The Villains For ‘The Batman Part II' May Have Just Been Revealed

Are these the villains that Robert Pattinson’s Batman will face off against?

The Batman (2022) marked a return for many things in the Batman franchise. There was a return to realism and a return to the darker side of the character. Like The Dark Knight Trilogy, The Batman spun origin stories and character descriptions to be a bit more plausible than previously imagined. It made for compelling storytelling and may well make for a compelling sequel!

Related: James Gunn Says ‘The Batman: Part II’ Releasing “as Early as It Possibly Can”

In each iteration of Batman, the Dark Knight is only as good as his villains. Keaton had Nicholson and DeVito, Bale had Murphy, Ledger, and Hardy, and now, Pattinson has had Dano, Ferrell, and others! Much in the same way that The Dark Knight (2008) did away with the classic falling in a vat of acid for The Joker (Heath Ledger), The Batman got rid of Penguin’s (Colin Farrell) beak nose and top hat and The Riddler’s (Paul Dano) vibrant green suit and bowler.

Instead, audiences saw a dark and plausible Oswald Cobblepot (Farrell), who was a middleman in the Gotham City mob. Instead of controlling legions of literal penguins or flying around on an umbrella, he was dealing with death, drugs, and lasciviousness. He was actually not only plausible but, because of that, more than a little offputting. Dano’s Riddler went a few steps further.

Reminiscent of historical serial killers and terrorists, The Riddler (Dano) was always one step ahead, even until the very end. Though his plans fell apart, and he was sent to Arkham, Gotham was still inundated, and the damage was done. What’s more, Edward Nashton (Dano) was placed, foolishly, or perhaps by design, within earshot of Barry Keoghan’s Joker. With encouragement from a disturbed mind like that, who knows what The Riddler (Dano) could become?

Fans may yet find out. According to a potential new leak reported by The Direct, not only Dano but Farrell as well will be returning for The Batman Part II (2025). If this turns out to be true, that would mean that Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne/Batman would have to deal with at least The Penguin (Farrell), The Riddler (Dano), and more likely than not, The Joker (Keoghan), if not more members of the Rogue’s Gallery. Will he be up to the challenge?

Related: New Set Video Of ‘The Batman’ Spinoff Series Reveals Potential R Rating

Whoever he ends up facing, it’s bound to be a very interesting installment into what Matt Reeves has already dubbed “The Bat-Verse.” Recently, James Gunn and Peter Safran were even accused of pushing around the release date for Part II but simply stated that it is coming out as early as possible and that they were giving Reeves and his crew enough time to make it the very best film it can be.

The Batman Part II hits theaters on October 3, 2025, and stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/The Batman, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth as confirmed characters, with many other actors being rumored to return as well.

What do you think about this possible return? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments below!