It's now been some time since the release of Matt Reeves' Batman reboot The Batman (2022). The Batman delivered Reeves' vision for a neo-noir crime drama spin to the classic superhero narrative, touching on darker themes with some compelling and intriguing screenplay that drove the film. The Batman earned an audience score of 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed $750 million worldwide, ushering in a new era of ingenious storytelling. Many fans questioned if Robert Pattinson would be a good fit for the part, but he surprised everyone by capturing the ideal Batman persona with his performance.

On one hand, The Batman deviated from the franchise's prior clichés and went entirely dark with the theme. On the other hand, it introduced an intriguing villain, The Riddler, into the spotlight with a compelling premise. While it wasn't the finest depiction of a Batman film, fans couldn't have asked for more from this interesting story.

Updated November 2, 2023: This article has been updated by Gaurav Krishnan to include more content about what we hope to see in The Batman 2.

The Batman's director, Matt Reeves, has some fascinating plans for the franchise; similarly, he left several loose ends in the first movie and a few hints on what we might expect in future installments. With that in mind, here's what we hope to see in The Batman 2.

Bruce Wayne's Identity and Character Growth

The Batman largely focused on Bruce Wayne's story rather than him tracking down random villains terrorizing Gotham City for personal gain. Riddler, on the other hand, was a magnificent villain who punished corrupt government officials while also attempting to assassinate Bruce, believing his father was also compromised. It was a terrific way to kick off a new Batman film in the franchise, but the first film didn't dive deeper into Bruce Wayne's backstory.

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The second film has the potential to construct a spectacular storyline by showing fans how he grew up and what interactions he had in the past. It would really benefit the story and his personal growth. After the Riddler's scheme floods Gotham, he will most likely rebuild the city as Bruce, not Batman, and learn to become a better person in the light while protecting the city as a masked hero from the shadows.

A New Nemesis to Terrorize Gotham City

The Court of Owls from the comics, wearing their white owls masks with a blask mask at the center from a DC Comic.
DC Comics

It is a fact that Batman films are never exciting without an interesting nemesis, such as the Joker or anyone from the comics. In the wake of the events of the first film, the number of adversaries arising in Gotham City will be significantly greater than usual, as the city will remain unstable and lawless for a period of time. It would be an excellent opportunity for some intriguing DC Comics villains to make an appearance.

Bane, who debuted in the 1993 issue titled "Batman: Vengeance of Bane," is the first of many villains to appear in Batman comics. While the list may go on indefinitely (after all, someone always aspires to be the kingpin of Gotham City), only a select few would actually be villains in the sequel. If the sequel is anything like the original, Hush will make an excellent antagonist, but fans are eager to see The Court of Owls in The Batman 2.

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The Court of Owls, according to DC Comics, is a decades-old conspiracy lurking in the shadows and pulling the strings in Gotham City through corporate entities. After the recent flooding, the city is in a particularly precarious situation, giving these ancient criminals an open invitation to strike. For his part, Reeves is well-equipped to tell the story of The Batman 2 and reveal the brutality of the Court of Owls.

It has also been recently reported that one of the comic's most revered villains, Harvey Dent, aka Two Face, will make an appearance in The Batman 2. The character Dent, who was so astutely portrayed by Aaron Eckhart in Nolan's The Dark Knight as he was manipulated by The Joker to turn to evil ways, is set to be given a fresh re-run in The Batman 2, with Josh Hartnett and Joel Edgerton named in the reckoning as potential casting candidates to play the iconic villain.

A Dispute Between Gordon and Batman

Robert Pattinson's Batman in an argument with Jim Gordon in The Batman police station.
Warner Bros. Pictures

It's long been a tradition of DC shows to spark a feud between the Vigilante and the cop who assists him in the name of justice. It was a similar instance in the CW's Arrow, where Quentin Lance had several run-ins with Oliver Queen. If Matt Reeves wanted to stir up some controversy among fans, that is a pretty conceivable story aspect for the sequel.

Although Commissioner Gordon approves of Batman investigating crime scenes and assisting him in tracking down foes, their interests may become opposed at some point, and he may distrust Batman's intentions despite everything he does for the city. It would also help them build their connection once the feud is over.

Numerous alternatives would correspond to the release date of The Batman. Although the interaction between Batman and the Joker in The Dark Knight was unfathomable, it was far from comic-accurate. While meeting Christopher Nolan's representation of Joker vs. Batman is questionable, Matt Reeves can make up for it by faithfully reflecting the comic storyline.

The Batman also didn't use Alfred's character as much as in earlier films and comics. Apart from Hush, who, despite having a negative impact, made Bruce reflect on the past, the sequel can make him a significant part of Bruce's past. One of the few loose ends left by the previous film is the appearance of Penguin, who, following the devastation of Gotham City, would not hesitate to extend his criminal empire and emerge as a significant threat to the city.

The Wayne Family History That Will Challenge Batman's Ideals

While The Batman's ending was left open-ended, with the final shots of The Riddler and The Joker making conversation and potentially plotting behind bars at Arkham, the second installment of Reeves' Batman trilogy will pick up from where the first film left off.

The Batman saw Pattinson, as Bruce Wayne, uncover the murkier truth about his family's past after The Riddler exposes how Thomas Wayne hired Carmine Falcone to kill the reporter who would expose the dirt he had on the Wayne family. This included information about Bruce's mother, Martha Wayne, suffering from mental health issues and being institutionalized on a few occasions.

Uncovering this bit of information as he delves deeper into the Riddler's killings certainly forces Bruce to question his parents and their past, further causing a deep-seated internal conflict as he learns that his parents did have their share of dark secrets away from all the social upliftment and charity work they did for Gotham City. This further plays on Bruce's notions that his parents were innocently gunned down and that they didn't deserve what happened to them.

Given these plot twists surrounding the Wayne family and only scratching the surface of their history in the first film, The Batman 2 could see Reeves further explore the narrative, including the cerebral and moral aspects and dilemmas that Bruce Wayne could face, apart from the conflict within that would see him question the very reason of him becoming Batman. This could force Bruce to rethink his beliefs, challenge the notions he had about his parents, and question his ideals in the sequel, which could all make for a more immersive portrayal of Batman's psyche.

It could also be a weakness that the villains in The Batman 2 could target and use against the caped crusader as they aim to get the better of him and potentially push him to breaking point so that they can successfully execute their evil plans. After having only introduced the subplot of the Wayne family's secrets in the first film, the sequel could perhaps see more of a delve into their history with more twists and turns and its repercussions on Bruce, all potentially on the cards in The Batman 2.

With endless ways to bring up the sequel's story, there's been considerable speculation surrounding the film, and it doesn't appear to be ending anytime soon. According to the director, Matt Reeves, the film is scheduled for release on October 3, 2025.

TheBatman2
The Batman Part II
Superhero
Release Date
October 3, 2025
Studio
DC Films and Warner Bros.
Franchise
DC