After multiple delays, the long-awaited The Batman Part II is finally rounding into shape. Director Matt Reeves plans to start production next year ahead of the sequel’s scheduled 2027 release date, which means casting is one of the top priorities to take care of now. The Batman Part II will feature several returning franchise veterans, such as Robert Pattinson, Colin Farrell, and Andy Serkis, but there are also plenty of new roles to fill. Recently, none other than former Marvel star Scarlett Johansson joined the project in a mystery role. As fans theorize about who the Oscar nominee could be playing, the latest info regarding The Batman Part II might provide some clues.
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In the latest edition of his newsletter, industry insider Jeff Sneider shared some updates on The Batman Part II. He notes that Johansson’s character “remains under wraps” for the time being. One hypothesis is that she could play “a new love interest for Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne” (filling the void left by Zoë Kravitz’s absence), but the prevailing belief is Johansson’s role is “villainous in nature.”
Also on the villain front, Sneider mentioned that “there’s another male villain as well — possibly Doctor Arkham. But that’s just a rumor for now.” If that rumor proves true, it could reveal who Johansson is portraying.
Is Scarlett Johansson Playing the Arkham Knight in The Batman Part II?
If a “Doctor Arkham” is going to be part of The Batman Part II, it opens the door for Reeves and Co. to bring the character of Astrid Arkham to the fold. In the comics, Astrid is the daughter of Jeremiah Arkham and Ingrid Karlsson, two doctors at the facility who cared for some of Gotham’s most notorious criminals. Tragically, Ingrid died shortly after Astrid was born, being struck by a Batarang thrown by an Arkham inmate attempting to escape during a prison riot. When she grew older, Astrid mistakenly believed it was Batman who killed her mother, and she made it her mission to take down the Dark Knight, assuming the identity of the Arkham Knight.
Official plot details for The Batman Part II are being kept under wraps for now, though Reeves has hinted he wanted to use a villain who hasn’t appeared in a film before. So many members of Batman’s iconic rogues’ gallery have already been brought to the big screen, which eliminates several potential candidates. Astrid Arkham has never been the antagonist of a Batman movie before, so she could be a possibility. Her inclusion in The Batman Part II would be refreshingly different, exposing the character to a wider, mainstream audience. Using Astrid could also provide Reeves with a gateway to explore Gotham’s underworld from a unique angle; in the comics, Astrid befriended many of the inmates at Arkham Asylum and saw Batman as a monster that tortured them.
Another tease Reeves has shared about The Batman Part II is that he wants to do a deep dive into the character of Bruce Wayne, choosing a villain that “goes into his past and his life.” Those comments fueled fan theories purporting Hush could be the sequel’s primary villain, as Hush (aka Thomas Elliott) was Bruce’s childhood friend before developing a grudge against the Wayne family. Astrid Arkham’s beef is with Batman, not Bruce Wayne, so Reeves and Co. would have to make some changes to the source material if they really are planning on using Arkham Knight. The director’s previous statements on the nature of the villain arguably make someone like the Phantasm a more likely possibility; Phantasm’s real identity is Andrea Beaumont, a former lover of Bruce Wayne.
The Arkham Knight would definitely be a fascinating choice for The Batman Part II‘s villain. A very different version of the character exists in other corners of Batman lore. Gamers are probably familiar with Rocksteady’s take in the video game Batman: Arkham Knight, which reimagined the titular antagonist as a vengeful Jason Todd. People who only know this iteration would probably be surprised to see such a dissimilar (yet more comics-accurate) take in the film, potentially making the portrayal of the character polarizing. It’ll be interesting to see if anyone involved with The Batman Part II provides some clarity on the rumors before the film begins production.
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