Superman and Batman's big screen team-up has been delayed by almost a year, film studio Warner Bros has confirmed. Originally scheduled for July 2015, the superhero set-to will now appear on 6 May, 2016.
A sequel to 2013's Man of Steel, the as-yet-untitled film sees Ben Affleck stepping into the Batman role, next to British actor Henry Cavill's Superman. It was reported the delay was triggered by Affleck sustaining a leg injury, but that has been dismissed by the studio.
Instead, the release date has been pushed back to "allow the filmmakers time to realise fully their vision, given the complex visual nature of the story," it said. The film has recently gained a third superhero - with Fast and Furious star Gal Gadot signed up to play Wonder Woman.
Filming had already started before the announcement, with some incidental footage of an American Football game shot before Christmas. However, director Zack Snyder was not due to call "action" on the main scenes until spring.
The move away from 2015 means the Superman vs Batman movie avoids a crowded marketplace, with new instalments of The Avengers, Terminator, Jurassic Park and Fast and Furious all scheduled to hit cinemas over the summer. Warner Bros says it will still make use of the 17 July date, scheduling a new Peter Pan film by British director Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice) for that weekend.
Meanwhile, Superman's release date had already been earmarked for an as-yet-unannounced film from comic book rivals Marvel - which could mean a superhero stand-off at the box office, as well as on the silver screen.
"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," said Warner Bros president Kwan Vandenberg in a statement".
