Nearly a decade ago, a DC film changed hands behind the camera and ended up existing in two versions: Joss Whedon completed Justice League after Zack Snyder stepped away, and fans campaigned for years until the cut Snyder had planned was released. The Batman Part II is being steered the other way. Steven Soderbergh, the director of Traffic and Ocean’s Eleven, is shooting the last stretch of the sequel with one stated aim: to hand Matt Reeves footage he can finish as his own film.

Robert Pattinson, who returns as Bruce Wayne, says the shoot is moving again. “I think they’re in production already,” the actor told GamesRadar+ while promoting his new film Primetime, in comments Deadline picked up. “And I’m starting in a couple of days.” He was warmer still about the man now behind the camera: “I am so happy he’s come on to help Matt. It’s incredibly generous of him – and he’s doing it in the loveliest way. It’s completely selfless.”

Pattinson also suggested the production was close to the finish line when it stopped. “I think Matt had put so much work into the script, and we’re almost done,” he said, summing up Soderbergh’s offer as: “I just want to help Matt do it; I want to do it in conjunction with him and just get it to the edit.”

Every party has held that line. DC Studios said it was Soderbergh who approached Reeves. Soderbergh called Reeves’ work on The Batman “stunning; it was intentional, specific, and rigorously coherent,” adding that the goal was “to generate footage that will integrate seamlessly with what’s already been shot so Matt can properly finish his film.” Reeves wrote on X: “Just to be clear, I am not leaving ‘The Batman Part II.’” DC Studios co-chief James Gunn followed on Threads: “Matt is still the director of ‘The Batman 2’ and always will be.”

Warner Bros. announced on October 5 that production was “temporarily paused while Matt Reeves focuses on a family matter,” without giving a reason. According to GamesRadar+, Reeves will handle post-production in collaboration with Soderbergh. The film is dated for February 18, 2028, and Variety reports there has been no word on whether that will shift. Pattinson is joined by Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Charles Dance, Brian Tyree Henry, Colin Farrell as the Penguin, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth and Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon.

Pattinson’s deadline is a couple of days. Soderbergh’s is the edit, the point at which, by every account so far, the film goes back to Reeves.