UPDATE: Matt Reeves has released his own statement, confirming that he is still very much apart of the film’s produciton and is not leaving the project.
“Just to be clear, I am not leaving The Batman Part II,” said Reeves. “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.”
Ocean’s 11 director Steven Soderbergh has been hired to finish filming The Batman Part II while Matt Reeves attends to a family matter.
It was reported earlier this month that The Batman Part II director Matt Reeves was abruptly stepping away from the project to attend to personal matters. This left the film in a strange state of limbo, but DC boss Peter Safran recently told IGN that the project would be finished. Now we know how. Warner Bros. confirmed to Deadline that Ocean’s 11 director Steven Soderbergh will helm and complete the superhero sequel during its final weeks of production.
“As Matt Reeves continues to attend to an ongoing family matter, Steven Soderbergh, as an admirer of Matt’s work, approached Matt and will step in to help the writer-director complete the final weeks of principal photography on The Batman Part II,” a WB rep told Deadline. “Matt and Steven will work closely together with the actors and crew to fulfill Matt’s vision of the film.”
Soderbergh is working directly with Matt Reeves during this process, with Deadline reporter Justin Kroll noting that Reeves is working on the film remotely from his home. Once the movie is wrapped, Soderbergh will hand things back over to Reeves so he can handle the post-production process. The goal is to finish Reeves’ original vision for the sequel as opposed to having Soderbergh do something radically different.
“I thought Matt Reeves’ work on The Batman was stunning; it was intentional, specific, and rigorously coherent,” said Soderbergh. “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.”
As of right now, it’s unclear if the stoppage will lead to another delay. The Batman Part II has already been pushed back several times and is currently due out February 2028. Given it’s expected that there isn’t too much left to shoot on the movie, this may not create any significant setbacks.
Soderbergh is a pretty efficent director, often handling multiple production roles himself. He’s known for having a firm handle on budgets and being able to shoot quickly, which is something that the studio will likely greatly appreciate in this situation. He also has an Oscar for Best Director, which gives him an extra degree of prestige.
The Batman Part II is currently slated to hit theaters on February 18, 2028.
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
