Matt Reeves' The Batman 2 is rumored to have a runtime exceeding 3 hours and 30 minutes, though this figure has not yet been confirmed. If true, the film would rank among the longest superhero movies ever made and could break the theatrical release duration record for the genre.
Reeves' previous film, The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, had a runtime of 2 hours and 55 minutes, with end credits accounting for about 8 minutes. It thus became the longest Batman film at the time, surpassing Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises, which ran for 2 hours and 44 minutes. The original film could have been even longer: The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Warner Bros.' rough cut used for test screenings was approximately 4 hours long.
For reference, Avengers: Endgame has a runtime of 181 minutes excluding end credits. Zack Snyder's Justice League runs for 4 hours and 2 minutes, but this director's cut was not released in theaters. Therefore, if The Batman 2 reaches the rumored length, it could become the longest superhero movie ever released in theaters.
The release date for The Batman 2 has been adjusted multiple times. Initially scheduled for October 3, 2025, it was later moved to October 2, 2026, and then to October 1, 2027. Previously cited reasons for the delays included writer and actor strikes, as well as the time Reeves needed to continue revising the script. Warner Bros. adjusted the schedule again in July, leaving the October 2027 slot open for J.J. Abrams' film; The Batman 2 is now set for theatrical release on February 18, 2028. The studio released the first teaser trailer on July 15.
Reeves co-wrote the sequel's screenplay with Mattson Tomlin. Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, and Andy Serkis return as the Penguin, James Gordon, and Alfred, respectively. New additions Sebastian Stan and Scarlett Johansson will play Harvey Dent and his wife Gilda, while Charles Dance and Sebastian Koch also join the cast.
The sequel's plot will focus more on Bruce Wayne and continue the story from the previous film and the 2024 series The Penguin. The original The Batman grossed over $770 million worldwide.