Source: Batman-News.com | Posted By: Dan Geer
It appears 2015 will be slightly less crowded as far as tent-pole movie releases go. Warner Brothers has just announced that the release date for Zack Snyder’s followup to 2013’s Man of Steel, tentatively titled Batman vs. Superman, has been pushed back from July 17, 2015 to May 6, 2016. Read on for more!
The announcement comes just after a rumor surfaced that Ben Affleck, who will be playing the role of the famed Caped Crusader that faces off against Superman (Henry Cavill), sustained an injury to the ribs. If true, this could be one reason for the delay. However, Warner Brothers sites the reason as simply wanting to allow enough time for the creative team behind Batman vs. Superman “to realize fully their vision, given the complex visual nature of the story,” and that the studio has now slated their upcoming all-new Peter Pan film for the July 17, 2015 release date Batman vs. Superman originally held.
These are probably all valid reasons why Warner Brothers decided to delay the film, but some might site the real reason as being that 2015 will be the biggest tent-pole movie release year that we have seen in quite some time, particularly in the summer, and that releasing Batman vs. Superman during that time would lessen the film’s chances of being successful at the box office. After all, Disney has already pushed back Star Wars: Episode VII to December of that year, and a good number of other big releases have also been pushed back to either the fourth quarter of 2015, or some time in 2016. So it does make sense that Warner Brothers would follow suit. But then again, May 2016 will be huge as well, as X-Men: Age of Apocalypse and another as-yet-untitled Marvel film are also slated to be released that month, so either way it seems that Batman vs. Superman will have some stiff competition.
Here’s the full press release from Warner Brothers:
BURBANK, CA – January 17, 2014 – Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that the release of Zack Snyder’s untitled Superman/Batman film has been moved to May 6, 2016, allowing the filmmakers time to realize fully their vision, given the complex visual nature of the story. The decision was made following the shift of the start of production to second quarter of this year. The Studio has also set a July 17, 2015, worldwide release date for its as-yet-untitled all-new Peter Pan adventure. Joe Wright will direct the epic live-action film about the boy who would never grow up, created by J.M. Barrie. The dual date announcement was made by Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President, International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
In making the announcement, Fellman stated, “We are happy to take advantage of these coveted summer dates, which are perfect for two of our biggest tentpole releases. 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.”
Kwan Vandenberg added, “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.”
Zack Snyder’s Superman/Batman film stars Henry Cavill, reprising his role as Superman/Clark Kent, and Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne. The film will also reunite “Man of Steel” stars Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane, and also stars Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince.
Snyder will direct the film from a screenplay written by David S. Goyer, from a story co-created by Goyer and Snyder. Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder are producing, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan and Wesley Coller serving as executive producers.
The film is based on Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, Batman characters created by Bob Kane, and Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston, published by DC Entertainment.
Whatever the reasons are for the delay, taking more time is sure to bring us a better film, so we can’t complain too much, right?
