Just when it seemed that The Batman was getting back into its shooting schedule, the production was shut down by a positive COVID-19 test. A week or so ago, Warner Bros. were cagey about when things could resume on the set, based on the current medical risk and the need to prevent further spreading of the virus. However, according to Batman on Film’s sources, Matt Reeves’ movie might get underway again as early as this week.
Given that the site acknowledges that nothing has been officially confirmed by the studio, we’d suggest taking this report with a grain of salt. The same story also claims, though, that star Robert Pattinson is recovered, which would probably just about make sense if he’s put himself through a self-quarantine phase, with new measures apparently in place to make the cast and crew more secure against infection.
While this is encouraging to hear, we’d prefer to wait for something to come out of Warner Bros. before assuming that The Batman has actually gone before the cameras again. It’s also worth noting that a crew member, dialect coach Andrew Jack, did pass away from the virus back in March, so no doubt the studio is being extra careful with how they proceed.
A more realistic scenario is one that was being floated last week, whereby some scenes and insert shots could be completed without Pattinson’s presence, to the extent that a body double may fill in for the lead actor. In any case, everyone involved in The Batman will want to assess the situation for the safety of those involved before a restart, even for a project that has experienced major delays.
All being well, we’d still expect to see The Batman make its scheduled release date of October 1st, 2021, barring any more extended lockdowns.
