Ben Affleck's Batman Debut Delayed! Release Date for Man of Steel Sequel Pushed Back Almost a Year

Find out the new date—and guess what Warner Bros. is releasing in its place on July 17, 2015 release date

By Natalie Finn Jan 18, 2014 3:13 AMTags
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For those who thought that July 17, 2015, was already way too long to wait to see Ben Affleck's turn as Batman on the big screen...

Sorry.

Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that it is pushing the release date of director Zack Snyder's as-yet untitled Man of Steel sequel, returning Henry Cavill as Superman and costarring Affleck as the Caped Crusader, to May 6, 2016.

For a movie that's already been shot, a huge delay like that typically doesn't bode well for the film's quality quotient, but what about a film on which production hasn't even begun yet?

According to the release sent out by the studio, the extra time is to allow the filmmakers to "fully realize their vision, given the complex visual nature of the story." The decision was made after the start of production was rescheduled for the second quarter of this year, meaning sometime after March.

The Superman/Batman film (as the studio is calling it for now) will also be featuring Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman and Bryan Cranston is rumored to be the choice to play Lex Luthor.

But moviegoers hoping to catch a big new release on July 17, 2015, will not be disappointed, according to Warner Bros. The studio is instead releasing a live-action Peter Pan adventure, based on the J.M. Barrie story about the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up. Joe Wright (Anna Karenina, Hanna) will direct.

"We are happy to take advantage of these coveted summer dates, which are perfect for two of our biggest tentpole releases," Dan Fellman, president of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros., said in a statement. "We share the fans' excitement to see DC Comics' most popular figures, Superman and Batman, together on the big screen for the first time, which will now be arriving in theatres in May 2016. Peter Pan has delighted people of every generation for more than a century, so we are thrilled to bring him back to the screen next summer for today's moviegoers."

Added Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, president of International Distribution, "We know that there is already great anticipation building for the next Super Hero film from Zack Snyder, and we are equally eager to see what he has in store for Superman and Batman as they share the big screen for the first time ever. The summer release corridor is also perfect for Joe Wright's ambitious new Peter Pan adventure, reimagining the ageless story of the beloved and forever-young hero for audiences worldwide."

Affleck, who as the defending champ presented the Best Director prize at the Golden Globes last weekend, was most recently shooting Gone Girl, David Fincher's adaptation of the best-selling kidnapping thriller-drama by Gillian Flynn.

Merrick Morton/Twentieth Century Fox