Movie News: The Batman (No Affleck?!?!) , Suicide Squad sequel, The Witches get release dates

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The Batman, Suicide Squad sequel, The Witches get release dates

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OLIVER GETTELL
January 30, 2019 at 08:52 PM EST
Warner Bros.’ solo superhero movie The Batman and antihero sequel The Suicide Squad are officially on the calendar.

In an announcement of release dates Wednesday, the studio revealed that the former film, directed and produced by Matt Reeves, is slated to arrive June 25, 2021, with the latter following Aug. 6, 2021.

The Batman has been in the works for several years and was originally to star Ben Affleck, who would also direct and co-write. (He first donned the cape and cowl in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.) However, Affleck stepped down as director in 2017, and amid the uneven success of Warner Bros.’ interconnected universe of DC superhero movies, rumors swirled that he would not return to star in The Batman.

On Wednesday, Affleck tweeted that he was “excited for #TheBatman in Summer 2021,” and to see Reeves’ “vision come to life.” His tweet included a link to a Deadline Hollywood story indicating that he would “pass the torch” to a new actor.

A Warner Bros. spokesperson did not immediately respond to EW’s request for comment about the status of Affleck’s involvement.

The Suicide Squad, meanwhile, marks the follow-up to the 2016 film Suicide Squad, about a team of supervillains compelled to take on a dangerous black-ops mission in exchange for reduced sentences. Though the first film earned $746.8 million at the worldwide box office, it underwhelmed film critics and fans. EW reported last October that Guardians of the Galaxy’s James Gunn closed a deal to write the Suicide Squad sequel and possibly direct; The Hollywood Reporterreports that Gunn is currently in talks to helm the movie.

Warner Bros. also said Wednesday that its new take on Roald Dahl’s The Witches, starring Anne Hathaway and directed by Robert Zemeckis, will hit theaters Oct. 16, 2020, and that its untitled event film on May 21, 2021, is now titled DC Super Pets.

And the studio’s The Shining sequel, Doctor Sleep (based on the Stephen King book), has moved up to Nov. 8, 2019, from Jan. 24, 2020. Ewan McGregor and Rebecca Ferguson will star.
 
Ben Affleck Will No Longer Be Batman
By Anne Victoria Clark@annevclark

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Photo: Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images


Ben Affleck has not only given up the directorial reins on the upcoming film The Batman, but is now also turning in his cape and utility belt. Deadline is reporting that Affleck has stepped down from the role of Batman, having portrayed the Caped Crusader in three films, including Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad and Justice League. While Affleck helped write the story for the upcoming film, he reportedly did not feel he was right for the part, as this movie will focus on a younger version of the character. Director Matt Reeves is now on the hunt for a new Dark Knight, as Affleck tweeted his farewell:

 
They need to Reboot their entire universe at this point or don't even try to connect it. Just go full FOX retard mode and don't worry about continuity.
 
Should have locked Bale down for 7 movies with advances so he couldn't back out. At least after the 2nd one pay him whatever wanted.
 
‘The Batman’ To Fly In Summer 2021; Ben Affleck Passes The Torch To Next Generation Of Bruce Wayne
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by Anthony D'Alessandro

January 30, 2019 4:33pm


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Warner Bros

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros. is dating their next rendition of Batman for June 25, 2021. This is the one that Matt Reeves has been attached to as writer and director. Ben Affleck, we hear, will not be donning the Dark Knight’s tights after playing the Caped Crusader in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad and Justice League and that’s because this movie will focus on a younger Bruce Wayne.



Related
As We Told You: James Gunn In Talks To Direct 'Suicide Squad 2'




Reeves boarded Batman in February 2017, taking over for Affleck who was originally set to direct off a script he wrote with DC’s Geoff Johns. Affleck, we understand has a busy plate: As Deadline exclusively broke he is starring in and producing the feature adaptation of Kate Alice Marshall‘s novel I Am Still Alive, which Universal won in a competitive bidding scenario. The two-time Oscar winner is also starring in the Warner Bros.’ Gavin O’Connor drama Torrance. Affleck worked hard on The Batmanstory, but knew he wasn’t the right one for this particular version. A search is underway for a new Dark Knight.



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The Batman will not be based on Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One comic which is one of Reeves’ favorites in the Caped Crusader canon.
 
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