Filmmaker Matt Reeves’ upcoming “Batman” movie will focus on a younger caped crusader, an insider with knowledge of the project confirmed to TheWrap.
According to a report in the Hollywood Reporter, Reeves turned in the first act of his “Batman” screenplay during the Memorial Day weekend after working on a treatment for a year.
The filmmaker has previously said he set aside an original script written by Ben Affleck and former DC entertainment president Geoff Johns, and is “starting again” on a completely new take. “No. It’s a new story. It’s just starting again. I’m excited about it. I think it’s going to be really cool,” Reeves told MTV’s Happy Sad Confused podcast last year.
Affleck and Johns wrote their script while the “Argo” Oscar-winner was still set to direct as well as star in “The Batman.”
The concept envisioned by Affleck and Johns featured Deathstroke the Terminator as the main villain, and Joe Manganiello was hired to play the supervillain. Given the changes around the project, Manganiello has said he isn’t sure if he’s still in “The Batman.”
Geoff Johns stepped down as president and chief creative officer of DC Entertainment, the studio announced on Monday. Johns will transition to a new role, with a first-look writer/producer deal at parent company Warner Bros.
The announcement comes just days after the studio said Diane Nelson would exit as DC Entertainment consumer products group president. A source familiar with the situation told TheWrap the moves are part of a larger shakeup at the studio.
Johns’ new role comes as Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment are trying to retool their approach to the DC Cinematic Universe. While the film series had its first bonafide hit a year ago with “Wonder Woman,” it failed to turn that into further box office success with “Justice League.” Despite having Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and more of DC’s most famous heroes, “Justice League” only grossed $657.9 million worldwide, $164 million less than what Wonder Woman’s solo outing made a few months prior.
Since “Justice League” was released, an extensive leadership shuffle has taken place at WB and DC. Johns’ right-hand man Jon Berg took a producer deal with Warner Bros., as did longtime WB marketing chief Sue Kroll. Diane Nelson, another DC Entertainment head and twenty-plus year veteran at WB, left the studio earlier this month after a months-long sabbatical.
“Aquaman” will be released on December 21, followed by “Shazam!” in April 2019 and “Wonder Woman 2” in November 2019.