Batman vs. Superman Pushed To Summer 2016

News, Projects, Top Story

So some late breaking developments to end the week involve Warner Bros. pushing back production on the untitled sequel to Man of Steel (though depending on who you ask the working title is either Batman vs. Superman or vice versa) with a new release date set for May 6, 2016.

Originally, it was to have opened on July 17, 2015. In its place is a retelling of Peter Pan’s origin in the live-action Pan, directed by Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement) with Hugh Jackman rumored for the role of the pirate Blackbeard.

With the move to May 2016, the Supes sequel is set to open against some unnamed Marvel property as part of its “Phase 3″ film cycle.

Warners released a statement saying the delay in release was made to “help fully realize the vision.”

The good news is that it means one less tentpole release in a summer that was looking to implode with the amount of major titles coming out. This isn’t the first blockbuster casualty as both J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars sequel and a fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie were pushed back. Strangely enough, both are Disney properties.

The bad news is that I don’t know what this means for Ben Affleck and his schedule that continues to build. Following playing the Caped Crusader, Affleck was to have moved into production on adapting Dennis Lehane’s Live By Night, a film that Warner Bros. has already dated for a Christmas 2015 bow.

Pushing back production on the Man of Steel sequel means he would be late starting production on his next directing gig and may not meet the Christmas release date. Depending on how the end of 2015 shapes up, an early 2016 release may be a benefit. I’m sure Warner executives will be looking at how well George Clooney’s The Monuments Men performs when it opens this February.

Travis Leamons is one of the Inside Pulse Originals and currently holds the position of Managing Editor at Inside Pulse Movies. He's told that the position is his until he's dead or if "The Boss" can find somebody better. I expect the best and I give the best. Here's the beer. Here's the entertainment. Now have fun. That's an order!