Batman vs Superman delayed until 2016

The unofficially titled Batman vs. Superman, the sequel to Zack Snyder’s 2013 Superman reboot Man of Steel, has been pushed back from July 17, 2015 to May 6, 2016, Warner Bros. confirmed to Comingsoon. That will put it directly in competition with a Marvel film, although Marvel has yet to announce what it plans to release on that day.

According to the studio the delay is nothing unusual, and the reason for the change is to give “the filmmakers time to realize fully their vision, given the complex visual nature of the story. The decision was made following the shift of the start of production to second quarter of this year.”

While lengthy delays to films are rarely a good sign, it makes sense if even a few of the recent rumors are true. Following the casting of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, it is looking more and more likely that Batman vs Superman (or whatever it is eventually called) will be a springboard for a Justice League film. Gadot’s casting news led to a slew of rumors – some more credible than others – including the possibility of Batman vs. Superman and Justice League being filmed back-to-back, with the first film leading directly into the second.

If there is even a glimmer of truth to the stories that Batman vs. Superman is the launching pad for Justice League, the delay could be so DC and Warner Bros have more time to plan out the greater DC film universe they hope to unleash. It appears that we’ll have to wait nearly two and a half years to know for sure.