A Game of Thrones star is set to play a character closely tied to Harvey Dent in The Batman – Part II.
The sequel to 2022’s The Batman previously cast Sebastian Stan, who is reportedly playing the role of Harvey Dent. Scarlett Johansson has joined the cast as well, allegedly as Dent’s wife Gilda Gold. Robert Pattinson is returning to play the Caped Crusader along with Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb/the Penguin, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon. Matt Reeves returns to direct with a screenplay co-written by him and Mattson Tomlin.
Deadline now reports that Charles Dance, known for his role as Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones, is in talks to join The Batman – Part II. He is expected to be playing Harvey Dent’s father, Charles Dent, although this has not been confirmed yet. Production is scheduled to begin this spring and the theatrical debut will be October 1, 2027.
In the comics, the character is called Christopher Dent rather than Charles. He was first introduced in Batman Annual #14 (1990) and is an alcoholic who suffers from mental illness and is abusive toward his son. Unlike Harvey, the Penguin, Alfred, or Gordon, who have appeared in Batman movies and shows before, The Batman – Part II would be the first series or film featuring Harvey Dent’s father. That being said, Christopher Dent was in the 2024 video game Batman: Arkham Shadow, where he was voiced by Andrew Morgado.
While The Batman – Part II‘s story is still under wraps, Dance’s casting further cements that the Dent family are integral to the plot, particularly given who Stan and Johansson are reportedly playing. If the character is similar to past iterations, the elder Dent will likely be a harmful and dangerous character, either as one of the main villains or with his actions leading to Harvey becoming the villainous Two-Face.
Considering how Tywin treats his children, especially Tyrion, in Game of Thrones, this toxic, patriarchal role is fitting for Dance and builds on the legacy of his most iconic role. More recently, he played another abusive father as Leopold Frankenstein in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, inflicting trauma that would shape Victor (Oscar Isaac) and his obsession with curing death, regardless of how it impacted the living.
Harvey Dent’s father is a new addition to Batman movies, but it is not the first time that one has featured Harvey. He was most famously played by Aaron Eckhart in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, which follows the character’s tragic journey from hopeful and righteous district attorney of Gotham to becoming the vengeful Two-Face. Other Harvey Dent portrayals include Billy Dee Williams in Tim Burton’s Batman, Tommy Lee Jones in Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever, and Nicholas D’Agosto in the Fox television series Gotham.
There has been speculation about whether Harvey Dent in The Batman – Part II will already be Two-Face or if he will become the villain during the film. With the inclusion of his abusive father in the story, it seems more likely that the story will include Two-Face, although this could be debunked by future casting developments or announcements.
