The Batman 2: Matt Reeves Rules Out 12 Villains for DC Sequel

Matt Reeves, the director of the upcoming *The Batman: Part 2*, has revealed twelve villains that won’t appear in the sequel, effectively ending speculation about those characters. Fans have been eagerly awaiting *The Batman 2* for over three years, and now face another two-year wait until its release on October 1, 2027. Reeves recently finished the script with co-writer Mattson Tomlin, and filming is scheduled to start in April 2026. Throughout development, many rumors circulated about the sequel, particularly regarding who would be the main villain, with guesses ranging from the Joker to Hush.

The movie *The Batman* primarily followed Robert Pattinson as Batman while he investigated a series of murders committed by the Riddler, played by Paul Dano. Director Matt Reeves also introduced other classic Batman villains, including Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz), the Joker (Barry Keoghan), and the Penguin (Colin Farrell), who later starred in his own HBO series in 2024, expanding the world of Gotham.

In a recent interview with *Happy Sad Confused*, director Matt Reeves for *The Batman 2* remained tight-lipped about who the sequel’s villain will be. However, he did hint that they’ve already eliminated 12 potential candidates.

The director explained that he and his co-writer, Mattson Tomlin, brainstormed many possibilities for the sequel. They thoroughly researched the source comics and watched numerous films to help them determine the best direction for the story.

I came up with many initial concepts, and then my writing partner, Mattson Tomlin, and I really delved back into the original comic books. We explored my ideas and shared our own, and we spent a lot of time watching films – not just superhero or Gotham-related ones – for inspiration.

Reeves hinted that after *The Batman* and *The Penguin*, he’d like to explore Bruce Wayne’s character on a deeper level. Previously, the focus had been largely on his life as Batman.

The ending of ‘The Batman’ left things open for more stories, and the events in ‘The Penguin’ suggest there’s a lot more to explore. I wanted to delve deeper into Bruce Wayne’s character, as the first film focused primarily on his persona as Batman.

Reeves emphasized that keeping Robert Pattinson as the core of the Batman stories was always his priority, even while introducing Batman’s villains.

Director Matt Reeves has suggested the villain in *The Batman 2* will focus more on Bruce Wayne, the man behind Batman, than the superhero himself. He also revealed that this villain is someone we haven’t seen portrayed on film before.

We spent a lot of time figuring out the perfect villain – someone whose story connects to the hero’s past and motivations. I can’t reveal our final choice yet, but we’re really thrilled with it. And as far as we know, this approach hasn’t been used in a film before.

The director of DC films has confirmed that the villain in the Batman sequel planned for 2027 will be a completely new character for the movie franchise, and specifically stated they’ve eliminated ten villains that have already appeared in past Batman films.

Joker

Let’s be clear: don’t expect the next Batman movie to focus on the Joker. Although Barry Keoghan, known for his role in *Saltburn*, appeared as the Joker in a memorable deleted scene from *The Batman*, it doesn’t look like that was meant to lead to him being a main character in future films.

However, reports suggest Keoghan will be in *The Batman 2*, but his role might be another brief appearance as a patient in Arkham Asylum.

Penguin

Colin Farrell impressed audiences with his role in *The Batman*, and now he’s starring in an HBO spin-off series focused on his character, The Penguin. Despite previously playing the main villain in *Batman Returns*, The Penguin won’t be the antagonist in the next Batman movie.

Colin Farrell recently mentioned to Deadline that he doesn’t have a large role in *The Batman 2*, describing it as “just a little bit.” This suggests he’ll reprise a smaller supporting role, similar to what he had in the first film, after finishing his work on the HBO series.

Catwoman

Catwoman, also known as Selina Kyle, has been a part of many Batman movies and TV shows, most recently portrayed by Zoe Kravitz in the new “ReevesVerse” films. In *The Batman*, she’s established as the daughter of crime boss Carmine Falcone and develops a relationship with Batman before ultimately leaving Gotham City to start a new life in Bludhaven.

Rumors suggest Catwoman might not appear in *The Batman 2* at all, and even if she does, she likely won’t be the primary antagonist.

Riddler

After playing the villain opposite Robert Pattinson’s Batman in *The Batman*, Paul Dano’s character, Edward Nashton, likely won’t be the central antagonist in the next movie, planned for 2027.

Although Riddler is currently imprisoned with the Joker and other villains at Arkham Asylum, Paul Dano is expected to return for the next Batman movie. It makes you wonder what schemes these newly connected villains might be plotting for *The Batman 3*.

Two Face

Although there was talk of Two-Face potentially appearing in the next Batman movie, it now seems unlikely he’ll be the main villain. He’s already been a prominent antagonist in previous films – played by Tommy Lee Jones in *Batman Forever* and Aaron Eckhart in *The Dark Knight*.

Although Two-Face won’t be the main villain in *The Batman 2*, Harvey Dent might appear as Gotham’s district attorney. As director Matt Reeves explores the city’s widespread corruption, Dent could play a significant supporting role, providing a fresh perspective on the criminal underworld and potentially leading to the emergence of Two-Face in a future film.

Mr. Freeze

Director Matt Reeves suggested a realistic take on the character Mr. Freeze could be very compelling, and fans have theorized that the flooding in Gotham City after *The Batman* sets the stage for Victor Fries to be the villain in a future sequel.

Unless Reeves has somehow managed to avoid seeing *Batman & Robin* – and therefore didn’t know Arnold Schwarzenegger played Mr. Freeze – his claim that something “has never really been done in a movie before” doesn’t hold up.

Poison Ivy

Although Poison Ivy hasn’t had a truly great on-screen portrayal since Uma Thurman played her, it doesn’t seem like she’ll be showing up in *The Batman 2*.

Because of her ability to control plants, Poison Ivy could be a great addition to James Gunn’s DC Universe, especially alongside the new Batman that’s planned.

Scarecrow

In Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, Cillian Murphy played Jonathan Crane, better known as the villain Scarecrow, who terrorized Gotham City with his fear toxin.

Before James Gunn and Peter Safran created DC Studios, there were plans for a spin-off movie based on Batman villain Scarecrow. This was around the same time rumors started about a Clayface movie. However, the Scarecrow spin-off never progressed, and Clayface is now part of the new DC Universe being developed by Gunn and Safran.

Ra’s al Ghul

Ra’s al Ghul, also known as the Head of the Demon and leader of the League of Assassins, is a well-known enemy of Batman, especially because he’s the father of Talia al Ghul. However, his near-immortality and magical abilities might not quite fit the realistic and grounded tone of Reeves’ Batman universe.

Okay, so I was really excited when Liam Neeson played Ra’s al Ghul in *Batman Begins*, and I thought he might be a villain in the new Batman movies. But it looks like that’s off the table for *The Batman 2*. Still, I’m holding out hope! With *The Brave and the Bold* introducing Damian Wayne, Ra’s and his mother, Talia, could definitely show up as part of that story. It might take a while before we get a full Batman reboot, but knowing they’re thinking about these characters is awesome!

Bane

The actor who played Bane in *The Dark Knight Rises* and *Batman & Robin* won’t be returning for *The Batman 2*. Many fans didn’t anticipate seeing the character of Bane in this new Batman series, considering his incredibly exaggerated strength in the original films.

While Venom likely won’t be in *The Batman 2*, sources say his first appearance in the DC Universe is already being planned. Interestingly, a movie teaming up Deathstroke and Bane is currently being written by Matthew Orton, who also worked on *Moon Knight*.

Harley Quinn

I’ve noticed DC has been showing Harley Quinn in a new light lately, leaning more towards an anti-hero. But it’s easy to forget she started as the Joker’s girlfriend and a real enemy to Batman!

While Harley Quinn hasn’t had a major on-screen battle with Batman yet, only appearing briefly in *Suicide Squad*, it’s unlikely we’ll see her in *The Batman 2*. With Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker not returning and Harley Quinn’s future in the new DC Universe uncertain, her appearance seems doubtful for now.

Sofia Falcone

Cristin Milioti, known for her role in *How I Met Your Mother*, introduced her character Sofia Falcone in *The Penguin*. Sofia is the daughter of Carmine Falcone and the sister of Selina Kyle (Catwoman). The HBO series suggested Sofia and Catwoman might team up after Sofia’s time in Arkham Asylum, and Milioti hinted that if they did, they would be a powerful and destructive force together.

Unfortunately, Reeves has confirmed that Cristin Milioti’s character, Falcone, won’t return for the next movie. He explained to Horowitz that they were already far along in the scriptwriting process when the decision to include *The Penguin* was made.

The Batman 2’s Villain Might Have Been Revealed

Batman is famous for having a huge cast of villains, and many fans feel they haven’t been properly showcased in movies yet. So, the recent announcement from director Matt Reeves that Batman will battle a brand new enemy in the next film is likely to get people excited.

Since Reeves has stated the next villain will really challenge Bruce Wayne as a person, not just as Batman, many fans believe Hush is the most likely candidate.

Let me tell you about a truly tragic figure. Thomas Elliot, a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne, had a remarkably different life, despite his privileged background. While Bruce was grappling with his own trauma, Elliot was… well, he was actively trying to *cause* tragedy. Driven by greed, he attempted to murder his own parents – a calculated plan to inherit their wealth involving sabotaging their car’s brakes. The truly ironic part? His attempt failed, and it was Thomas Wayne – Bruce’s father – who actually saved their lives. It’s a backstory that paints a chilling picture of envy and malice, and it really sets him up as a compelling villain.

After his own ambitions were crushed, Elliot watched his childhood friend become wealthy through the tragic loss of his parents. This sparked a deep and lasting bitterness towards Wayne, driving Elliot to disfigure his face, adopt the identity of Hush, and meticulously plan Wayne’s downfall, both physically and emotionally.

The director has suggested Hush might appear in future *Batman* movies, calling him a character he’d be excited to explore, but stopped short of officially confirming his inclusion in any upcoming projects.

In *The Batman*, the character Hush was hinted at through a dark secret about Thomas Wayne. It was revealed he had a reporter, Edward Elliot, killed to hide the fact that his wife, Martha, struggled with mental illness. The Riddler exposed this information, and the name “Hush” even appeared on screen, suggesting this character might be the villain in a future Batman movie.

Okay, so I’m thinking a take on Hush could *really* work within the world Matt Reeves is building. It wouldn’t just be a typical villain story; it could lean into the bigger, more complex themes of systemic corruption that Reeves has hinted at for the sequel to *The Batman*. It feels like a natural progression from what we saw in the first film, and a way to elevate the stakes even further.

A lot of fans believe the Court of Owls will be the main villains in the next *Batman* movie, if one is made. This would introduce a hidden group that’s been secretly controlling Gotham City for hundreds of years.

2025-09-24 20:16