Sebastian Stan has been starring in high-profile movies for well over a decade now, and that’s in great part due to his work within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Because of that, the Oscar nominee has been trained in the art of not spoiling significant details. However, the fan-favorite actor just made a major faux pas in regarding his involvement in The Batman: Part II. Stan just flat-out revealed his role in Matt Reeves’ highly anticipated sequel and, ironically, he did so while discussing his commitment to not leaking secrets.
After Stan’s casting in Batman was reported earlier this year, the rumor mill began to churn, and it’s been moving steadily since then. The most common assumption has been that the A Different Man star is playing a villain in the superhero flick. As for who that baddie is, insiders have offered up different claims and, all the while, Stan’s been fancast as different antagonists. Well, many of those theories can now be put to rest, as Stan spilled the beans after being asked about his work on the also much-anticipated Avengers: Doomsday:
Honestly, I have absolutely no idea. Because we didn't have a script. We were just shooting scattered scenes. It's a different way of working, continuous, constantly evolving. The producers didn't want us to read it in its entirety, to avoid journalists asking us questions. (Laughs.) I've been following this rule for fifteen years, I'm used to it. I also can't say anything about The Batman: Part II, by Matt Reeves, where I play Harvey Dent.
I don’t know what strikes me more: the irony of the context in which Stan confirms his character or the casual way he dropped the news. What I’d love to have seen were the looks on the faces of Stan’s rep(s) when he shared that major detail with le journal du dimanche. To be clear, I’m also not upset to receive confirmation that the skilled actor is playing Harvey Dent (who becomes the villainous Two-Face in the comics). What I’m glad about, if anything, is that we can finally put the prologued rumors and discourse to rest.
Stan previously teased his Batman: Part II character a few months ago, as he said he was portraying “many roles in this one.” One one hand, that hint could’ve been taken as Stan referring to the multiple identities possessed by Dent. On the other hand, others weren’t so convinced Stan was playing Dent and hoped he might portray Tommy Elliot a.k.a. Hush. Another villain rumor also suggested Stan might play serial killer Victor Zsasz. The scrutiny surrounding the Avengers actor’s role became so intense that just earlier this month, many were pouring over his hairstyle for clues.
Harvey Dent does feel like a great role for Stan, though, as he’s adept at playing characters who can exude charm and wrestle with inner demons in their personal time. That would definitely sum up Bucky Barnes, who Stan has played in the MCU since 2011. However, I’d expect Dent to be much more twisted than the dry-witted Bucky.
Although we can now mark one Batman casting mystery as being solved, there are still plenty of others that remain uncertain. Scarlett Johansson’s role, in particular, is still being speculated upon to a major extent. Of course, all will be revealed in time, but I’d be surprised if Johansson or any other franchise newcomers choose to reveal their characters like Stan has.
The Batman: Part II opens in theaters on February 18, 2028. In the meantime, grab an HBO Max subscription and stream the original 2022 movie along with The Penguin.
