When in doubt, always bet on Batman. Gotham City’s Dark Knight is one of the most popular superheroes ever, and it’s no coincidence that The Batman is 2022’s biggest box office hit to date. It was only a matter of time before Warner Bros. Pictures gave the green light for a sequel. Via Deadline, WB made its official announcement at CinemaCon: Robert Pattinson will be back as Bruce Wayne/Batman in The Batman sequel.
The Batman writer and director Matt Reeves was welcomed on stage, where he revealed that he is already writing the sequel. Reeves also took a few moments to thank theater exhibitors for supporting his film.
“Thank you all for your tremendous support for The Batman,” said Reeves. “We couldn’t have gotten here without the faith and enthusiasm of all your teams around the world. I’m excited to jump back into this world for the next chapter.”
There are still some big questions about what’s next for Batman on the big screen. For now, Pattinson is the only cast member slated to return. Jeffrey Wright and Andy Serkis seem like strong contenders to reprise their roles as James Gordon and Alfred Pennyworth, respectively. Zoë Kravitz’s Selina Kyle (the future Catwoman) left town at the end of The Batman, but she will probably return at some point. As for Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot, he is getting his own Penguin spinoff series on HBO Max.
Barry Keoghan made a brief cameo appearance in The Batman as the Joker. And while the Joker might seem like the right choice for the next primary villain, he may be too obvious for Reeves. The parallels between The Batman 2 and The Dark Knight may also be unwelcome. Reeves has previously indicated that he would be interested in using a grounded version of Mr. Freeze. Yet at the moment, the director is playing his cards close to the vest.
The Batman 2 doesn’t have a release date or an official title. But wherever it lands on the calendar, it will be an event.
