With debates about superhero fatigue unfolding every year, it’s a miracle that 2022’s The Batman totally evaded the conversation. Coming out at a time when the genre was suffering from high-profile critical and commercial failures like Morbius and Black Adam, The Batman was a breath of fresh air, a neon-lit neo-noir that resonated with fans and critics alike while grossing over $770 million. Director Matt Reeves’ depiction of the Dark Knight, separate from James Gunn’s work on the DCU, enchanted fans to the point that four years later, they’re still waiting in agony for updates on the highly anticipated follow-up.
Now the time has finally come, as The Batman Part 2 has entered pre-production, and a slow but steady drip feed of updates is emerging. It’s already been confirmed that, alongside much of the original film’s cast returning, there are now two Marvel alums jumping ship, with Sebastian Stan joining the film as Harvey Dent and Scarlett Johansson in an undisclosed role (possibly as his wife, Gilda). Now rumors are circulating about another A-lister potentially joining the cast, and although they’re unconfirmed, they point to the arrival of a character partially responsible for the birth of one of Batman’s greatest villains.
