James Gunn Officially Shuts Down a Major ‘The Batman’ Sequel Rumor

Published Aug 9, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT

In over three years at Collider, senior author Jake has now penned over 3000 articles covering a wide range of TV and film for the resources, lists, utilities, news, and interview teams. Alongside interviewing stars such as Selin Hizli, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Harlan Coben, and Chelsea Peretti, Jake was lucky enough to visit the set of Aardman and Netflix’s Wallace and Gromit: A Vengeance Most Fowl in 2024, getting the chance to chat with four-time Academy Award winner Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham. Jake has also worked for other publications, including Agents of Fandom. You can also hear Jake every week as the resident film and TV journalist on Track Radio.

One of the most intriguing trailers released this past week is for A24’s Primetime, a surprise retelling of Chris Hansen’s time as host of NBC’s controversial investigative series** To Catch a Predator**. Central to the trailer and the film is Robert Pattinson, most recently spotted as the cowardly Antinous in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, who is starring as Hansen in one of the most unusual roles in his career to date. The trailer has captured plenty of attention, earning over 6 million views in its first day.

Pattinson is currently in the best period of his entire career, thanks to roles in the aforementioned *Primetime *and The Odyssey, and with a pivotal role as antagonist Scytale in the upcoming Dune: Part Three, scheduled for release on December 18, 2026. But the role of Pattinson’s many are looking forward to the most is the reprisal of his Dark Knight in director **Matt Reeves’ **The Batman Part II. Sadly, the wait goes on for the sequel, with *Part II *recently delayed to February 18, 2028, after being originally slated to join the likes of Avengers: Secret Wars and James Gunn’s ***Man of Tomorrow ***in the 2027 theatrical circuit.

It has been widely reported that *The Batman Part II *is the second installment in a planned trilogy for Pattinson and Reeves’ Caped Crusader, and fans have been praying that the potential wait between parts 2 and 3 won’t be another six years. In fact, a rumor had recently persisted on social media claiming that the next two installments would be filmed back-to-back, a technique we have seen successful for the likes of ***Avengers: Infinity War ***and Avengers: Endgame, and the two recent ***Wicked ***adaptations. Alas, DC Studios co-chief himself, James Gunn, has put these rumors to bed, taking to his Threads account to reply to the suggestion, bluntly saying, “I can deny.”

Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed.

You carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing.

You fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free.

Brilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem.

You’ve been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What’s left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief.

Powerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry.

You believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will.

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