Just this past weekend, people worldwide celebrated Batman Day, an annual event promoted by DC Comics, Warner Bros., and other companies associated with the iconic character. It’s a good time to take in all sorts of Batman media; theater chains held special screenings of Batman movies, and comic book stores released a special one-shot comic that featured the first crossover between Absolute Batman and the mainline comic version of the character. Director Matt Reeves even took time out from what is undoubtedly a busy schedule to share a post about a new look at his long-awaited, five-years-in-the-making sequel, The Batman Part II.
After how well-received Reeves’ first entry in what he calls The Batman Epic Crime Saga was in 2022, it’s surprising how long the sequel has taken to make. Plenty of rumors have circulated about casting and which actors might play certain comic book characters. Amid all the speculation, there are also discussions about the story, since the Batman comics are filled with so many iconic rogues and storylines to adapt. While promoting his latest film, Primetime, Robert Pattinson spoke with Collider about The Batman Part II, revealing that the sequel not only tries something new, but also keeps what worked so well in the 2022 original, saying:
“It’s so ambitious. I mean, I sort of said the other day on something that the first one was a different take on a Batman movie, and this one is another … It’s a real left turn from the first one, but somehow it keeps elements of the kind of feel of it. But it just feels really ambitious, and I’m excited to see how it turns out.”
Leaked photos and videos from the production have teased some explosive chase sequences involving police cars and a Batmobile that ends up totaled, suggesting that Batman’s public image is torn in this sequel. Since the first movie ended with Batman as a beacon of hope, it’s an interesting dichotomy that lends credence to Pattinson’s comments. The villain for the sequel still isn’t confirmed, though signs held by extras during a sequence filmed outside a courthouse led some eagle-eyed reporters to believe that the Court of Owls is involved in some capacity. Still, nothing is confirmed, and Reeves has remained tight-lipped about what case Batman will investigate next.
Cast members such as Brian Tyree Henry and Sebastian Koch have been cast in undisclosed roles, while Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, and Charles Dance have been rumored to play Gilda, Harvey, and Charles Dent, respectively. Reeves’ ambitious sequel seems to have a lot of moving pieces, with the director intent on exploring aspects of the Batman mythos not before seen in a live-action movie. The Batman Part II has been long overdue, and while viewers had the HBO series The Penguin to help fill the gap between installments, audiences are eager to see what comes next for Pattinson’s Caped Crusader. The film is still on track for a Feb. 18, 2028, theatrical release, nearly six years after The Batman hit theaters.
