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Speaking with MTV’s Josh Horowitz on the Emmys red carpet, Reeves teased how The Batman Part II‘s villain factors into the sequel’s story, which he wants to keep focused on Bruce Wayne. “The way [The Batman] ended, it was leaving us on the precipice … and also the way that events happened in [The Penguin] … that 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 said. “Because the first story is so much about the Batman … 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 sort of arc. And I never wanted to lose [Robert Pattinson] as the center of these stories. And so that is really what we set our aim on … picking the right villain that digs into what that does and sort of goes into his past and his life, that was what drove that discussion.”
What Matt Reeves’ Villain Tease Means For The Batman Part II
Some of the best comic book adaptations of all time have been Batman movies, but some viewers have felt that even in the critically acclaimed films, Bruce himself is a static character who gets overshadowed by a standout villain. A memorable antagonist is a key ingredient for a successful Batman movie, but the focus should still be on the title character. Audiences saw Reeves’ approach in The Batman, as the Riddler exposed corruption involving high-profile Gotham City figures — including Thomas and Martha Wayne. This forced Bruce to confront his feelings about such revelations as he tried to be the hero Gotham needed him to be.
Reeves stopped short of revealing who The Batman Part II‘s main villain will be, but there’s enough in his comments to spark a new wave of fan theories. The director has already said the sequel attempts something that’s “never been done” in a Batman movie before, suggesting that perhaps the villain will be someone who hasn’t factored into the live-action films before. That, combined with Reeves’ tease about doing a deep dive into Bruce’s past and life, could mean Hush is part of the narrative. Hush, aka Thomas Elliot, was Bruce’s childhood friend who has a long-standing grudge against the Wayne family.
