Warner Bros. Discovery has officially confirmed that The Batman Part II will begin filming in spring 2026, aiming for an October 1, 2027 release. The news came via the company’s second-quarter shareholder letter (read below), which also highlights the next wave of projects from DC Studios co-head James Gunn.
The Batman II Sets Shoot Window
After years of delays, The Batman Part II is finally moving forward. Matt Reeves completed the script in June, and the sequel has entered pre-production. Robert Pattinson is back as Gotham’s Dark Knight, and Colin Farrell will reprise his role as The Penguin, connecting directly to the HBO Max spinoff series.
Originally set for 2025, the film was delayed due to development timelines. Gunn previously defended the gap, calling multi-year sequel delays “fairly common,” and praised Reeves’ careful approach.
Gunn Expanding the “Super Family”
The letter confirms that Gunn is “busy preparing the next installments of the DC super family,” which include Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (2026), Clayface (2026), and a new Wonder Woman film, which has been said to be fast-tracked. Gunn is also preparing to write another yet-unnamed project in the same universe.
DC’s latest film, Superman, has earned $560 million worldwide so far and had the strongest opening for a solo Superman film ever, bringing in $220 million globally in its first weekend. Warner Bros. called it the studio’s best DC opening since 2022 and credited Gunn and Peter Safran for bringing a “unified creative vision” to the franchise.
DC Strategy Spans Film, TV, and More
The shareholder letter emphasized DC Studios as “one of the most valuable assets in entertainment” and noted the franchise has “never been managed in a more cohesive, collaborative, and strategic way.”
Upcoming projects include:
- A new season of Peacemaker
- The Lanterns series, set to debut in 2026
The 10-year plan for DC will continue to expand across “film and TV to consumer products, games, experiences and social,” according to WBD CEO David Zaslav.
Here is what the shareholder letter says about the DC universe:
DC STUDIOS
“Superman marked the beginning of a new era for DC Studios, extending our strong creative momentum into the third quarter. Superman generated $220 million globally in its opening weekend, the strongest ever debut for a solo Superman film, and strongest DC Studios global opening since 2022.”
“DC Studio’s universe of characters represents not only one of Warner Bros. Discovery’s most valuable pieces of intellectual property, but one of the most valuable assets in entertainment. In its long history, the DC universe has never been managed in a more cohesive, collaborative, and strategic way. James Gunn and Peter Safran bring a unified creative vision to this beloved collection of storylines, and initial progress has heightened our long-term optimism.”
“In film, James Gunn is busy preparing the next installments of the DC super family, including Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (2026), Clayface (2026), and the next Wonder Woman. In addition, The Batman II (2027) is preparing to begin shooting next spring, among several other projects in development. The 10-year vision for the DC universe also includes an exciting array of television projects, including The Penguin, which recently garnered 24 Emmy nominations and was watched by nearly 20 million HBO Max subscribers, the upcoming new season of Peacemaker, and the debut of Lanterns in 2026. In a precise and measured way, the DC franchise will increasingly overlay across the studio’s broader efforts: from film and TV to consumer products, games, experiences and social.”
