news, which would upset even the most patient of fan bases. Rallying together in sheer disbelief, Batfans took to Twitter to share their mutual sadness.
While some chose to approach the distressing news with memes, others were open and honest about their feelings, sharing clips and screenshots from existing media to communicate their mixed emotions. While some reactions are hilarious, others hit a little too close to home.
DC certainly moves at a glacial pace compared to its closest competitor.
An image effortlessly stating a thousand words.
The reboot of the Batman film franchise also stars Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell. It grossed $770.8 million against a $185–200 million budget, becoming one of the most profitable Batman films ever made.
In July 2020, it was rumored that a limited series centered on the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD) was in development, but by November 2020, the project had been abandoned. In September 2021, HBO Max started developing a series focused on The Penguin, which still appears to have the go-ahead and will supposedly release before The Batman 2.
Finally, Matt Reeves communicated to THR that projects surrounding the Dark Knight’s rogues gallery were in the early stages of development, with highlights including Scarecrow, Clayface, and Professor Pyg.
The Batman is available to stream on HBO Max.