The Batman has managed to put a gritty detective story before the audience that leans into its superhero roots without compromise. While, the grounded approach that Matt Reeves decided to take for the film paid off in spades, the stylistic blending of noir and superhero fiction made the film its own entity, distinct from Nolan’s take on the Caped Crusader.
As The Batman- Part II looms on the horizon, it is important to note that the story we might get in the sequel could have the Bat descend deeper into a cave of despair, despite its hopeful ending. The arc set up for Bruce Wayne and Batman, and the fact that The Joker has been introduced in the film points towards a more trying time for the Bat of Gotham.
The Batman universe is set to develop a lot more
Matt Reeves is currently working on a script for the second installment of The Batman, along with writer Mattson Tomlin. A spin-off based on The Penguin is on the way, while another that focuses on Arkham Asylum is also being developed by Warner Brothers. There is a lot that could happen between The Batman and its sequel, given that The Penguin spin-off is due to release in 2024, while the sequel will be released in October 2025.
Given that this is a young Batman with not as much experience, one can assume that key characters from the Batman mythos could make an appearance in the story, either as a cameo or a full part. It is rumored that the villain for the next film will be Hush, who has a personal vendetta against the Wayne family. Given that the Caped Crusader has taken it on himself to be the hope for the people of Gotham, it would be interesting to see the character love up to that idea with his personal life in danger. Having made connections with Selina Kyle and Commissioner Gordon, Hush would have plenty of people to exploit to manipulate Batman.
There are some specific villains that could make an appearance in The Batman: Part II
Given the grounded approach that has been taken to the Batman films, this rules out villains such as Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, Mr. Freeze, and Man-Bat, given how deeply entrenched these characters are in science fiction rather than detective fiction. Given the focus of the series to cast Batman as a competent detective above everything else, it is important that his rogue’s gallery for this iteration of the character be cast as master criminals above everything else.
Hush, as is rumored to be part of the project, can cause a lot of harm to Batman. Scarecrow could also be a perfect villain for the sequel, bringing Bruce face to face with his darkest thoughts as he struggles to be the hope of the people of Gotham. Hugo Strange, Talia al Ghul, and Deathstroke could play similar roles in the narrative, as Bruce Wayne tries to make his personality more distinct from Batman, so that he may keep up the farce of them being two distinct people.
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