Though the Riddler and the Penguin have been pitched as The Batman’s primary villains, the film’s trailers have dropped several hints that Gotham City’s infamous Court of Owls could also be involved. First introduced in 2011, the Court of Owls has become one of Batman's more notable foes in modern day comics, but they have yet to make their live-action film debut. The organized crime faction has previously appeared in the TV series Gotham, albeit in a somewhat altered form, and will play an important role in the upcoming Gotham Knights video game.
Most versions of the Batman story feature a deeply corrupted Gotham City, but the Court of Owls arc takes that corruption to a whole other level. The group is a secret, evil cabal comprised of the city’s oldest, wealthiest, and most powerful families, who seek to control the activities of Gotham through murder and other nefarious means. In the comics, the Court of Owls also makes use of various supernatural abilities and is ultimately revealed to be merely one chapter of a global syndicate called the Parliament of Owls.
The more magical aspects of the Court of Owls story might not fit with the gritty noir aesthetic of Robert Pattinson’s The Batman, but the general idea of a malicious secret society manipulating the people of Gotham City from the shadows would fit perfectly. The trailer footage released by Warner Bros. has even dropped some hints that the organization will be involved in the story, though nothing has been officially confirmed yet. Here’s every clue that the Court of Owls will be in The Batman, and the biggest theories for what that could mean.
The Batman Is All About Gotham City’s Corruption
In both The Batman trailers, the Riddler talks about his goal of rooting out corruption in Gotham City. He speaks about the police, the politicians, and even Batman himself as being parts of a corrupted system—one that he clearly intends to destroy. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the Court of Owls will be involved, as Gotham’s corruption has taken many forms over the years. However, it leaves the possibility open. It’s also worth noting that in The Batman’s easter egg-filled trailers, the Riddler hints at a hidden connection between Batman and Gotham’s corruption. In the comics, the Wayne family was never part of the Court of Owls, but The Batman could be changing that. Alternatively, the film could make the killing of Bruce Wayne’s parents an act of the Court of Owls—something he suspects in the comics, but never proves.
Riddler Leaves Batman An Owl Clue
The most telling piece of evidence of a Court of Owls story in The Batman appears in the first trailer for the film. GCPD’s Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) finds a note from the Riddler left at a crime scene, which is addressed to Batman. The note is written on a greeting card with a cartoon owl on the front, with the message, “From your secret friend,” written at the top, and “Whoo?” on the bottom. Obviously, for those familiar with Batman's Court of Owls, the card has some pretty big implications. There’s no way that director Matt Reeves isn’t familiar with the comics storyline, which makes the owl card a deliberate choice. Is Riddler the “secret friend,” or is he hinting at the broader Court of Owls conspiracy – one that Bruce Wayne himself may be implicated in? Whatever the meaning behind the card, it seems like a direct reference to the Court of Owls, even if ends up being a red herring.
Robert Pattinson’s Batman Suit Resembles Court Of Owls
A less concrete but equally curious hint at the Court of Owls appearing in The Batman is the design of Pattinson’s Batman suit. Specifically, the gauntlets on his forearms are nearly identical to the gauntlets of the Talons–the deadly assassins who serve as the pleasure of the Court of Owls. Again, this potential clue doesn’t prove anything on its own, but anyone making costume decisions for The Batman must be familiar with the Court of Owls storyline, making it basically impossible for the striking resemblance between Pattinson’s Batman suit and the Talons’ armor to be a mere coincidence. It could be misdirection, or simply an homage with no narrative implications, but it also could hint at something more.
The Batman’s Director May Have Teased The Court Of Owls
In discussing the story of The Batman, Reeves has hinted at larger conspiracy possibly lying at its center. At DC Fandome 2020, in reference to the Riddler’s killings, the director said that “the murders begin to describe the sort of history of Gotham in a way,” teasing a “whole new world of corruption that went much farther” than what the Dark Knight previously knew about the city. Matt Reeves also said that The Batman’s story of corruption “touches on [Batman’s] origins,” pointing to some larger revelations about the Wayne family. One interpretation of Reeves’ comments is that, in the world of The Batman, Bruce Wayne’s parents were indeed killed by agents of the Court of Owls. Perhaps that’s the riddle that Paul Dano’s Riddler wants the Dark Knight to solve.
Theory: Riddler Is Fighting The Court of Owls In The Batman
The Riddler is similar to the Zodiac Killer in The Batman, but his targets seem linked by a connection to Gotham City’s overarching corruption. In the first trailer, the Riddler kills the mayor of Gotham and leaves messages calling him a liar. The second trailer includes similar phrases and a shot of Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne trying to connect the Riddler’s victims to their roles in the world of Gotham. Up until now, the Riddler has been characterized as little more than a deranged serial killer, but it’s possible that—in an admittedly twisted way—he’s serving a greater, more noble purpose by trying to bring down the Court of Owls.
Given the kinds of people The Batman’s Riddler seems to be targeting—people who wield great power and influence—it’s entirely possible that they’re all connected to the Court of Owls. The bigger question, then, is why the Riddler is taking such a roundabout way to expose the Court, and making himself a villain in the process. Clearly, there’s more going on with him than a simple desire to expose corruption, but with the film’s second trailer showing the Riddler being arrested early on in the story, it’s likely that the true villain of The Batman has yet to be revealed.
Theory: The Batman Sets Up A Court Of Owls Sequel
Between the Riddler, the Penguin, Catwoman, Carmine Falcone, and of course, Batman himself, The Batman is already pretty full-up on villains and classic comic book characters. That doesn’t leave a ton of room to develop a complicated plot like the one in the Court of Owls comics, but it also doesn’t fully prevent the Court from making an appearance either. Warner Bros. certainly wants The Batman to spawn a sequel, and Reeves is already working on a spinoff series for HBO Max set in Gotham City. With all that in mind, it might make the most sense for Pattinson's film to end with a Court of Owls twist that could be further explored in a sequel or television series.
Because of the massive scope of the Court of Owls story, it would be better served by having more time to develop on screen. Additionally, since The Batman needs an ending that will bring audiences back for more, it's likely that Pattinson's Bruce Wayne could discover the Court's existence in the final act of the film. That would keep the Riddler and the Penguin front and center for the duration of The Batman, while also setting up an exciting story for follow-up shows and movies to explore.
