As The Batman: Part II's Villain Rumors Swirl, I'm Pumped The Movie Finally Took Another Big Step Forward

While it remains to be seen when the DC Universe’s Batman will be introduced in The Brave and the Bold (or perhaps sooner), movement on Robert Pattinson’s reprisal of the Caped Crusader continues at a steady pace. The Batman: Part II is still set for a 2027 release, and filmmaker Matt Reeves announced at the end of June that he’d finished the script. Now the upcoming DC movie has taken another big step forward, and this comes as villain rumors for Part II are swirling.

The Batman: Part II Is Getting Ready To Begin Filming

As shared by Productionlist, which is part of the Film & Television Industry Alliance, The Batman: Part II has entered preproduction and is set to begin filming on January 1, 2026 at Warner Bros. Leavesden in London. Its predecessor also shot in England’s capital, so it’s not surprising the sequel will roll cameras at that same WB location. As described in the announcement, the Leavsden facility provides access to “ high-end soundstages and set-building facilities—ideal for Gotham’s gritty transformation and sweeping practical environments.”

With five months to go until The Batman: Part II’s principal photography kicks off, the remainder of 2024 will be spent organizing the project’s departments, including production design, art direction, stunt coordination, costume, makeup, grip, lighting, camera, VFX, and post-production planning. It’s also mentioned that casting calls and crew notices will start going out in the fall. The former is especially notable, as it means we’ll likely learn which new actors are coming aboard for Part II before the year is done.

James Gunn Has Been Shutting Down The Batman: Part II Villain Rumors

It’ll be nice when that casting information starts coming in, particularly when it comes to The Batman: Part II’s villains. As is often the case with superhero movies, rumors have been running rampant about which baddies are going to cause trouble for Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight this time around. The latest bout of speculation points to Tommy Elliot, a.k.a. Hush, occupying the main antagonist position. James Gunn debunked that a few days ago, saying “Again everything you've heard is a total guess or made up.”

As the co-head of DC Studios, Gunn is one of the few people who knows what’s being planned for The Batman: Part II, and he read through the script in early July. But outside of calling what Matt Reeves and Mattson Tomlin penned “great,” he’s naturally not willing to share any specific details about this highly-anticipated upcoming superhero movie. The only villain we know for sure will be present in Part II is Colin Farrell’s Penguin, who was the focus of the Emmy-nominated miniseries that aired on HBO last year. Even Barry Keoghan’s Joker is guaranteed to appear following his shadowy cameo in The Batman’s ending.

The Batman: Part II will cast its shadow over theaters on October 1, 2027, and Robert Pattinson and Colin Farrell will be joined again by Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth and Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon. I look forward to getting a clearer picture of what this sequel holds in store as we move towards its production start date. Until then, continue to be skeptical about any villain rumors you come across.