The Batman 2 Has A 78-Year-Long DC Streak To Destroy Thanks To Paul Dano

The Batman - Part II has the chance to break a strange villain record, depending on the involvement of Mr Paul Dano. It's hard to believe it's already been four years since Matt Reeves The Batman arrived, and presented one of the darkest takes on the superhero to date. The movie received some critical dings for its near three-hour length and humorless approach, but it also received praise for its performances and visuals.

After various delays, the official casting for The Batman - Part II is finally taking shape. Thus far, director Matt Reeves has confirmed the return of Robert Pattinson, Jeffrey Wright and Colin Farrell, while Sebastian Stan is also part of the cast. So far, Reeves has only revealed the returning players, but is expected to announce newcomers to the ensemble today (May 14).

Naturally, speculation is rife about the movie's story and possible villains. Since Gotham City will be nice and snowy in the sequel, fans are hoping Mr Freeze will appear in The Batman - Part II. Sebastian Stan has been linked to the Harvey Dent role, which, if true, could either mean the District Attorney transforms into Two-Face or the sequel will set the villain up for a future entry.

These are questions that likely won't be answered until a trailer arrives. Another mystery is whether Paul Dano will return for The Batman - Part II as Edward Nashton (AKA The Riddler). Dano's villain unleashed a literal wave of terror upon Gotham in the first instalment and was last seen conspiring in prison with Barry Keoghan's Joker.

The Batman 2 Is Perfectly Primed To Break A Major DC Villain Streak

Assuming Dano returns for The Batman - Part II, that would break a nearly 80-year streak for the character. The Riddler has yet to appear in more than one live-action Batman movie in a row, so if Dano comes back, that record would be officially broken. While Frank Gorshin played The Riddler in ten episodes of the 1960s Batman series, he only got to flex his comic muscles once for the show's movie spinoff.

Jim Carrey cemented his A-list status when he played the part in 1995's Batman Forever, but despite surviving the movie, Carrey's Riddler didn't return for the next outing. It's also unlikely Carrey would have been interested in reprising the part, as he tended to avoid sequels during this era.

Dano returning as The Riddler was nicely set up by The Batman's ending, but it's possible the plot could head in another direction. It wouldn't do the sequel any favors if Reeves were made to jam a lot of Batman villains into the plot, but considering how closely tied The Riddler is to Pattinson's Caped Crusader, it would be nice to see them square off again.

Why The Riddler Needs To Be In The Batman 2

Nashton's goal in The Batman was to unearth Gotham's buried secrets and expose corruption at the heart of the city. His act of destroying Gotham's seawall changed the city's landscape too, so it would feel strange for The Batman - Part II to completely avoid the character.

Perhaps Dano could return in for a cameo - similiar to the Joker's appearance in the first outing - or he could escape prison and team with the latest villain. While it used to be standard formula for the Batman films to introduce a new bad guy every time out, those days are long gone.

If anything, it would be refreshing to see The Riddler return and see how his goals have evolved after he technically succeeded in his aims. It also feels like there's unfinished business between Batman and Nashton, so benching that plotline in favor of a new rogue isn't the best way to go. Of course, Reeves earned a lot of trust the first time out, so it's unlikely The Batman - Part II will disappoint anyone when it arrives in 2027.

Release Date October 1, 2027

Writers Matt Reeves, Mattson Tomlin, Bill Finger, Bob Kane