Evidence Suggests ‘The Batman: Part II’ Is Drawing From ‘The Long Halloween’

by

Details about Matt Reeves’ The Batman: Part II are being kept under wraps, but a recent report from World of Reel has gathered some interesting rumors about the story. Combined with what we know from the first movie and the latest casting news, many believe the sequel will be strongly influenced by the The Long Halloween comic book.

The critically acclaimed 13-part Batman story by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale is considered a landmark achievement in the character’s history. The upcoming movie, The Batman: Part II, could potentially feature scenes inspired by this celebrated series.

Casting Rumors

The website World of Reel reported a rumor from The InSneider stating that the next Batman movie will include Harvey Dent (also known as Two-Face), his wife Gilda, and Dent’s father. Another source, ViewerAnon, also suggested that Two-Face will appear in The Batman: Part II, strengthening the speculation.

Hope you don’t put a Dent in my Friday

— ViewerAnon (@ViewerAnon) December 12, 2025

Before the rumors began, Deadline reported that Scarlett Johansson was in talks to join a DC film set in the Elseworlds universe. Given the realistic tone of Matt Reeves’ Batman films, many thought a flamboyant character like Poison Ivy was improbable. Speculation centered around her potentially playing Andrea Beaumont, a character from the animated movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, as this would align with The Batman’s focus on Gotham’s criminal underworld.

It felt like something clicked when entertainment journalist Kris Tapley shared a post on X, showing pictures of Scarlett Johansson and Gilda Radner next to each other with a shocked face emoji.

👀

— Kris Tapley (@kristapley) December 13, 2025

While it’s not official yet, everything points towards a story centered around the Dent family. Director and writer Matt Reeves has stated the main villain will be a completely new character for live-action films, and the plot will be more complex than a simple story about a serial killer.

Johansson is perfectly suited in age for the role of Gilda Dent, and casting her would deliver on Reeves’ vision for the character. Crucially, Gilda transforms into the villain Holiday in The Long Halloween, and Holiday is more than just someone who commits murder – she’s a complex antagonist.

Key Themes

I’ve always been fascinated by the beginning of The Long Halloween. It’s incredible to see Batman, Harvey Dent, and Jim Gordon secretly team up to finally dismantle the Falcone family’s power. But then, just as they start making progress, this really twisted thing happens: starting on Halloween, a killer begins systematically eliminating Gotham’s biggest criminals, one by one, with each major holiday. It’s a truly haunting premise!

The killings spark a violent conflict between the city’s most powerful gangs, each believing the other is responsible. Meanwhile, Harvey Dent’s mental state worsens, and after a brutal acid attack, he completely loses control and transforms into the villain Two-Face.

On Labor Day, Batman apprehended Alberto Falcone, who everyone believed was already dead. Alberto confessed to being the Holiday killer, claiming he committed the murders to gain notoriety. However, Gilda secretly admits to herself that she was actually Holiday. She started the killings hoping to relieve Harvey’s suffering and allow them to have a normal life together.

Conclusion

While the stories of The Batman and The Penguin series will lead to some changes in characters and plot, the core story and emotional weight of The Long Halloween still feel like a good fit for the direction of The Batman: Part II.

Right now, all the clues are indirect, and we probably won’t have more information until the first trailer comes out. The Batman: Part II is currently planned for release on October 1, 2027, which is perfect timing for Halloween.

Read More

2025-12-19 15:57