If there is one DC movie that fans have been eager for updates on, it’s The Batman Part II. While the follow up to Matt Reeves’ The Batman was announced shortly after that film’s release in 2022, the road since has been a difficult one. The film is currently expected to release in 2027 and while fans are excited that production is currently expected to kick off next spring, a new casting rumor may just take that excitement to a whole new level. A new report suggests that a favorite from the Marvel Cinematic Universe might just be making the jump to DC.
According to Nexus Point News, MCU star Scarlett Johansson is in talks for a role in the highly anticipated The Batman Part II. The report didn’t include any details about what role Johansson would play in the film, though it is likely that she would be coming onto the project for a more substantial role with the report specifically suggesting Johansson potentially playing a new love interest for Bruce Wayne.
Could Johansson Be Bringing an Animated Fan-Favorite to Live Action?
One suggested role for Johansson in The Batman Part II is Andrea Beaumont, a character that has long been major favorite for Batman fans, especially those of animated Batman stories. The character made her debut in 1993’s Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm in which Batman faces a mysterious vigilante, The Phantasm, who is killing the crime bosses in Gotham City. At the same time, Bruce Wayne is reconciling with former flame Andrea and the two situations converge as it’s revealed that Andrea’s father had worked for one of Gotham’s mobsters and that she became The Phantasm to exact revenge on the city’s mobsters after they killed her father.
While one could argue that bringing The Mask of the Phantasm into The Batman Part II does, to a certain extent, recycles elements of The Riddler’s motivations and plot from the first film, the idea of the mob and corruption throughout every facet of Gotham and society is a major part of the overall Batman mythos. It wouldn’t be that much of a stretch to consider that Batman could have personal ties to a number of threats and foes. Additionally, it wouldn’t be difficult to see how Reeves could adapt elements of The Mask of the Phantasm and Andrea specifically to suit the sequel. One of the things we do know about the sequel is that there will be new villains but there will also be the return elements of Gotham City’s underworld, such as Colin Farrell’s Penguin. The filmmaker previously confirmed that the actor will return and with Andrea’s story being connected to Gotham’s crime world, it’s a connection that could make a great deal of sense.
That said, as of this writing, Johansson’s involvement in The Batman Part II as well as any specifics about what to expect in terms of potential foes and allies Robert Pattinson’s Batman will be operating with in the upcoming sequel have been confirmed. To now, there have been countless rumors about characters and actors who could appear in the film — but we’ll simply have to wait to see what ends up being real.
The Batman Part II is scheduled to open in theaters October 1, 2027.
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