The Batman 2 Bringing Back Unexpected Characters?
The Batman - Part 2 is rumored to bring back both the Penguin and Riddler.
The Penguin and the Riddler are rumored to be returning in The Batman – Part 2. The Direct reports that Colin Farrell and Paul Dano, respectively, are set to reprise their roles as the freshly reimagined classic villains in the new sequel. Their source is insider Daniel Richtman, who shared the news on his Patreon page.
The Batman – Part 2, the highly anticipated sequel to Matt Reeves’ ambitious cinematic treatment of the Dark Knight, will be part of the new Elseworlds stories that James Gunn has confirmed will continue outside the normal DCU canon as his reshaping of the franchise unfolds. This is good news for fans of the new direction given to the characters in this iteration, and also for those who are interested in seeing this Batman universe untouched by the other changes being made to the primary DCU.
As noted by The Direct, if Paul Dano is asked to return for The Batman – Part 2, he will, in his words, “probably be there.” After his turn as a fictionalized version of Steven Spielberg‘s father in the legendary director’s Oscar-nominated semi-autobiography The Fablemans, Dano has been even more present in the public eye of late. The contrast between his role in that film and his original turn as the Riddler demonstrates his incredible sensitivity and range as an actor and only increases curiosity about what his return as Batman’s nemesis might look like.
Of course, the Riddler may well be planning revenge in The Batman – Part 2 after Batman sent him to Arkham Asylum in the first film. And as that film teases, he might be doing so with the help of the Joker, portrayed by Barry Keoghan, who could also be returning. The character’s presence in The Batman has already fueled speculation about what these two might do together. After all, if the Riddler can successfully flood Gotham City, what could he do with the help of the Clown Prince of Crime?
For his part, Colin Farrell has also been in the news for more than his possible return in The Batman – Part 2. Like Dano, he too was involved in an Oscar-nominated film, The Banshees of Inisherin. Nominated for Best Actor for his performance in that film, Farrell’s co-stars were also nominated, including none other than the Joker himself, Barry Keoghan, who got a Best Supporting Actor nod for Banshees.
With all this Oscar nomination glow around Dano, Farrell, and Keoghan, one might guess that director Matt Reeves would be even more inclined to bring their characters back in The Batman – Part 2. Could Farrell’s Penguin even team up with Riddler and Joker for a new attack against Batman? Oswald Cobblepot remained at large at the end of the previous installment, but not unscathed.
Of course, before The Batman – Part 2, Farrell will already be bringing the Gotham City crime boss to life again in the HBO Max series, The Penguin, which is in production now under the direction of Craig Zobel. There could be plenty of material introduced in that series that could fuel the character’s return to the big screen, especially if the small-screen version does well with audiences. With all these elements in place, plus the reports coming in from Richtman, the return of these iconic characters seems more and more likely.
