Warner Bros. considers delaying The Batman

It’s no secret that the past few years have been difficult for the movie industry. With theaters being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, studios have tried all sorts of workarounds to get their films out to audiences, including experimenting with streaming platforms and delaying pictures until things clear up. Just last week, it was announced that the release date for Sony’s anit-hero flick Morbius is being pushed back yet again, marking the latest in a long string of delays.

The Batman is the most anticipated movie release of 2022. Directed by Matt Reeves, it sees Twilight star Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne. This time around, Batman will be facing off with a Zodiac Killer-inspired version of the Riddler (Paul Dano), the Penguin (Colin Farell), and Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz).

But with the omicron variant of the coronavirus surging, will The Batman actually hit theaters on its planned March 4 release date?

Will The Batman get delayed?

When asked in a recent interview with Puck News about the possibility of delaying The Batman, WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar responded that the studio is monitoring the situation but remains optimistic. “We’re certainly paying attention to everything going on with omicron,” Kilar said. “We feel good about the date right now. We’re gonna watch it day by day.”

While Warner Bros. entire 2021 slate of movies was released simultaneously to HBO Max, The Batman will see an exclusive 45-day theatrical window before hitting the streaming platform. Though the choice to do same-day releases in theaters and on streaming frustrated many creatives, including Dune director Denis Villeneuve, Kilar holds that it ended up being the best possible move for the studio. Even though WarnerMedia “took understandable heat from a number of people,” HBO Max exceeded expectations to end 2021 with 73.8 million subscribers.

Colin Farrell is the Penguin in The Batman

Since we’re on the topic of The Batman, can we also just take a moment to stare in confusion at this first image of Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot, aka the Penguin? I have to admit, when I first saw this I had no idea it was Farrell, and was in total shock when I realized. The makeup and prosthetics team has done an incredible job transforming him into the Penguin, and I’m super excited to see his take on the character.

Combined with Dano’s new Riddler design and the grittier direction that director Matt Reeves is looking to take this film, I think it’s safe to say that we might see a Gotham City like we’ve never seen before.

As of now, The Batman is still scheduled for a March 4 theatrical release.

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h/t Variety