Fan theories about The Batman – Part II‘s main villain abound, but many of them ignore one scenario already established by Matt Reeves’ The Batman. Robert Pattinson’s Batman concluded his first encounter with a DC villain with a new outlook on his crusade, but also with the knowledge that similar threats will inevitably arise. Meanwhile, The Batman‘s ending scene reveals the Riddler has met a new friend at Arkham.

Three years after The Batman hit theaters, Matt Reeves has finished writing The Batman – Part II, meaning that production might begin in late 2025 or early 2026. Naturally, speculation has skyrocketed, especially since DC Studios announced a Clayface movie set in the DCU and practically removed the shapeshifting villain from consideration for The Batman – Part II‘s main antagonist. Still, there are several DC villains who could suit The Batman – Part II‘s grounded and gritty tone.

Many DC Villains Seem Like Perfect Candidates For The Batman 2’s Main Antagonist Role

Multiple Batman Enemies Are Popular Choices For Robert Pattinson’s Next DC Enemy

The Batman‘s ultra-realistic tone offers the chance to adapt several DC villains who haven’t had the chance to shine on the big screen. Hugo Strange, Black Mask, and Professor Pyg are some of the Batman foes who have made their live-action debut in recent years yet haven’t enjoyed the same popularity as villains like the Riddler and the Penguin. A main antagonist role in The Batman – Part II could catapult them to A-list status and make the sequel’s plot unique.

Considering the aftermath of the Riddler’s attacks, villains like Mister Freeze, Killer Croc, and Poison Ivy could take advantage of Gotham’s floods to strengthen their bodies or weapons. Meanwhile, the Court of Owls might continue to extend their control over Gotham from the shadows, and Robert Pattinson’s Batman may only discover their influence at some point in The Batman – Part II. Hush or Talon could be The Batman – Part II‘s main antagonists as a result.

The Batman Proved Multiple Simultaneous Villains Can Work In Part 2

The Batman Featured 5 Major DC Comics Villains

Discussions about The Batman – Part II propose a wide variety of DC Comics villains, but multiple of these theories could be accurate simultaneously. Matt Reeves added five major members of the Dark Knight’s rogues gallery to The Batman, and they’re balanced perfectly. Paul Dano’s Riddler is clearly the main antagonist, while the Penguin and Carmine Falcone serve as secondary antagonists, Catwoman becomes a full-fledged hero, and the Joker makes a cameo at the very end.

Christopher Nolan pulled a similar feat in the Dark Knight trilogy with at least two DC Comics villains taking center stage in every installment. Both Reeves and Nolan chose not to portray these characters as purely evil, which was a significant flaw in Joel Schumacher’s films. Their handling of multiple DC villains was also much more subdued than Tim Burton’s, as The Dark Knight and The Batman‘s antagonist characters don’t come across as mustache-twirling bad guys.

The Batman – Part II Will Likely Have More Than 1 Antagonistic Force Anyway

At Least Two Secondary Antagonists May Be Present In The Batman – Part II

Besides its unconfirmed main antagonist, The Batman – Part II will bring back Oz Cobb. Colin Farrell’s Oz abandoned all his remaining traces of heroism in The Penguin, which suggests he will become a bigger threat in The Batman – Part II. The Batman‘s Court of Owls references will likely be developed in the sequel as well. It wouldn’t be difficult for The Batman – Part II to feature Riddler and Joker cameos, and introduce multiple new antagonists without overstuffing its plot.