Sebastian Stan's character in The Batman: Part 2 is clearer than ever after a new look at the actor off-set emerged online. Finally, The Batman 2 is edging closer to release after recently starting filming, and yet, the identity of its main villain remains a mystery. Recent reports have pointed toward another deep story of Gotham's corruption involving the Dent family and the Court of Owls. One of the latest additions to Reeves' reality is Marvel Studios' Winter Soldier actor Sebastian Stan, who was once rumored to play Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face, but now seems to be playing a different Batman villain entirely.
Following The Batman: Part 2's recent start of production in mid-June, Sebastian Stan was spotted (via @paintedstork_) sporting a bald, clean-shaven look. Not only is this the first peak at Stan's reinvented appearance for the Matt Reeves blockbuster, but it also seemingly confirms his mystery villain's identity.
The photo corroborates Jeff Sneider's report that Stan isn't playing Harvey Dent after all, but rather the bald, psychopathic serial killer Victor Zsasz. Meanwhile, The Batman 2's Dent will reportedly be brought to life by Eternals' Brian Tyree Henry.
A clean-shaven look would certainly be out of character for Dent, who Stan was originally reported to be playing, as Gotham's district attorney typically maintains a full head of hair even after he is disfigured into Two-Face.
Loyal Batman fans will be familiar with Victor Zsasz, who was played in Gotham by Anthony Carrigan and Birds of Prey by Chris Messina. He is perhaps the Dark Knight's most sadistic serial killer villain, who carves a tally mark onto his skin for each of his victims, usually totaling well over 100.
The Batman 2 is now in production in the U.K. and will finally hit theaters on October 1, 2027. Beyond Sebastian Stan, the Matt Reeves-directed blockbuster will also star Robert Pattinson, Andy Serkis, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Charles Dance, and more.
I Think I Know Why Victor Zsasz Appears in The Batman: Part 2
The Batman: Part 2 is expected to go where The Dark Knight trilogy never could, introducing the Court of Owls, an ancient order that has been running Gotham from the shadows for generations. The secret society of Gotham's elite exert their influence through highly skilled assassins known as Talons.
Many fans have already theorized that Scarlett Johansson's character, rumored to be Harvey Dent's wife Gilda, is one of The Batman 2's secret villains. With the Court of Owls' influence hanging over the DC Elseworlds sequel, perhaps Gilda may be a Talon, possibly working under Charles Dance's mystery character.
The Batman 2's villainous front is still shrouded in mystery, as Brian Tyree Henry, a Black actor, is cast as Harvey Dent, raising questions about whether Game of Thrones alum Dance is actually playing his father, Christopher Dent, as had been widely reported when Sebastian Stan was believed to be the tragic Two-Face.
So, with all of that in mind, it's tough to see how Victor Zsasz, who it seems Stan is actually playing, could fit into that larger mystery. It's tough to imagine a C-tier rogue like Zsasz being The Batman 2's main villain, so perhaps Stan could have a smaller role in the sequel or be working for somebody more important.
The Batman 2 could open with Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight investigating a new string of murders in Gotham that eventually leads him to Zsasz, which in turn puts him on the trail of the Court of Owls. Matt Reeves didn't hesitate to reinvent the Riddler for The Batman, and he could do the same with Zsasz, possibly even having him work for the Court of Owls as a Talon-like assassin.
