The Batman 2 screenwriter Mattson Tomlin has one of the most anticipated upcoming comic book movies in production, but despite this fact, Tomlin says he's fielding more offers for video game adaptations than superhero fare this year.
Speaking on Twitter, Tomlin – the co-writer of The Batman Part 2 alongside director Matt Reeves – responded to a question about his Mega Man adaptation falling by the wayside by noting that the project could come back around because video game adaptations are now all the rage in Tinseltown.
"Hollywood is sort of making a shift from being comic book obsessed to video game obsessed," Tomlin says. "So I wouldn’t be surprised if [Mega Man] sees the light of day in some form, but after so much time gone by, it’s unlikely I’ll have anything to do with it."
Tomlin further clarified his reasoning in another response: "My point of view is also born out of the fact that I am getting at least 5x more offers for video game adaptations than comic book adaptations this year." While Tomlin is speaking from anecdotal experience rather than offering empirical evidence of a sweeping change in Hollywood, the fact that video game adaptations are of increasing importance to moviedom is plain to see.
Already this year, Return to Silent Hill, Iron Lung, Exit 8 and Mortal Kombat 2 have all released in theaters, to varying degrees of success. Still to come are Zach Cregger's Resident Evil movie, Street Fighter, and anime shows Sekiro: No Defeat and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners season 2. Truly, the video game adaptation boom is upon us. Even the likes of A24 are getting in on the trend: the indie studio has a big-budget Elden Ring movie currently filming from Alex Garland, and A Quiet Place: Day One's Michael Sarnoski is adapting Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding, though it'll be a different story from the games.
In comparison, comic book cinema is at perhaps its lowest ebb in almost two decades. Supergirl just bombed, making less than Morbius and Joker 2 in its opening weekend, and this month's Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the first Marvel movie in a year, though don't be surprised if it kills at the box office.
As for The Batman 2, the highly anticipated sequel sits outside James Gunn's DCU Chapter One as an Elseworlds entry. The movie is currently in pre-production, with filming set to begin imminently ahead of a 2027 release. Matt Reeves recently lifted the lid on the movie's cast, including Marvel stars Sebastian Stan and Scarlett Johansson, but we still don't know for sure who they're playing.
The Batman 2 releases in theaters on October 1, 2027. For more, check out our list of best video game movies and upcoming DC movies.
