Matt Reeves is coming back as director for The Batman 2, the sequel to his critically-acclaimed take on the Dark Knight starring Robert Pattinson. Warner Bros. broke the news out today at their panel at CinemaCon, reassuring fans that Reeves’ vision for Gotham City will continue to expand in the upcoming years.
While it is great to have official confirmation that The Batman 2 is in early development, by now, no one doubted a sequel would happen. For starters, Reeves’ The Batman already crossed the mark of $750 million at the international box office, making it an absolute commercial success, especially taking into account that movie theaters are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic. Also, considering how The Batman is one of the best-reviewed DC films ever made, it’s evident that Warner Bros. would want to keep investing in Reeves’ take on the World’s Greatest Detective.
Furthermore, even though a sequel was not yet confirmed, Reeves already had big plans for his adaptation of Batman. Reeves is already attached to two new spinoff series being developed for HBO Max, one focused on Arkham Asylum and the Gotham City Police Department, and the other giving the spotlight to Colin Farrell’s Penguin. Besides that, Reeves seems to have a clear idea of where other classic Batman villains fit in his version of the DC universe, having even recorded an extended scene with Barry Keoghan as the Joker that teases the relationship between the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime. Long story short, Reeves wants to keep working with Batman, and Warner Bros. thinks it can keep making money by allowing the filmmaker to remain attached to the franchise. Of course, who wins the most are the fans, who’ll keep following the adventures of Pattison’s hero for many years to come.
The Batman takes place in “Year Two” of Bruce Wayne acting as the Dark Knight, when the legend of the vigilante has already spread through Gotham’s streets, but the hero still hasn’t gained the trust of the citizens. In the film, Batman must confront the errors of his actions once he comes across the Riddler (Paul Dano), a brutal serial killer who believes he’s cleaning Gotham in his own way.
The Batman's cast also includes Zoë Kravitz as the thief Catwoman, Colin Farrell as the Penguin, Andy Serkis as Wayne's butler Alfred Pennyworth, Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon, and John Turturro as Carmine Falcone. Unfortunately, we still don’t know which cast members will be back for the sequel.
There’s still no release date for The Batman 2, but the first film is already available on HBO Max.