Robert Pattinson already has a set of villains in mind for The Batman 2 – if it gets made.
Speaking to Den of Geek (opens in new tab), Pattinson said “I’d love to do something like Court of Owls,” adding, “There are elements of The Batman which are kind of horror and I think it really feels quite new for Batman.”
Pattinson also namechecks the Calendar Man, the date-themed villain best known for his appearances in The Long Halloween graphic novel and Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham series, as another potential villain for his fledgling Dark Knight to fight.
But it’s likely the Court of Owls that will raise the most eyebrows, and fits neatly into director Matt Reeves’ vision for a more gothic Gotham.
The Court of Owls were first introduced in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman #3 back in 2011. There, they acted as a secret society who ruled Gotham from the shadows for centuries and had taken umbrage with Batman’s role as protector. They’re also set to appear in Rocksteady’s upcoming Gotham Knights game.
No word yet on whether The Batman 2 will come to life, though it’ll have to go some way to top the original – at least in terms of runtime. The Batman is set to clock in at just shy of three hours, making it the longest standalone Batman movie to date.
Pattinson previously told Total Film that the unique take on the character might not even lend itself well to a sequel.
“When I saw it the first time, even from the first shot, it does feel incredibly different, tonally, to the other movies,” Pattinson said. “And it’s so strange, and kind of… It’s sad, and quite touching. It’s a really, really unusual Batman story, and it almost seems harder for me to imagine it being a series afterwards.”
Need more intel on DC’s grand plans? Here are all the new superhero movies currently in the works. Plus, discover more about the potential new Bat-villains with our guide to The Court of Owls.