Personally, I am happy they are taking their sweet time, because this is a major, major DC property. One would assume that The Batman, whenever it is actually made, is going to be a part of a trilogy, so better to take your time and do it right, instead of rushing out some half-baked crap like DC does almost every single time.
On Jeff Goldsmith’s latest podcast, The Q&A With Jeff Goldsmith, The Batman director Matt Reeves (Planet of the Apes) had this to say about the status of the script and overall project:
“I am outlining. I have the story worked out, and I am outlining.”
Outlining comes well before the actual scripting, so it looks like we may be in for a wait. Reeves has said that his vision for the solo Batman flick is a more “detective version” of the character, inspired by the films of Alfred Hitchcock, which I am all for. Especially now that The Justice League is a thing on the big-screen, Batman needs to be more than the gadget guy. He is supposed to be the greatest detective in the world, but very, very few iterations have portrayed him that way, instead focusing mostly on his combat prowess and ability to jump off super-tall buildings. When you put him next to the rest of the Justice League, he kind of comes off like Hawkeye, which is not good.
I'll keep you all updated as news trickles in, and don't be shocked if Ben Afleck doesn't return to reprise the role. That guy has been sending a lot of mixed messages...
The Batman is slated for release in the summer of 2018.
