‘The Batman Part II’ Features a Villain Never Before Seen in the Movies. So, Who Is It?

A dark night will hit theaters once again. Director Matt Reeves confirmed that The Batman: Part II is scheduled to kick off filming in June, with camera tests for the film’s action sequences now underway. Reeves reignited the hype for the Battinson sequel on Twitter/X Thursday night when he reposted some behind-the-scenes photographs of the Batmobile gunning through a snowy Gotham City.

So, with the Internet abuzz that The Batman: Part II is now another step closer to fruition, the question arises: Who is playing the villain? Will Barry Keoghan return as the Joker following his post-credits scene? Is there more in store for Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman, and what should w make of those rumors about Sebastian Stan as Harvey Dent? Read on below for everything we know about the Batman Part II’s villain so far.

Director Matt Reeves stated in 2025 that ‘The Batman: Part II’ would feature one of the comicbook character’s villains that has yet to appear on screen in a Batman movie.

While we might not know who the villain is just yet, we have some ideas—and it all stems from director Matt Reeves himself. In a red carpet interview from September 2025, Reeves stated that the main antagonist of the sequel is a character “never really been done in a movie before.”

“I have a lot of ideas, and then Mattson Tomlin, my writing partner, we began the process of this by doing another deep dive into the comics,” Reeves explained.

“We sat together and watched a lot of movies. Not all movies that are from, you know, the realm of Gotham, just to explore where the story … I knew that the way the movie ended, it was leaving us on the precipice, and also the way events happened in the show [The Penguin], that there is an exploration to be had. One of the explorations for me was to do something that pushes further into the character Bruce Wayne.”

Added Reeves, “I wanted the movies to be focused on his character … I never wanted to lose [Robert Pattinson] at the center of these stories. That is really what we set our aim on. Picking the right villain that digs into what that does, that goes into his past and his life, that was what drove that discussion.”

Reeves’ talking points about diving into the origins of Batman—and suggesting it’s a character never before seen in any of the movies before—are glaring signs that The Batman: Part II may feature either the Court of Owls or Hush.

The former are a group of mega-wealthy Gotham City elites who exert control through indoctrinated assassins called Talons. They operated in buildings owned by Bruce’s grandfather Alan Wayne, and directly opposed the Waynes’ philanthropic efforts because it threatened their power. They originated in Scott Snyder’s acclaimed run on DC’s Batman comics, with their first appearance in Batman #6 in 2012.

As for the latter villain, Hush was the chief antagonist in a multi-issue story arc titled “Hush” that spanned Batman #608–619 between 2002 and 2003. The story involves the return of Bruce Wayne’s childhood friend (we’re using that word lightly) Dr. Elliot, a neurosurgeon who adopts the name “Hush” and goes after Batman to exact revenge.

They both serve as dark mirrors of Bruce Wayne, as answers to ‘What if?’ questions about Batman. What if Bruce used his family fortune for personal gain? Or, what if he used his indomitable drive for revenge instead of justice? These fit Reeves’ bill to probe Bruce further in the sequel. Unless, of course, Reeves is actually doing the Mad Hatter for some reason.

Yes! Some of the new faces boarding The Batman: Part II include Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson and Charles Dance. Last month, Deadline’s sources reported that Stan was cast as Harvey Dent—with no word on whether he transforms into Two-Face during the film. Dance (Game of Thrones’s Tywin Lannister) is rumored to play Dent’s father, while Johansson is reportedly set to portray Dent’s wife.

Sadly, a new villain likely rules out returns for Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman and Colin Farrell’s Penguin. Though either character could make a cameo without starring as a central villain—much like Farrell’s foe in The Batman—it doesn’t look like Kravitz is set to appear in the sequel.

In September, Farrell revealed to The Hollywood Reporterthat he now has "an even smaller role" in the sequel, compared to the first film, despite his spinoff series on HBO Max. “But I’m OK with that,” he continued. “I've read the script, from start to finish." So, if anyone knows what’s coming, it’s Farrell.

Of course, Andy Serkis will also return to play Wayne’s butler, Alfred, alongside Jeffrey Wright as GCPD lieutenant Jim Gordon.

We’ll know more about The Batman: Part II soon enough. The film is currently set to hit theaters on October 1, 2027. But the fact that a few pictures of the Batmobile rolling through the snow is enough to send the Internet into a tizzy means that even now, when superhero movies are at their lowest, the Dark Knight still rises.