“The Batman” finally has a streaming release date.
While director and co-writer Matt Reeves’ moody reboot is currently lighting up the box office, the film will be available to stream exclusively on HBO Max on Monday, April 18, followed by a linear debut on HBO on Saturday, April 23 at 8:00pm ET/PT.
The streaming release date for “The Batman” was expected, as it falls on the 45th day after the film first hit theaters. While Warner Bros. released its new releases day-and-date on HBO Max in 2021, for 2022 the studio struck a deal with exhibitors that their new films would have an exclusive theatrical window of 45 days before landing on their streaming service. So according to the terms of that deal, April 18 is quite literally the soonest “The Batman” could possibly be streaming on HBO Max.
The Robert Pattinson-fronted film has been drawing positive notices from fans and critics alike after opening to $134 million at the domestic box office on March 4. The film’s worldwide box office haul has crossed nearing $735 million, as Reeves and Co. have successfully launched a brand new Batman franchise.
HBO Max spinoffs are already in the works for the universe that Reeves introduced in the film, as Colin Farrell is set to lead a limited series revolving around his Penguin character and Reeves is also developing a series set at Arkham Asylum.
While a sequel to “The Batman” hasn’t yet been officially announced, Pattinson previously made clear his desire to make a trilogy of films with Reeves. The filmmaker is no stranger to franchise storytelling, as he most recently directed “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” and “War for the Planet of the Apes,” bringing the current iteration of the “Apes” franchise to a close with the latter film.
“The Batman” is the first new release film from Warner Bros. in 2022 to get an exclusive theatrical window before debuting on HBO Max, so many are curious to see if the film’s delayed streaming availability might affect subscriber numbers for the streaming service.
Regardless, fans of the film will have a chance to experience the nearly three-hour superhero epic over and over again from the comfort of their own homes in a little over a month’s time.