Matt Reeves' Batman movie is closer than ever, with production scheduled to begin by at least December of this year, and a release date in June 2021. With these dates drawing ever-nearer, we should start getting word on characters that are going to appear in the movie. There's a certain character that's been rumored to have an important role in the movie for quite a while, and a new rumor that seems to have some credibility has popped up more recently. Gotham has a ton of characters living inside its walls, and even after seven Batman movies, there are a ton that haven't gotten much, if any, time to shine. Here are some characters that are confirmed/heavily rumored for The Batman, and some more characters that could be great if they make it on-screen:
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(RUMORED) THE PENGUIN
The Penguin is all but confirmed at this point. He's been a character that has been heavily rumored for months from multiple sources, either in Birds Of Prey or The Batman. We now know that Black Mask is the main antagonist in Birds Of Prey, with even more sources coming out of the woodwork to imply The Penguin to be the main antagonist in The Batman. It's been quite a while since Danny Devito graced our screens with his own portrayal of The Penguin, and with the character featuring so prominently in Batman comics for such a long time, his appearance shouldn't come as a surprise.
(RUMORED) THE RIDDLER
This rumor is much newer than The Penguin, but according to a casting breakdown for The Batman, one of the films secondary villains has been code-named “The Brain”. Rather than being a brain in a robotic suit that clashes with the Doom Patrol like The Brain in the comics, the current theory is that “The Brain” is a reference to The Riddler. The Riddler hasn't been featured in a Batman movie for quite a long time, and even then the character was a bit... different than he is typically portrayed in the comics. The Riddler would also fall in line with the more detective, noir-style story that Matt Reeves wants to tell with The Batman.
(HOPE) ROBIN
Robin has already been a character that's confirmed to have been somewhere in the DCEU's timeline, with his beat-up costume on prominent display in Batman Vs. Superman. The Dick Grayson/Tim Drake/Carrie Kelley Robins have always been a bright contrast to Batman's darker personality in the comics, and they could provide the same kind of balance on-screen, too. On the other hand, a Jason Todd or, (probably the least likely), a Damian Wayne Robin could further Batman's descent into a darker mental state. Considering the writing on Robin's costume in BvS, it certainly looks like Jason Todd has shown up at some point, though the possibility is there for more than one Robin. Either way, he's a character many fans would love to see included, just like:
(HOPE) BATGIRL
Batgirl, most likely the Barbara Gordon version, is certainly a possibility, as well. The Batgirl movie is supposedly still in the works, but that doesn't mean she can't appear in The Batman, too! Batgirl is another character that's long been a balance to Batman in the comics, and would be a blast to see on-screen.
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Alternately, though unlikely, we could see her after she's shot by the Joker and becomes Oracle. This is far less likely because of the timeline; Batgirl being paralyzed in the '90s would put quite a hamper on her own solo movies.
(HOPE) MAN-BAT
After the super-grounded Batman movies that we got from Nolan, it would be refreshing to see Batman take on Man-Bat. That's not to say that Nolan's trilogy wasn't fantastic, because it was, but who doesn't want to see Man-Bat on-screen, at least once? Heck, there was even a group of ninja Man-Bats within the League of Assassins at one point; that would make for an unforgettable fight scene.
(HOPE) CLAYFACE
Another one of the crazier Batman villains, Clayface would be a nice contrast to the physically unimposing Penguin and Riddler. The Batman is rumored to have at least four villains included, and Clayface would add some physicality to the group, not to mention complicate events for Batman with his ability to morph into the shape of others.
(HOPE) SOLOMON GRUNDY
Along the same lines as Clayface, Solomon Grundy could be another character used to beef-up the villain lineup in the movie. Grundy has a history of being used by The Penguin as a bit of muscle; just take a look at Arkham City. And who doesn't want to hear Solomon Grundy grumble out his nursery rhyme on the big-screen before throwing down with The Batman?
(HOPE) THE MAD HATTER
The Mad Hatter is one of the craziest of all Batman villains, and his antics could make for an incredibly interesting and unique sequence in The Batman.
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Using his hats to mind control anyone he can get a hat on, The Mad Hatter is obsessed with Alice In Wonderland, oftentimes recreating scenarios from the story. While he doesn't necessarily have the weight to carry the main antagonist role in any of the movies, he could definitely be a fun inclusion.
(HOPE) CATWOMAN
Catwoman is a fan-favorite character for many reasons, the first of which because she's awesome. She's heavily involved in a lot of influential Batman stories, and her inclusion in Matt Reeves Batman movies, especially over a multi-movie period, could be really interesting and something that we've never seen before on-screen.
(HOPE) MISTER FREEZE
Mister Freeze could be a great addition to Reeves' Batman movie, having the weight to carry the main antagonist role in a future movie with his tragic story. Despite his awful deeds, Freeze always manages to pull the ol' heartstrings, and seeing him in an actually serious role instead of what we got in the movie-we-shall-not-speak-of could be a really good time.
(HOPE) DEATHSTROKE
Way back when Ben Affleck was going to direct The Batman, Deathstroke was going to be the main antagonist for the film. While they're definitely going a different direction now, it would be a shame to waste a perfectly-cast Joe Manganiello in the role. Including him somewhere along the line couldn't hurt, could it?
(HOPE) ACE
With Krypto finally getting his own day in the sun on the small-screen (we won't spoil exactly where), it would be awesome to see Ace the Bat-Hound get his chance. There are enough bats in the Bat-Cave, why not have a dog somewhere in there, too?