It's possible 2021 blockbusters like The Matrix 4 and The Batman are delayed from their original release dates due to coronavirus. The two projects were among the many in the midst of principal photography when the COVID-19 pandemic forced Hollywood to essentially halt all operations. Initially, it was reported production on The Batman would be delayed two weeks, but based on the latest comments from director Matt Reeves, it sounds like the hiatus will go on for a longer period of time. The ongoing health crisis remains an extremely fluid situation, as it's impossible to predict when things will return to something resembling normalcy.
By now, most people are aware of coronavirus' immediate impact on the entertainment industry, with movie theaters closing indefinitely and several upcoming 2020 titles pushed back. But due to how severely the situation has affected multiple corners of Hollywood, it's extremely likely the ripple effects of coronavirus will be felt for the next couple of years at least. That means some of 2021's most anticipated films could miss their scheduled slots.
In Variety's latest update on how coronavirus is impacting the movie business, it's mentioned that while films like The Batman and The Matrix 4 could still meet their dates, "it is more likely they will be moved back." It's expected the delayed productions will not be able to resume until mid-May at the earliest, and even that window could be "overly optimistic" depending on how things progress over the next couple of months.
Moviegoers may not want to think this far ahead, but it's definitely a realistic prospect. Major tentpoles require a healthy amount of post-production work to complete visual effects, plus have allotted time for routine additional photography. This could make it difficult for the respective creative teams to finish on time, meaning studios may not have a choice but to delay their 2021 movies. As excited as people are to see franchise installments such as The Matrix 4 and The Batman, it wouldn't do any good to rush them to the finish line in order to meet a specific date. Everyone understands the unprecedented circumstances, so studios should be willing to give their filmmakers all the time they need once things are up and running again. Whether or not release dates get changed will probably be a case-by-case basis.
Should any 2021 movies get postponed, studios could have an easy solution to the 2020 rescheduling conundrum. For instance, should The Batman not be ready for its June 2021 premiere, Warner Bros. could slide In the Heights (originally slated for June 2020) there, allowing the musical to still be one of their main summer vehicles. Of course, sliding 2021 films around would invariably have a domino effect on titles scheduled for 2022, so it'll be interesting to see what happens once the dust settles and studios try to figure things out.
Source: Variety