The top candidates for The Batman - Part II's plot details remain under wraps, and its release date has recently been pushed to 2027. Robert Pattinson's Batman, Jeffrey Wright's James Gordon, and Colin Farrell's Oz Cobb are set to return, but no other DC characters or actors have been confirmed yet.
Speculation about The Batman - Part II's main antagonist continues to rise as the DCU claims more Batman-adjacent characters for its shared universe. For instance, Clayface is unlikely to be The Batman - Part II's main villain now that he's set to star in his own DCU movie. More realistic characters like Hush, Two-Face, and Hugo Strange seem more likely to be Batman's next enemy in Matt Reeves' franchise, but the Court of Owls remain at the top of the list when it comes to rumored villains for the sequel.
The Court Of Owls May Not Be The Batman 2’s Main Villains
Matt Reeves Might Want To Surprise Audiences With An Unexpected Batman Villain
At the 2025 Golden Globes red carpet, Josh Horowitz asked Matt Reeves whether The Batman - Part II's main villain will be surprising, to which Reeves responded, "I hope so. I think the story is a continuation in a certain way and completely different in another." When asked about all the rumored villains for the sequel, Reeves answered, "You just kind of look at them casually and go like 'oh is that what they think now? Interesting.'" Perhaps the Court of Owls is too obvious for The Batman - Part II, and the sequel's main villain is actually a completely different character.
I’m Disappointed The Batman 2 Looks Set To Ignore Two Villains DC Movies Have Wasted For 27 Years
DC’s cinematic history has long wasted two iconic Batman villains, and I’m disappointed to hear The Batman 2 might continue this trend.
Matt Reeves could surprise audiences by not introducing the most obvious antagonists, despite various hints at the Court of Owls in The Batman universe. Instead, The Batman Part II could focus on a completely different villain while the Court of Owls continues to pull the strings in the background. Batman villains such as Professor Pyg, Victor Zsasz, and the Mad Hatter could get their time in the spotlight for the first time on the big screen, and the Court of Owls could be left for The Batman trilogy's final installment.
The Court Of Owls’ Absence In The Batman 2 Could Be For The Better
Matt Reeves' The Batman Trilogy May Be Saving The Best For Last
The Court of Owls seem like the perfect final enemy for Robert Pattinson's Batman, as their influence on Gotham's crime and corruption may be the root of all its evils. If the Court of Owls is reserved for The Batman - Part III, the secret society could provide an appropriate conclusion to every major character's story, revealing deep secrets about all their families and backgrounds. The Batman - Part II’s seemingly unrelated main villain could also help develop the Court of Owls’ conspiracy and play an important role in its grand reveal in The Batman - Part III.
The Batman Part II
- Release Date
- October 1, 2027
- Director
- Matt Reeves
- Writers
- Matt Reeves, Mattson Tomlin, Bill Finger, Bob Kane
- Prequel(s)
- The Batman
- Franchise(s)
- Batman
Cast
Bruce Wayne / The Batman
Oz Cobb
Alfred Pennyworth
James Gordon
- Studio(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Films
