Movies

These Batman Villains Have Never Been in a Movie, But Pattinson’s Trilogy May Change That

Matt Reeves’ Dark Knight would have trouble with this group.

Robert Pattinson in The Batman
Image courtesy of DC Studios.

Matt Reeves’ The Batman puts its titular hero through the wringer. At the start of the movie, he’s tracking a serial killer that’s leaving clues specifically for him, putting the Gotham City Police Department on edge because it doesn’t trust vigilantes. The investigation Batman conducts alongside Jim Gordon begins to clarify his role in the plot. Eventually, the hero gains the upper hand and thwarts the Riddler’s plan to kill the mayor-elect. However, cutting off one head will make more grow in its place, with the Penguin seizing control of Gotham’s underworld and Joker scheming in Arkham Asylum to bring down the Dark Knight with the Riddler’s help.

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While the end of The Batman seems to tease that the Clown Prince of Crime and Oz Cobb will be the apple of the Caped Crusader’s eye moving forward, there might be other messes to clean up. The Riddler exposed a lot of Gotham’s corruption, but he may have only reached the tip of the iceberg. There’s another group of villains that could be pulling the strings in Reeves’ Gotham, and they have some serious history with the Wayne family.

The Court of Owls Has Always Been Part of Batman’s Life

Batman Attacked by the Court of Owls

Gotham City has been around so long in DC Comics that it’s gone through some serious transformations. Arguably, the biggest one involves the introduction of the Court of Owls, which happens in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman Vol 2 #2. It comes to light that an organization comprised of wealthy families has been operating in the shadows for centuries, ensuring that Gotham works to benefit them and no one else. Bruce’s great-great-grandfather, Alan Wayne, learns of the Court of Owls’ existence and attempts to expose them, but the Talons, a group of expert assassins, get to him before he can get the truth out. Decades later, Bruce believes the organization has something to do with the death of his parents, though he can’t prove it. The Court of Owls becomes a future problem for the Dark Knight, who turns his attention to cleaning up the city’s streets.

Well, it’s Bruce who gets on the organization’s radar, not Batman, when he announces plans to rebuild the city. William Cobb, the main Talon, comes after the billionaire, but he bites off more than he can chew when the Bat-Family gets involved. After Batman embarrasses the Court of Owls’ top hitman, it unleashes all of the Talons on Gotham, forcing Batman to kick things up a notch. While Robert Pattinson’s Batman isn’t in a place where he can face off against the entirety of the Court of Owls on his own, rumors about The Batman Part II tease that there could come a time when it makes sense to bring the organization to the big screen.

The Batman Trilogy Has a Place for the Court of Owls

Robert Pattinson as Batman in The Batman 2022

James Gunn said fans shouldn’t believe everything they hear, but he didn’t shoot down the rumors of Robin appearing in The Batman Part II. If Dick Grayson or another version of the hero is on the way, the sequel will be the perfect place for them to hone their skills as they fight whatever villain Reeves pits them and the Dark Knight up against. Along the way, the Dynamic Duo can unearth more clues about the true power in Gotham. Reeves can then follow in the footsteps of the comic books, which have Dick infiltrate the Court of Owls as a double agent. The organization sees a lot of potential in the former acrobat, and that kind of angle seems right up Reeves’ alley.

The end of The Batman Part II can reveal the Court of Owls’ existence and even tease their interest in the titular hero’s sidekick. Of course, Batman will be ten steps ahead of them in the third movie in the trilogy, but they won’t know that until it’s too late. The people of Gotham will learn about who’s been making them suffer all these years, and the Bat-Family will earn more respect, ensuring that bad guys know it isn’t to be messed with moving forward.

The Batman Part II hits theaters on October 1, 2027.

Would you like to see the Court of Owls in The Batman trilogy? What kind of plans do you think they would have for Gotham? Let us know in the comments below!