Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Batman.
It’s happening, and sooner than expected. The Dark Knight will return in a harrowing sequel to the recently released Matt Reeves film, The Batman. Captivating audiences around the globe, the latest adaptation of Batman’s big-screen persona was undoubtedly a hit.
Fans of the brooding billionaire found the world Reeves created to be vibrant and gothic, with Robert Pattinson’s performance of the Dark Knight being hailed as the best ever put to film. Pattinson’s Batman was compelling, tortured, and held his angst at a level of comic book accuracy that few other actors have been able to capture over the years.
The above video essay was produced beautifully by Youtuber Captain Midnight. His comprehensive take on The Batman details what makes the latest film so special.
News of the second movie comes via CinemaCon in Las Vegas, which began earlier this week and ends on Thursday. A true highlight of the event, the announcement for a follow up to The Batman, already has fans clamoring for more details.
With a finale as open-ended as that of The Batman, it seems that the filmmakers involved could take this particular story of Gotham’s Protector in just about any direction imaginable. That in mind, here are a few fan theories as to where Batman will go next, and what sort of perils the World’s Greatest Detective could face along the way. Be warned, spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen The Batman.
Where would the sequel take place?
Blüdhaven
Otherwise known as Gotham on steroids, Blüdhaven is the not-so-subtly named sister city of Batman’s usual haunt. It’s riddled with more crime, more death, and generally more of everything that Batman doesn’t quite gel with. At the end of The Batman, Selina Kyle (Catwoman) mentions she may leave to start a new life in Blüdhaven. Which probably isn’t the smartest choice, but could take the sequel in an interesting direction.
Christmas in Gotham
The Batman is set during late fall, with winter fast approaching. If the sequel decides to tackle the aftermath of The Riddler’s bombing of Gotham City’s seawall, then it would stand to reason that the next film could take place during the holidays. This would be an interesting twist to Batman’s cinematic history, where most films have stayed away from snow and ice. Still, juxtaposing Batman’s dark aesthetic against the whites and blues of winter could be an incredibly interesting development. Speaking of ice…
Who would Batman be up against?
Mr. Freeze
Many fans have been wanting to see a well done Mr. Freeze. One of Batman’s most complex villains, Dr. Victor Fries (Mr. FreezeO isn’t necessarily a bad guy for the sake of being bad. Rather, Mr. Freeze is a tragic character caught up in trying to save the life of his dying wife. That obsession prompts Freeze to commit crimes in order to fund his research, which puts the supervillain at odds with Batman. Here’s a great video discussing why Mr. Freeze is the perfect choice for the next Batman film. If Freeze can stay away from the ice puns, things could get incredibly…cool.
The Joker
There can’t be one without the other, and clearly this new Batman needs his Joker. In an unreleased scene from The Batman that can be found online, Batman goes to Arkham Asylum to speak with an unnamed prisoner. That character clearly seems to be an early depiction of the Joker and if his on- screen representation is any indicator, this interpretation of The Clown Prince of Crime is going to be terrifying.
The only problem is that with so many Joker performances lately, the character itself may have gotten stale amongst audiences. As much fun as it is to see the Joker cause chaos, it might be best that Batman moves on for a while, allowing new narratives to shape the next film.
The Court of Owls
This particular group of villains spawns an entirely fresh take on Gotham’s underworld. Following the story that began in the beloved 2011 comic book run, the Court of Owls are a shadowy cult society that uses money and power to rule Gotham in secret. The issue here is that the Court of Owls storyline mirrors some of the themes Reeves and company explored with Carmine Falcone’s underground mafia in The Batman.
Regardless, the Court of Owls is a true highlight of contemporary Batman stories and it would be a shame if the filmmakers didn’t dive headfirst into the ideas brought forth in those comics. Even the actors involved with The Batman know how fantastic the Court of Owls is, as seen in this clip of the cast reading fan theories; Pattinson freaks out at their mention, it’s fantastic.
It’s safe to say that the minds behind The Batman have plenty of material to work with when it comes to planning a sequel. With the movie being at least a few years away, all we can do now is anxiously wait and see what the filmmakers come up with.