Ben Affleck's DC Extended Universe Batman solo film is tentatively titled The Batman, although that could change. It’s directed by and starring Affleck, based on a script that Affleck is cowriting with DC Films head Geoff Johns. The standalone movie will definitely arrive after next year’s Wonder Woman and Justice League films, but where it will fit in the chronology of future DCEU projects is still unclear.
One more thing that’s known about the film is that the main villain is Deathstroke, and he will be played by actor Joe Manganiello. Now, however, we have more information, thanks to an interview with the Deathstroke actor Manganiello himself, about the timetable of the production.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet at an anniversary celebration for the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, Manganiello stated that he “getting ready to go shoot Batman in the spring.” The interview indicates the prediction of The Batman being 18 months out (recently made by Warner Bros. Pictures CEO) might be more accurate than some previously thought.
Manganiello, who also said in the interview that he has recovered from a recent health scare, also stated that he is getting ready for the theatrical release of next year’s Smurfs movie, as well as his anniversary with wife Sofia Vergara.
What does the spring 2017 start date mean for the Batman film and when we might see it in theaters? DCEU films thus far have been taking roughly two years to get from the start of production to the screen. Man of Steel began filming in August of 2011 and was released in June of 2013, while Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice started filming in May 2014 and came out in March of 2016. Suicide Squad took a shorter time, starting filming in April 2015 and arriving on screen in August of this year.
Would a spring 2017 start get The Batman ready for release for the October 5, 2018 release slot that’s currently slated for an “untitled DC film”? That would cut it close, although it’s possible that a standalone Batman film with a smaller cast would be less intensive and not take as long. It’s also worth noting that Man of Steel and Batman V Superman, were delayed significantly from their original release dates. Were that to happen again, The Batman could conceivably move into the other untitled DC film slot, on November 1, 2019. That might not be necessary, though; Affleck’s last two films as director, The Town and Argo, were produced comparatively quickly.
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Suicide Squad is now playing in theaters. Wonder Woman opens in theaters on June 2, 2017, followed by Justice League on November 17, 2017; Aquaman on July 27, 2018; an untitled DC Film on October 5, 2018; Shazam on April 5, 2019; Justice League 2 on June 14, 2019; an untitled DC film on November 1, 2019; Cyborg on April 3, 2020; and Green Lantern Corps on July 24, 2020. The Flash, The Batman, Dark Universe and Man of Steel 2 are currently without a release dates.
Source: Entertainment Tonight
