The Batman Part II Adds Another Marvel Favorite (And It Might Be a Secret Wars Spoiler)

Ever since The Batman was released in 2022 the road to its sequel has been a long one, with uncertainty and delays popping up and making this follow-up always seem two steps away from actually happening. In recent weeks, The Batman Part II has finally had momentum on its side. Not only were behind-the-camera creatives confirmed to be a part of the film, but the first bits of real casting were confirmed. We found out that Zoe Kravitz wouldn’t be back as Selina Kyle, but that in her absence, Matt Reeves had brought in former Marvel star Scarlett Johansson for a major role.

Now, even more casting news has been revealed for The Batman Part II. As production is gearing up for a spring start on the highly anticipated sequel, Deadline reports that none other than Sebastian Stan has been tapped for a role in the film, starring opposite his former Marvel co-star in Johansson, but also Robert Pattinson as The Batman. The arrival of another Marvel star in the cast of a new DC movie is a noteworthy one, but the news carries two major questions: Which character is Stan going to play? And what does this mean for his Marvel future?

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The Batman Part II Adds Sebastian Stan, Starting a Secret Wars Conflict

It’s unclear who Stan will be playing in The Batman Part II, but a few notable DC characters immediately come to mind as good fits, such as Harvey Dent aka Two-Face. Rumors persist that Johansson will take on the role of Gilda Gold in the film, a character who in the pages of DC Comics, is Harvey Dent’s wife, and has a major place in “The Long Halloween” storyline. It would be somewhat ironic if Stan and Johansson had to change franchises to become romantic scene partners, their characters of Bucky Barnes and Natasha Romanov never having any kind of romantic feelings on screen despite the relationship being comics canon.

There’s also the rumor that The Batman Part II will be bringing a “Doctor Arkham” into the fold, which some fans have theorized would be Jeremiah Arkham. Stan could very well be taking on that character as well, but given the smoke around the rumor of Johansson playing Gilda Gold, it’s possible that Stan could be the next actor to become Harvey Dent after Aaron Eckhart in The Dark Knight.

Stan’s casting in The Batman Part II raises a major question for his future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though, as the production timeline for both the DC sequel and Avengers: Secret Wars will almost certainly overlap. According to the latest report on the film, The Batman Part II is targeting a spring filming start, with production on Secret Wars starting around the same time (maybe later). It would be tough for Stan to be involved in both movies, which makes us wonder if Bucky Barnes will even make it out of Avengers: Doomsday alive. The potential also exists for Bucky to have a smaller role in Avengers: Secret Wars, meaning they could, in theory, work out the schedule, but right now it will be very tough for one actor to be in both projects.

The Batman Part II is scheduled for release on October 1, 2027.