The Strangers and Riverdale star Madelaine Petsch is making her DC dreams known loud and clear. The actress is campaigning to bring Poison Ivy to life in The Batman: Part II, and she’s not being subtle about trying to get Matt Reeves’ attention.
For years, fans have hoped that Reeves’ gritty Gotham would expand beyond the usual suspects of The Joker, Two-Face, and The Penguin have all had their time in the spotlight.
Now, with The Batman: Part II and The Brave and the Bold both on the horizon, many are calling for villains like Hush, Mr. Freeze, and of course, Poison Ivy to finally take root in live-action once again.
Madelaine Petsch has been planting seeds for this dream role for a while. She once dressed up as Poison Ivy for Halloween, and apparently, it wasn’t just for fun. In a recent interview, she revealed that she’s actively trying to make it happen:
“We’re working on it. I dressed up as Poison Ivy. Many Halloweens ago, just to get their attention. It’s like, ‘Hey, Matt Reeves, are we paying attention?’ They haven’t made the movie yet, so who knows?”
Petsch certainly looks like she could take on the role. Whether she fits into Reeves’ brooding, grounded version of Gotham is another question. Poison Ivy’s supernatural connection to plants and her ability to control minds might clash with the gritty realism Reeves has established.
She might actually have a better shot with The Brave and the Bold project, as that one is much eariler in the development process, and I just don’t see Reeves brinigng in Poison Ivy as a character.
The DCU’s upcoming The Brave and the Bold will also explore a more comic-book-inspired tone, Petsch could easily find a home there. The actress has the charisma and intensity that Pamela Isley demands.
Meanwhile, Matt Reeves has teased that the villain of The Batman: Part II will be someone audiences haven’t seen done in a movie before, which fuels speculation that Hush could be next. Reeves previously said:
“I knew with the way [The Batman] ended, it was leaving us on the precipice. Also, the way events happen in [The Penguin]. There is an exploration to be had, and one of the explorations for me was to do something that pushes even further into the character of Bruce Wayne.”
He continued: “The first story is so much about The Batman. I always wanted in the movies, and let’s say we get to make three—I have no idea—that I always wanted the movies to be focused on his character. A lot of the other films, which I love, once you get past the origin tale, then you start telling the rogues’ gallery story and that character’s arc.
I never wanted to lose Rob at the centre of these stories, so that is what we really set our aim on. Picking the right villain that digs into what that does and goes into his past and his life, that was what drove that discussion. We’re super excited about it, and I will say, it’s never really been done in a movie before.”
Even if Poison Ivy doesn’t make her way into Reeves’ Batverse, the DCU reboot is still wide open for new interpretations of classic characters. If James Gunn and Peter Safran are looking for a Poison Ivy for the DCU, Madelaine Petsch is clearly ready to jump on board.
What do you think? Could you see Petsch join Gotham’s underworld as Poison Ivy?
