One of the stars of The Batman Epic Crime Saga has commented on his potential future ahead of the release of the next installment. The Batman Part 2 is finally gearing up for production, providing a sequel to Matt Reeves' DC Elseworlds projects, The Batman and The Penguin. The two projects have successfully established an interconnected universe in the world of DC, and one of the most intriguing characters to emerge from it was Theo Rossi's Dr. Julian Rush in The Penguin.
Rossi's character served as the psychiatrist to Cristin Milioti's Sofia Falcone, with the two developing a psychologically and romantically intimate relationship. As far as fans could tell, Dr. Rush was an original character created for The Penguin. However, his role as a doctor at Arkham Asylum and the presence of an intriguing mask in his office led many to theorize that he may be The Batman Epic Crime Saga's version of Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow.
When asked about this on the SXSW red carpet for his new film The Saviors, Rossi told The Direct that "there [were] a million different behind-the-scenes things" thrown in and that the mask was just one of many Easter eggs, with there being "so many more that people didn't notice."
The star cryptically teased his potential future as Scarecrow in 'The Batman Epic Crime Saga', saying, "Who knows what will happen one day?"
The Direct: "You're in The Penguin. There was a big theory going around... People noticed a mask..."
Theo Rossi: "Scarecrow, yeah."
The Direct: "Was it ever in consideration for you to be Scarecrow? Is that a thing?"
Theo Rossi: "Listen, there was a million different behind-the-scenes things... Who knows what will happen one day... But I'm so proud of that show and everyone involved, and it was an incredible show. And I think Cristin [Milioti] is a f---ing G and one of the greatest actors, and [showrunner] Lauren [LeFranc], who put it together, and my buddy Craig Zobel, who directed it. That stuff, those little Easter Eggs throughout are so much that it's funny. There's so many more that people didn't notice and talk about, that's just one of them."
Adding fuel to the fire regarding Rossi's potential role as Scarecrow was the presence not only of a suspect mask in his office but also of a suspicious-looking glove. The glove, which appears to have needles protruding, matches one similar to Scarecrow's syringe-adorned glove in the Batman: Arkham games.
At present, HBO has not confirmed whether a second season of The Penguin is in the works, though many hope it will happen.
Additionally, Rossi hasn't been confirmed as a cast member for The Batman: Part 2, which will continue the story of both The Batman and The Penguin and feature his co-star, Colin Farrell, though this doesn't preclude him from being included later down the line.
The Batman Part 2 will feature the return of Matt Reeves directing and Robert Pattinson as the titular hero, Batman. The cast includes Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, Andy Serkis, and Jeffrey Wright, and is scheduled for release on October 1, 2027.
Could Dr. Julian Rush Secretly be The Batman's Scarecrow?
While Rossi is still playing coy on Julian Rush's true potential, his character was left active at the end of The Penguin and was seen returning to work at Arkham Asylum. This would make a strong jumping-off point for his development into Scarecrow, if necessary.
Matt Reeves previously ruled out the Scarecrow as one of the possible villains for The Batman Part 2, hinting that his sequel will focus on a villain that has "never really been done in a movie before." Given that Cillian Murphy is known for portraying Jonathan Crane in The Dark Knight Trilogy, this seemingly removed him from contention for The Batman: Part 2, but it doesn't stop Scarecrow from being included in future The Batman Epic Crime Saga projects.
A second season of The Penguin seems like the most likely spot for Rossi to return to his role and for Dr. Julian Rush to continue being developed, particularly if some of the season were to be set in Arkham Asylum, where Sofia Falcone resides.
That said, there was also an Arkham Asylum project in development as part of Reeves' world, which, if it ever eventuates, would be another plausible place for Rush's potential evolution into Scarecrow to happen.
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