‘Ocean’s Eleven’ director to help finish ‘Batman 2’ filming as Matt Reeves steps away for family matter

Steven Soderbergh, the mastermind behind ‘Ocean’s Eleven,’ is set to direct the concluding days of ‘The Batman Part II,’ as reported by Deadline. Matt Reeves, who directed the first film, will not be on set as he tends to a family matter but will remain in close contact with his successor until the end of the current production phase. Reeves is expected to return for post-production when he is available. The new development comes after DC Studios announced on Monday, October 5, that it has paused the production of the eagerly anticipated superhero sequel, which had already started filming in London.

In the statement, DC Studios noted that Soderbergh, an admirer of Reeves’ work, has kindly agreed to step in and will be supported by the studio throughout the process. It also said that the two directors would work closely with the cast and crew to realize Reeves’ vision, and its October 5 statement had said it wanted to continue the journey with them shortly. Soderbergh praised Reeves for his “intentional, specific, and rigorously coherent” work on the first film and added that their goal is to shoot scenes that will complement the footage already shot so Reeves can complete the film. 

Soderbergh won the Oscar for Best Director for the film ‘Traffic’ in 2001, when he also received a nomination for ‘Erin Brockovich.’ His heist movie ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ was also released that year, and he has not directed any superhero movies. His latest projects range from a 2022 HBO Max thriller called ‘Kimi’ to ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance,’ which came out in 2023, and a spy movie ‘Black Bag,’ released in 2025. Meanwhile, assisting other directors is not a new experience for Soderbergh, as he was the second unit director for ‘The Hunger Games’ in 2012, after his friend Gary Ross, who directed the picture, asked him for help.

Reeves himself commented on X on October 15 and revealed that he is not abandoning the sequel despite the interruption and thanked Soderbergh for his kind words. Reeves has been working on the project ever since ‘The Batman’ hit the theaters in 2022. He directed ‘Cloverfield’ in 2008, ‘Let Me In’ in 2010, and the ‘Planet of the Apes’ films ‘Dawn’ in 2014 and ‘War’ in 2017. In collaboration with Peter Craig, he wrote the first film before bringing back his writing partner Mattson Tomlin for the sequel. On the acting front, Robert Pattinson is set to reprise his role as Batman/Bruce Wayne, alongside Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb, also known as the Penguin, and Barry Keoghan, who dons the Joker costume in the film’s final act. Noteworthy additions to the cast include Scarlett Johansson and Sebastian Stan. The film’s release date, set for February 18, 2028, will most likely remain the same.