The Batman Director Matt Reeves Expresses Commitment to Theatrical Experience

Today's CinemaCon presentation in Las Vegas kicked off with The Batman director Matt Reeves announcing to exhibitors that he will remain committed to the theatrical experience. Some of the biggest movie studios in the business are assembled at CinemaCon to get the first look at new projects coming over the next several years. Sony Pictures made news with the official announcements of Venom 3 and Ghostbusters 4, the latter a sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife. While fans await the word on The Batman 2, director Matt Reeves is reaffirming his commitment to seeing his blockbuster films appear on the big screen.

"What we do takes audiences on journeys of discovery to places of wonder," Reeves said (via Deadline). "I will continue to do what I do to work to secure the future of the theatrical experience….Showing my work…. as it was meant to be seen in your theaters."

After the audience applauded, Reeves continued: "We all collaborate for one purpose, to put the best work out there to be experienced on the big screen in your theaters around the globe."

"I hope you're reminded why we're in this great business," he added. "I believe in you, I believe in the work we do together to ensure the future of the motion picture theatrical experience."

Reeves then commented on the COVID-19 pandemic, that caused theaters around the world to close their doors for over a year. "It was as if a light was suddenly switched off… we remained in the darkness for too long. But it never consumed us because you left a light flickering on our screens," he said.

"My recent film, The Batman, is now over $760M at the global box office. I'm so grateful to the incredible cast and crew who worked with me to create this labor of love. It was a true team effort that started with the support of Warner Bros behind me, but we couldn't have gotten to this place without you," Reeves concluded. "As a lifelong passionate fan of movies, I treasure what you do." 

Along with being a hit in theaters, The Batman has also set records on HBO Max. Warner Bros. announced the early numbers for The Batman's first week of being on HBO Max, with 4.1 million Smart TV households reportedly streaming the film in its first week. This marks the second-best performance that a film has had on HBO Max in its first week, outside of Mortal Kombat's 4.3 million in the spring of 2021.

What do you think about Matt Reeves' comments on movies playing in theaters? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!