Following the smash success of 2022’s “The Batman,” a sequel was practically guaranteed. Even the revamped DC Studios, led by James Gunn and Peter Safran, won’t stand in the way of director Matt Reeves’ vision for “The Batman Part II.” Robert Pattinson will once again don the cape and cowl as Bruce Wayne, but much remains unknown about the upcoming sequel. To separate fact from fiction, we’ve gathered everything we know about “The Batman Part II” so far.
When Will The Batman Part II Hit Theaters?
“The Batman Part II” was initially slated for an October 3, 2025, release. However, the film has been pushed back almost a year, with the premiere now scheduled for October 6, 2026. This means fans will have to wait over two and a half years to see Robert Pattinson return as Batman, marking a four-and-a-half-year gap between the original and its sequel. The delay isn’t entirely surprising, considering Warner Bros. Pictures announced the October 2025 release date in January 2023, just five months before the writers’ strike began six months of labor disputes in Hollywood. On the film’s original release date, Warner Bros. will release “The Bride!” — director Maggie Gyllenhaal’s reimagining of “Bride of Frankenstein.” This film stars former Batman actor Christian Bale, along with Jessie Buckley, Annette Bening, and Penelope Cruz.
Production Status and Cast
The original plan called for “The Batman Part II” to begin production in November 2023. However, filming has yet to commence, and no new cast members have been officially announced. While there were unconfirmed reports of filming starting in March 2024, no confirmation came from Warner Bros. Despite this, insider Jeff Sneider claims filming will begin in April 2025, with cast announcements expected in fall 2024. However, this report should be taken with a grain of salt.
The Penguin’s Role in The Batman Part II
While initially described as a prequel to “The Batman,” “The Penguin” series has been revealed to take place almost immediately after the first film. Reeves explained in an interview with Collider: “In the movie, the election day was November 7th. This takes place a week after that, after Bella Reál has been elected but is now Mayor-Elect Bella Reál. We’re in the aftermath of all that flooding. The wealthier neighborhoods, of course, have gotten the aid they needed, and in Crown Point — and other areas of desperation — they’re not getting the help they need. That is the void Oz steps into when he decides to make his moves. The story plays out, really, over the next weeks that take you toward the end of the year. I don’t think we quite get to play Christmas or New Year’s, but we’re getting there.”
Reeves emphasized that while “The Penguin” does lead into “The Batman Part II,” it’s not required viewing for anyone. The events of the sequel will stand on their own. Reeves stated: “Here’s the thing, I think that in terms of it being an epic crime saga, it is something that’s deepened by watching all of it. But the truth of the matter is that each one, of course, needs to live on its own. So The Batman lives on its own, The Penguin series lives on its own, The Batman Part II will live on its own, but it will be deepened. You won’t have to be prepared for what happened, you’ll just understand that that’s the entry point of where this character is coming in. The events that unfold are unfolding in a way where it’s not like, ‘Oh, gee, I needed to see those eight episodes of that show or I don’t understand what’s going on.’ It doesn’t really work that way.”
More TV Spinoffs?
Reeves has previously mentioned two additional spin-offs from “The Batman,” one focusing on the Gotham City Police Department and the other on Arkham Asylum. While there are no other shows currently in the works, Reeves told Collider: “We are talking about doing more — I think it would be really fun.”
Script Status
In an interview with EW, Reeves confirmed that “The Batman Part II”‘s script is complete, and production is on track to begin in early 2025. He also teased the way “The Penguin” sets the stage for the sequel: “Oz does become one of the entry points into the movie. I can’t tell you where it goes from there, except to say that we’re super excited about it.”
Plot Possibilities
It’s still too early to say anything definitive about the plot. There’s no confirmation about who the primary villain will be or what happens beyond the continued evolution of Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne/Batman. “The Batman” concluded with Pattinson’s Dark Knight viewed in a more heroic light by Gotham’s citizens, so the sequel will likely start with that status quo.
One strong possibility is that the sequel will pit the Dark Knight against Thomas Elliot, a.k.a. Hush. This villain, a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne, is known for teaming up with the Riddler and enlisting other villains to battle Batman, leveraging his knowledge of the hero’s true identity. “The Batman” saw the Riddler reveal that Bruce’s father inadvertently caused the death of a reporter named Edward Elliot, who might be Hush’s father. Combined with rumors of Hush’s appearance in the film, it seems likely that “The Batman Part II” will depict the villain seeking revenge on Bruce for his father’s role in Edward’s murder.
Rumored Villains
There are also rumors that villains Clayface, Professor Pyg, and Scarecrow will appear in the sequel, alongside Batman’s young ward Dick Grayson/Robin. While Robin technically appeared in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises,” this could be Grayson’s first live-action appearance in a film since 1997’s “Batman & Robin.” Despite these claims, Gunn took to Threads to deny the rumor that Pyg and Scarecrow will join Hush, Clayface, and Robin in Part 2. However, this statement implies the latter three characters will make their debut in the franchise.
Casting
When Warner Bros. announced “The Batman Part II” in April 2022, only Pattinson was confirmed to return as Bruce Wayne/Batman. However, the following cast members are almost certainly coming back: Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin. Farrell is also starring in Max’s spin-off series, “The Penguin,” which will chronicle Cobblepot’s rise to the top of Gotham’s criminal underworld and potentially lead into the sequel film. Zoë Kravitz could reprise her role as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, but Reeves might hold off on her return to give Bruce a new love interest. Barry Keoghan had a brief cameo as The Joker in “The Batman,” hinting at a possible alliance with Paul Dano’s Riddler. While neither Keoghan nor Dano has been confirmed for the sequel, Keoghan neither confirmed nor denied his Joker’s appearance, suggesting there’s more to come from him. Harvey Dent/Two-Face was rumored to be the main antagonist of “The Batman Part II,” with actor Boyd Holbrook (Logan) rumored to be cast as the iconic villain. However, James Gunn has since debunked these rumors on Threads.
Trailer and Script Updates
No trailer for “The Batman Part II” has been released yet. In fact, with the film’s delay to 2026, fans likely won’t see a trailer until around mid-2025.
Jeffrey Wright, one of the film’s key actors, hasn’t even seen a completed script yet. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the freshly Oscar-nominated actor commented that he has yet to see a “Batman 2” screenplay. “You’ve seen as much of a script as I have at this point,” said Wright, who played Batman’s ally James Gordon in the 2022 film. “I don’t want to jump ahead. I just want to go forward with it.” “Clearly, I’m Lieutenant Gordon at the end of the film, the first film, so we may be moving up in the ranks, I suppose, but I haven’t seen anything yet,” he added. “I’m being patient, letting [director] Matt Reeves do his thing — which is going to be magical and wonderful — and looking forward to diving back into it when the time comes.”
On Threads, Gunn responded to a fan asking for a status update on Reeves’s script for “The Batman Part II.” Gunn confirmed that Reeves is still working on the screenplay. When pressed for a finish date, Gunn replied, “When Matt thinks it’s ready.” If filming is rumored to start at the beginning of 2025, expect Reeves to complete his script by the fall of 2024.
In an interview with Popverse, Serkis said he hasn’t seen a script for “The Batman Part II.” However, Serkis believes the sequel’s screenplay will be “brilliant” because of his affinity for Reeves. Serkis then predicted “The Batman Part II”‘s filming start date and when fans can expect it in theaters. “Basically, I know nothing about the movie other than that I’ve just found out that we’re probably likely to be starting filming early next year,” Serkis said. “Therefore, if you do the math, it’ll be a year and a half after that.”
