Oscar-winning director to step in for Matt Reeves on Batman sequel after 'family matter'
Oscar-winning director to step in for Matt Reeves on Batman sequel after 'family matter'
Charl WrightFri, October 16, 2026 at 9:20 AM UTC
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Robert Pattinson is playing Batman in Matt Reeves' movie -Credit:Jonathan Olley (Jonathan Olley)
An Oscar-winning director is stepping in for Batman's Matt Reeves after a "family matter."
Steven Soderbergh, who won an Academy Award for the 2000 film Traffic, is directing the remainder of Robert Pattinson's The Batman Part II, allowing Matt Reeves to stay on the project despite a personal emergency.
Soderbergh will step in to complete the movie's principal photography, with the acclaimed filmmaker saying in a statement, "I thought Matt Reeves' work on The Batman was stunning; it was intentional, specific, and rigorously coherent. The goal here is to work with Matt and his team to generate footage that will integrate seamlessly with what's already been shot so Matt can properly finish his film."
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Reeves has also spoken out following the announcement, telling his fans on X, "Just to be clear, I am not leaving The Batman Part II. I am profoundly grateful to Steven for coming to my aid during this challenging time to help me finish principal photography. Thank you to all for your concern and well wishes."
It's also been confirmed that Reeves will return to The Batman Part II to oversee post-production when he is able to.
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Steven Soderbergh is helping out Matt Reeves while he attends to family matters -Credit:Variety via Getty Images
The 60-year-old DC Comics filmmaker is reportedly dealing with a "family matter," as fans speculate about what effect, if any, his absence will have on the film's slated 2028 release. Production kicked off in London on June 12, 2026, with Robert Pattinson returning as Bruce Wayne.
On Monday, October 5, the studio released a statement that read, "Production on The Batman Part II has been temporarily paused while Matt Reeves focuses on a family matter."
The announcement concluded, "Matt has the full support of DC Studios, and we look forward to continuing the journey soon." The film was previously delayed from October 2026 to October 2027 before landing on its current February 18, 2028 release date.
Filming began in London in June, with Robert Pattinson, Andy Serkis, and Collin Farrell reprising their roles as Batman, Alfred, and Penguin, respectively.
Matt Reeves is stepping away temporarily -Credit:Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Joining the cast are Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Brian Tyree Henry, Jayme Lawson, Charles Dance, Gil Perez-Abraham, and Sebastian Koch.
The first installment of the revamped franchise hit theaters in March 2022 and was a critical and commercial success, raking in $773 million at the box office and earning three Academy Award nominations, including Best Visual Effects.
Fans reacted to the abrupt production halt on X, with many predicting trouble ahead for the much-delayed middle installment of the planned trilogy.
One user wrote, "What is wrong with the DC universe? Nothing ever works out," as another added, "We ain't never getting Batman 2."
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
