The Batman has been in theaters for close to a month now and is likely to stay as the highest-grossing film of the year for quite a while. The world Matt Reeves created feels so grounded in reality, yet still open to the distinctly fantastical possibilities present in comic book stories.
At this point, it looks like there will be two sequels and a few spin-off series on HBO Max focusing on the Penguin, Catwoman, and Arkham Asylum. Some innovative fans already took to Reddit to express their thoughts and give ideas on what these projects could be about.
Inspirations For The Penguin Spin-Off
Even before The Batman was released, news was announced that Colin Farrell would helm his own spin-off series for HBO Max as Oswald Cobblepot aka the Penguin In this continuity, he is not yet a crime boss in Gotham City, rather serving as Carmine Falcone’s right-hand-man and running the Iceberg Lounge. At the film’s end, though, now with no one pulling his strings anymore, he is ready to lay claim to this new submerged city.
As to the series, u/DisownedDemon12 shared their ideas on where they could draw inspiration from, writing “I see No Man’s Land being adapted here” – along with many other in-depth thoughts on the other projects. Adapting No Man’s Land is a logical choice following The Batman as it finds several crime bosses – Penguin, Black Mask, and the Ventriloquist – vying for control of the city. However, this might end up being too similar to events in both Harley Quinn and The Dark Knight Rises.
The Penguin's Origins
Although The Batman gives a strong introduction to Farrell as the Penguin, there is still much to explore, making the spin-off series ripe with possibilities. It is being set up as following the film as a villainous origin story in Cobblepot truly becoming the Penguin and using the title with pride – since he hates it so far. Nevertheless, it will also need to explain his upbringing, scars, and how he came into the employ of Falcone.
u/NoahV35 presents an interesting suggestion with “I’d love to see a prequel to The Batman, showing exactly how Maroni was brought down for the first act. Followed by a second arc, showcasing how the penguin rises to power after Falcone is murdered.” This would not only bring in Salvator Maroni – a key figure in Batman’s history for splashing acid on DA Harvey Dent, creating Two-Face – but also showcase the story around Penguin as the protagonist both before and after The Batman.
What Will Catwoman Do Now?
Closely following the release of The Batman it was announced that a TV show following Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle aka Catwoman for HBO Max. This has yet to be fully confirmed, but fans have high hopes after Kravitz's scene-stealing and captivating performance. Interestingly, she never actually goes by Catwoman in the film, only going so far to refer to herself as the Cat once, so, like the Penguin’s series, this will likely be an origin-style series culminating in her adopting the title and antihero lifestyle.
Her story revolved around her parentage and even though Falcone, her father, is now dead and she’s heading to Blüdhaven, it will likely stay an important part of her arc. In fact, u/DisownedDemon12 further proposed “We see her scuffle with Sofia [Falcone, her half-sister], who’d be the main series antagonist. Develop a quirky relationship (because they were both the outcast sibling) with Alberto, until he tries to kill her.” This certainly sounds like an interesting and exciting show that would really showcase why Catwoman is such a beloved character.
Hush!
In a particularly poignant easter egg near the end of the DC film the word Hush while the Riddler mentions a reporter named Edward Elliot in a clear reference to the villain. The Riddler and Hush are linked together in the comics and other films, and while this could just have been a simple nod to the source material, it seems like it could be more. Many expect Thomas Elliot aka Hush, a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne, to show up in Reeves’ Batverse.
However, u/GustavoBizio writes “If they follow the Hush comics storyline even a little, he works best as a late-game villain, since his plot involved manipulating various established rogues and Bat-Family members against Batman.” Reeves himself has suggested Hush as a viable option for a villain, but perhaps it might take time to discern the similar stories, methods, and intentions between Hush and Paul Dano’s Riddler.
Introducing Robin
It is no secret to fans that Robert Pattinson is eager to expand the Batverse and bring more key figures from Batmans’ life into this universe, including Robin. There hasn’t been a live-action Batman and Robin team-up story since the ill-fated and maligned Batman and Robin – though The Dark Knight Rises made a cheeky nod to the relationship with Joseph Gordon Levitt’s character. Nevertheless, it is something fans are eagerly hoping for in the future, and some even thought they set it up already with the mayor’s son, but Reeves has denied this.
The question would be which Robin would appear – between Dick, Jason, Tim, and Damien – with u/Eathmine52 stating “…having a Robin would be perfect for the sequel just like Dark Victory to Long Halloween. I do hope they go for Dick Grayson.” Reeves and Pattinson certainly proved in The Batman that they have such attentive care and appreciation that they could authentically introduce the boy wonder.
The Next Big Bad
One thing that makes it easier to make a Batman film, compared to other major DC heroes like Green Lantern or Aquaman, is the vast amount of incredible antagonists available to creators. Batman’s rogues gallery is legendary of course with the likes of Joker, Riddler, Bane, and Poison Ivy to name a few. Some fit in more naturally with the world Reeves developed and even the cast has ideas and hopes for who Batman will cross paths with in the future.
A leading theory suggests that the enigmatic and mysterious organization known as the Court of Owls and Talon are likely options. This is supported by u/evilman52 who writes “Court of Owls seems like a natural step given the themes of this movie, but they could also save that for a third film” Much of the film centers on the corruption rotting Gotham away from the shadows, so many are expecting to see their white masks pop up soon.
The Trilogy's End
Unlike previous Batman films – which seemed to nearly deify Thomas and Martha Wayne – The Batman goes full force into exploring their darker side. This comes with the reveal that Thomas inadvertently had journalist Edward Elliott killed after he threatened to expose Martha’s history with mental illness and time in Arkham Asylum. In the end, this likely got the Wayne’s murdered, as they in turn could expose Carmine Falcone for his involvement in Elliott’s death.
u/DrunkSpiderMan even proposes that “the third movie is gonna be centered around Arkham Asylum, especially with how much the Wayne's are connected to it. It'd be poetic in a way to end it in Arkham.” There is already a proposed Arkham-centric spin-off series for HBO Max, so it is guaranteed that this part of Gotham will play an important role in the developing story of Pattinson’s Batman.
Which Joker Is This?
In an exciting sequence following the climax, Dano’s Riddler meets a fellow prisoner at Arkham Asylum. This “unnamed Arkham inmate” as they’re credited was played by Eternals’ Barry Keoghan and was later confirmed to be the Joker. However, Reeves has further stated that he has not fully become the Joker yet, though he has crossed paths with Pattinson’s Batman already.
Nevertheless, now fans are expecting Keoghan to play an integral role in future installments. u/AlcazarW presents their own idea of how this iteration of Joker could be different than others, stating “Joker could have DID, also known as Disassociative Identity Disorder. This way, we could have all three of his identities, Jack Napier as the Comedic, Arthur Fleck as the Clown, and a third identity, with no real name as the Criminal.”