The Batman 2 is officially on the way in 2025, so here's every cast member likely to return and some new ones who might join the sequel.
Following the success of The Batman, director Matt Reeves will return with Part 2 in October 2025.
Reeves will continue to build out his Gotham crime saga alongside James Gunn's new and separate DCU, with multiple The Batman spin-offs on the way including Colin Farrell's The Penguin series which is set to debut in 2024.
Characters Likely To Appear in The Batman 2
Bruce Wayne/Batman - Robert Pattinson
Twilight star Robert Pattinson will be back as Bruce Wayne aka the Dark Knight for The Batman 2, continuing his crime saga journey after bringing the Riddler to justice at the end of the first movie.
The sequel is expected to explore more of Wayne's status as "the world's greatest detective" as he comes face to face with another iconic villain.
While The Batman focused almost exclusively on the hero by omitting much of Bruce Wayne himself, many have theorized the sequel will see him take on more of a role as a billionaire philanthropist looking to help further Gotham's future.
Pattinson's Batman will exist alongside a brand-new iteration of the Caped Crusader, played by a fresh actor, who will debut in Andy Muschietti's The Brave and the Bold as part of James Gunn's DCU reboot.
Alfred Pennyworth - Andy Serkis
Every Batman needs an Alfred, so Andy Serkis will be back in a major role for The Batman 2. In fact, the actor was among the first to have his return officially confirmed by director Matt Reeves.
Just as he did during The Batman, Alfred will likely continue to assist Bruce in his heroic activities and investigations going into the next movie. Perhaps his martial arts expertise may even come into play next time around.
Selina Kyle/Catwoman - Zoë Kravitz
Despite riding opposite ways from Pattinson's Batman toward Bludhaven, Zoë Kravitz's Selina Kyle aka Catwoman will likely be back for The Batman 2.
Catwoman served as the only love interest of The Batman, and many expect that will continue to be the case in the sequel. Perhaps she may once again tie into the movie's larger criminal mystery.
The cat burglar has been among the favorites to lead her own The Batman spin-off as Reeves' Gotham expands with Max original series' and even possible movies.
Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin - Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell's Gotham crime boss Oswald Cobblepot, better known as Penguin, will almost certainly be back for The Batman 2 after leading his own R-rated Max streaming series next year.
The villain's original series has been confirmed to "lead into the sequel," likely setting him up as a bigger part of Gotham's criminal underworld after the death of Carmine Falcone left a new power vacuum.
Just as with the first movie, Farrell's Penguin probably won't be the main villain, but he ought to once again take on a supporting role in the sequel.
Lieutenant James Gordon - Jeffrey Wright
Batman's GCPD partner James Gordon has always been a key part of the Gotham mythos, so Jeffrey Wright will be back in action for the sequel.
Gordon was a lieutenant in the GCPD during The Batman, and the follow-up will likely see him rise through the ranks further on his inevitable journey toward GCPD commissioner, the position he is best known for holding in DC.
A Gotham PD spin-off was once in development to The Batman, which had been referred to as "the James Gordon show." However, that project was later canceled and refactored into an Arkham Asylum series.
Edward Nashton/The Riddler - Paul Dano
Paul Dano's Riddler will reportedly be back for The Batman 2 following his incarceration in Arkham Asylum and meeting with the Joker.
However, as The Batman 2 moves onto a new lead antagonist, his role in the sequel will likely be far more minor than in the 2022 movie.
During a deleted scene from The Batman, the hero was supposed to visit Joker in prison for advice on catching Riddler. A similar concept could make its way into the sequel as Batman seeks out Edward Nashton for help on his latest case.
The Joker - Barry Keoghan
The Batman teased the Clown Prince of Crime as Barry Keoghan's Joker delivered a terrifying laugh after meeting Riddler. A deleted scene revealed a cut interaction between Batman and Joker as he sought his help during the movie's investigation.
Matt Reeves has called this Joker an "early days version," even going on to say he "[doesn't] know" whether he will return for the sequel, although Keoghan has been clear he is ready to return at any time.
While it doesn't seem Joker will be the villain of The Batman 2, it's likely he will at least appear, especially with an upcoming spin-off set to explore Arkham Asylum.
Bella Réal - Jayme Lawson
Following the assassination of Gotham's mayor Don Mitchell Jr., Bella Réal was elected as the city's new leader and a glimmer of hope for its future.
Réal will seek to rid Gotham of its deep-rooted corruption and reform its political structure, and during The Batman, she even confronted Bruce Wayne about how he could be doing more for the city as his family had in the past.
Moving into The Batman 2, Jayme Lawson's Mayor Réal will likely be back to some degree as she gets underway with this mission. Perhaps Wayne will find himself working with her to contribute more to Gotham's future.
Clayface
Batman villain Clayface will reportedly play a major role in the sequel, which will undoubtedly confuse many given how his famous super-powered and shape-shifting nature would conflict with the realistic nature of Reeves' Gotham.
However, there is another version of the villain in DC Comics with Basil “Baz” Karlo, an actor who once played a character called Clayface. After he heard of the movie he starred in being remade, Baz began killing off the original cast and culminated his murders by going after the man who took the role from him.
Clayface was also reported alongside Professor Pyg and Scarecrow to be among those Matt Reeves was eyeing to lead a villain spin-off movie. But ahead of that, it appears he will debut in The Batman 2, perhaps as its main villain.
More Characters Who Could Appear in The Batman 2
Matt Reeves quickly delivered an established Gotham with The Batman, introducing many key players in the hero's mythos and doing so with plenty of depth and history for all the heroes and villains in question.
Going into The Batman 2, the director is bound to keep expanding on that by bringing in more of the Dark Knight's rogues gallery and Gotham's most important inhabitants, even beyond what has already been reported.
Some major characters from the Batman mythos who are yet to come into play but could in the sequel include district attorney Harvey Dent, reporter Vicki Vale, and Wayne Enterprises tech genius Lucius Fox.
Additionally, with Professor Pyg and Scarecrow reportedly lined up for villain spin-offs alongside Clayface, perhaps they may find their way into The Batman 2.
One also has to consider the major players of The Penguin spin-off as potential characters for The Batman 2, among which are Cristin Milioti and Michael Zegen's Sofia and Alberto Falcone, respectively - the children of the deceased crime boss Carmine - as well as Clancy Brown's Salvatore Maroni.
The Batman 2 hits theaters on October 3, 2025.
