The Batman is about to take the movie-going world by storm, and fans of the Caped Crusader cannot wait. The Matt Reeves-directed DC epic has been screening for critics and fans the world over, and early indications point to the film being a resounding success. Reviews have been largely glowing, and Warner Bros. has already started talks around a sequel to the project.
The Robert Pattinson-starring Gotham tale has been a long time coming. After a number of delays due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the film is about to finally hit theaters worldwide. And coming into The Batman's official release, the eyes of many will begin to look to the horizon, asking what comes next.
Surely, for whatever this The Batman 2 looks like, Pattinson will be back as the Dark Knight himself, but where the filmmakers go on the villain front remains to be seen. Teases of a Joker storyline being set up for a sequel have been the talk of many Bat-fam faithful, and Matt Reeves himself has even hinted at the idea of Mr. Freeze existing in this universe.
Another name, though, just entered the big bad conversation, and it feels like it could be a perfect fit for a The Batman follow-up.
Pattinson Teases the Court of Owls
In an interview with Vanity Fair, The Batman star Robert Pattinson teased the idea of the Court of Owls as a potential antagonist in a second Matt Reeves Batman film.
The actor, alongside his costars Paul Dano and Zoe Kravitz, hinted that he was "thinking Court of Owls is probably gonna be in the sequel." Dano responded, "Court of Owls would be dope. Good thing it’s not in this film."
The trio then closed this out with a wink and a nod, as Kravitz and Dano playfully questioned, "Or is it?:"
Pattinson: "I was definitely kind of thinking Court of Owls is probably gonna be in the sequel."
Dano: "Ooo, don’t say it."
Pattinson: "It definitely seems like-- I mean, I am literally just guessing, I just keep saying it."
Dano: "Court of Owls would be dope. Good thing it’s not in this film [sarcastic]."
Kravitz: "Or is it?"
Dano: "Or is it?"
The Perfect Batman 2 Villain
Robert Pattinson, Paul Dano, and Zoe Kravitz are not the only people who would love to see a Court of Owls inclusion in the potential The Batman 2. Ever since the first trailer for this Matt Reeves take on Gotham hit the internet, fans have been clamoring to see the Court make an appearance.
The Court of Owls has quickly become one of the most beloved antagonists in Batman lore, even though they have not been around all that long at all. After first appearing in the 2011 Scott Snyder run of Batman, the mysterious group has worked its way into many hardcore fans' all-timer lists.
On the page, the Court is a secretive contingent of the rich and influential, who have ruled over Gotham (and eventually the world) for centuries. The Owls' conspiracy has never been found. However, it all changes when Bruce Wayne/Batman gets involved.
The Court and their soldiers (aka Talons) are set to make their next venture out of comics as they appear in the upcoming Gotham Knights video game. In that iteration of the group, Bruce/Batman has died, and it is up to the rest of the Bat-Family to pick up the pieces and uncover just how deep this group goes.
All of this sounds like it would be a perfect match with this new universe that Reeves and co. are setting up. The whole conceit of The Batman is a conspiracy surrounding a mysterious serial killer in the Riddler, so Batman taking on an even bigger cabal in the Court next time around feels like it could work well on the big screen.
For now, though, fans will have to take in The Batman when it hits theaters on March 4, 2022 and patiently wait for that inevitable sequel.
