The Batman 2 Movie: All 7 Villains Now Rumored to Appear

With The Batman 2 still early in the development process, a number of major Caped Crusader villains are rumored to be part of the next chapter in Matt Reeves' story. Although The Batman came to theaters in March 2022, development on its eagerly-awaited sequel has been slow-going in the wake of James Gunn and Peter Safran's takeover of DC Studios.

Seven major villains are now rumored to play roles in Matt Reeves' The Batman - Part 2. While fans have been worried about the movie being canceled, Matt Reeves is hard at work developing the story and cast for this new Elseworlds movie while DC Studios Co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran develop the mainline DCU. Now, after fighting the Penguin, the Riddler, and Carmine Falcone in the first film, all signs point to the villain roster being expanded for the sequel.

The Batman - Part 2 will bring back Robert Pattinson for his second DC solo movie under the direction of Matt Reeves, following their work on the original 2022 movie. Currently, story details are still being developed, but Pattinson's Bruce Wayne is expected to have more than a few antagonists standing in his way after Gotham was flooded in the first film. The Batman - Part 2 is currently set to hit theaters on October 1, 2027.

Every Villain Rumored for The Batman 2

Penguin

Following an epic run in his own solo series on HBO Max, Colin Farrell's Oz (Oswald Cobblepot) will make his return to Matt Reeves' universe with a role in The Batman 2, as noted by Reeves at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. Following his rise to power through the Gotham underworld in the wake of Carmine Falcone's death, Oz is sure to be a powerful force against Robert Pattinson's Batman in the next movie.

Currently running the Iceberg Lounge night club, the Penguin will have an even greater influence over Gotham in his return than he did while working under Carmine Falcone in The Batman. While his specific storyline is unknown, fans will be eager to see where he goes after such a successful run in the streaming world.

Riddler

In March 2023, insider Daniel Richtman reported that Paul Dano will be back to play the Riddler again in The Batman - Part 2. In 2022's The Batman, Dano's Riddler was the leading villain against Pattinson's Dark Knight, inciting the city of Gotham into a panic and using social media to his advantage in his plot to take over the city.

The Riddler was last seen in the final moments of The Batman being thrown into Arkham Asylum, and he did not make an appearance in The Penguin. Fans will look forward to seeing him finding his way back out into the world, particularly as he likely embraces the chaos reigning in Gotham and uses it to his advantage.

Clayface

A Deadline report from March 2023 teased that The Batman 2 would add to its roster of villains with Clayface, one of the hero's most notable antagonists from the comics.

This seems to be separate from the solo Clayface movie being developed for the main DCU timeline, which recently brought on Tom Rhys Harries to play the leading role in 2026. A different actor is likely to be cast for this Elseworlds story, and there are no indications for how Basil Karlo will make his way into this universe alongside Robert Pattinson and Colin Farrell.

Hush

While nothing is official yet, scooper Daniel Richtman reported in late 2023 that the villain Hush was rumored to be on the roster of characters in line for The Batman 2.

In The Batman and The Penguin, fans heard mention of a landmark named Elliot Bridge, which was believed to be a reference to Tommy Elliot, who goes by the alter-ego of Hush in the comics. Along with reports noting that this was intentionally included, Matt Reeves is on record commenting about Hugh being an interesting villain to look at, leading to further speculation that he will be utilized in The Batman 2.

Two-Face

Reported by John Rocha on The Hot Mic podcast in June 2023, a rumor indicated that Harvey Dent would be included in The Batman 2. On top of that, Dent was rumored to eventually turn into his villainous Two-Face persona by the end of the movie, giving Batman another scary villain to face.

While a few names had reportedly been in the mix for the role, Harvey Dent has not been cast yet for Matt Reeves' Elseworlds universe, nor have any story details been teased for his introduction in The Batman 2.

Mr. Freeze

Also reported on The Hot Mic, Mr. Freeze was rumored to be a potential villainous option for the cast of The Batman 2, although no actors have been rumored to take the role.

Matt Reeves has confirmed that his new film will take place in the winter, making Mr. Freeze a logical option to use for the villain, particularly since he has not been seen in live-action since Arnold Schwarzenegger's portrayal in 1997's Batman & Robin.

Court of Owls

Speaking with SHOWSHA in September 2024, Matt Reeves neither confirmed nor denied that the Court of Owls would be in his second Batman movie after being asked about the antagonistic group.

Never done in a live-action movie before, this secretive organization could potentially rise as a new player in Gotham following the cataclysmic ending of the original movie. Thus far, nothing has been confirmed for their inclusion or the casting of any actors in these roles.