A Vampire playing a Bat was surely not in the cards in 2022, but unexpectedly it became one of the best DC superhero movies. As Robert Pattinson gears up to don the Batsuit and cape once again, there have been numerous rumors regarding the upcoming Batman II, which is expected to be released in 2025. Having a distinct identity of its own, with a fresh yet dark storyline, Matt Reeves’s Batman sequel is said to feature 4 psychotic DC villains in addition to everyone who survived in the first movie.
While fans have been desperately waiting for Barry Keoghan’s Joker to finally make his appearance in the Pattinson-helmed mythos, here are the 4 absolutely lunatic manic villains rumored to be in Batman II opposite Robert Pattinson (via X):
1. Scarecrow
Scarecrow aka Jonathan Crane has long been a fan-favorite villain, known best for being manipulative and using fear-inducing toxins for psychological manipulation. The criminal psychologist turned supervillain, has already made appearances in several movies and series. However, for fans, it would be fun to see the character in a more dark and prominent role using his manipulative methods to take advantage of the fear and chaos already present in Gotham.
2. Professor Pyg
Robert Pattinson‘s Batman has already proven, that despite being ‘new’ at vigilantism, he is more than capable to inflect his kind of justice (via IndieWire). However, Lazlo Valentine, AKA Professor Pyg, might be somewhat more than he can handle. A grotesque and completely disturbed character, he forcibly transforms people into mindless Dollotrons, making them mindless and submissive. Not only does he manipulate human beings but he is also involved in human trade and abductions as well as disturbing experiments, thus presenting Batman with the dual challenge of confronting a ruthless adversary at the same time presenting the moral complexities of the situation.
3. Clayface
More of an alias than a character, the name Clayface has been taken by numerous DC villains over the years in the comics. However, the original version of the formidable foe was Basil Karlo, with immense strength and the ability to mimic anyone thanks to his shapeshifting abilities. He can thus successfully infiltrate Gotham’s society and institutes, creating a bigger chaos in the already suffering city. Much like the other villains on this list, the virtually indestructible Clayface’s presence can add to the confusion and distrust present in Gotham, hampering Bruce Wayne’s detective skills and messing with his moral compass.
4. Hush
Hush aka Thomas Elliot is an exceptionally skilled surgeon as well as the childhood friend of Bruce Wayne. While many allege that the first part actually had laid the groundwork for Hush’s appearance thanks to the many easter eggs (via ComicBook) present in the movie, there has been no definitive confirmation, but only rumors. However, if Elliot does make an appearance it would be a treat to watch how he orchestrates his elaborate schemes and manipulates his childhood best friend, and how long it takes for Robert Pattinson’s Batman to figure it out.
Meanwhile, Fans Desperately Wait For Barry Keoghan’s Joker
Barry Keoghan had himself shot a small audition tape for Batman and wanted to play Riddler (via GQ) initially. However, as fate would have it, the Marvel star ended up portraying Joker. Although his scene with Batman was deleted (via Vulture), the ending did tease the Joker, which Matt Reeves later confirmed was Gotham’s Crime Prince (via Variety).
While Reeves made it apparent that it is not confirmed if Joker would be there in the sequel and even Keoghan remarked that he cannot say anything (via ETalk), fans remain hopeful about the chance to see his version of Joker on-screen, with more screen-time than a slight cameo tease. Meanwhile, there haven’t been any updates regarding the storyline of Batman II, but the movie is slated to release on October 3, 2025.
Meanwhile, The Batman can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
