Warner Bros.: 'Man Of Steel' Sequel With Batman And Superman Delayed To 2016

Warner Bros. has pushed back the release date of the sequel of “Man of Steel,” the Batman vs. Superman film, that was slated for July 17, 2015.

The untitled sequel will now come out in May 2016, the studio said Friday. The sequel to last year’s hit Superman film was revealed at Comic-Con International in July by director Zack Snyder.

Warner Bros. said the reason for the delay is to “allow the filmmaker’s time to realize fully their vision, given the complex nature of the story. The decision was made following the shift of the start of production to second quarter of this year.”

According to reports, Warner Bros. will now release a yet untitled Peter Pan adventure on July 17, 2015. Dan Fellman, president of domestic distributions for Warner Bros. Pictures said: “We are happy to take advantage of these coveted summer dates, which are perfect for two of our biggest tentpole releases. We share the fans’ excitement to see DC Comics’ most popular figures, Superman and Batman, together on the big screen for the first time, which will now be arriving in theaters in May 2016. Peter Pan has delighted people of every generation for more than a century, so we are thrilled to bring him back to the screens next summer for today’s moviegoers.”

The untitled Peter Pan adventure, about a boy who never grows up, will be directed by Joe Wright.

Kwan Vandenberg, president of international distribution for Warner Bros., also said: "We know that there is already great anticipation building for the next superhero film from Zack Snyder, and we are equally eager to see what he has in store for Superman and Batman as they share the big screen for the first time ever. The summer release corridor is also perfect for Joe Wright’s ambitious new Peter Pan adventure, reimagining the ageless story of the beloved and forever-young hero for audiences worldwide."

The untitled sequel of “Man of Steel” will star Henry Cavill returning as Superman and Ben Affleck, who will debut as Batman. The film will see the superheroes come face-to-face for the first time. "Man of Steel" premiered in June 2013 and grossed $668 million worldwide. In the North American market, the film was the fourth-biggest film of 2013 with ticket sales of $291 million.