Warning! SPOILERS for The Batman.
An extensive franchise set in the universe of The Batman promises to spawn from Robert Pattinson's first installment as the Dark Knight, and at least five future installments have already been teased. Matt Reeves choose to create an entirely new continuity for The Batman away from the larger-than-life antics of the Justice League. Even though this Batman is unlikely to meet Superman and Darkseid anytime soon, there are plenty of important characters he will eventually have to deal with. After all, The Batman's version of Gotham is only getting to know all the threats that hide in its shadows.
The Batman is well-populated by iconic characters from the comics, despite being a first installment. Batman, James Gordon, Catwoman, the Penguin, Carmine Falcone, and the Riddler are by no means unfamiliar with how Gotham's underworld works, and they all have firm stances on how to fix it or take advantage of it. The Riddler's violent streak is just the trigger that causes all their paths to cross, and even though he has been stopped, his actions will continue to influence the city for a long time.
Various upcoming DC movies and shows after The Batman will explore the past and present of Gotham's underworld through different lenses. Fortunately for fans, this might be the first time Batman's corner of the DC Universe is fleshed out in such detail in live-action. Here's every possible follow-up to The Batman on the big and the small screen.
Gotham PD
Without a doubt, the Gotham City Police Department plays a key role in the story of The Batman. Gotham's police force is inherently interwoven with the city's biggest criminals, which is why people like Carmine Falcone could amass more power than any respectable politician could ever wish for. Still, Jeffrey Wright's James Gordon proves that not all the police force has fallen prey to corruption, and the surprising amount of trust his men have in him teases an interesting backstory for the future commissioner. Gordon must have achieved some really impressive feats for the whole police department to not only let him work alongside a masked vigilante but also forgive Batman for intervening so directly in active crime scenes and punching Gordon in the face in front of everyone.
An HBO Max Gotham PD spinoff show has been confirmed for a while now (Update: Following The Batman's release, Matt Reeves says the Gotham PD series is currently on hold). News about Gotham PD first came in early 2020, though further information about the show has been scarce ever since. What's for certain is that it will take place one year before the events of The Batman, and it will likely have Jeffrey Wright's James Gordon as the protagonist. An appearance by an even more inexperienced Batman in the Gotham PD spinoff show can't be confirmed at this point, but his looming presence will definitely make things quite interesting.
The Penguin
Colin Farrell steals the show in The Batman with his well-nuanced comedy relief as Oswald Cobblepot a.k.a. the Penguin. While he's not the main villain, his role in Gotham's crime sphere is key to the story, and by the end of the movies, it's clear that his journey as a mob boss is just beginning. The death of Carmine Falcone and the damage done to Gotham City provides the perfect breeding ground for the kind of chaotic environment that the Penguin thrives in. With everything in place for the Penguin's rise to power, the upcoming Penguin spinoff show will likely explore how Gotham's criminal underworld adapts to a more eccentric leader who has already witnessed the fury of the Dark Knight firsthand.
Like Gotham PD, the Penguin spinoff show will debut in HBO Max, and there's a chance it could be rated TV-MA. A TV-MA-rated series would allow Oswald Cobblepot to become as ruthless as Carmine Falcone or perhaps even more so. Regardless of the show's tone, the Penguin is sure to take advantage of the aftermath of the Riddler's attack to grow his criminal empire and satisfy his own greed. Clearly, the Penguin is in for the long haul, as he's one of the many characters from The Batman who's set to evolve throughout multiple appearances.
Arkham Asylum
The third spinoff series teased by The Batman seems to be Arkham Asylum. Arkham Asylum has been a staple of Batman comics for decades, but, surprisingly, it has not been a major focus of any live-action Batman movie until now. While the infamous asylum only appeared twice in The Batman, it planted the seeds for an exciting future installment. Despite being set during Bruce Wayne's second year as the Caped Crusader, The Batman confirmed that Arkham Asylum already houses at least two of the biggest mainstays in Batman's rogue gallery: the Riddler and the Joker. This doesn't necessarily mean that an Arkham Asylum series will focus on these two characters, but it does suggest that the main draw could be a team-up between various villains who have been captured by Batman. Another possibility is an anthology series where a new inmate is sent to Arkham in every episode. Either way, an Arkham Asylum show seems like an ideal place to further develop Batman's rogue gallery before they meet Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight once again in an eventual sequel to The Batman.
Catwoman
Zoe Kravitz's performance as Selina Kyle a.k.a. Catwoman in The Batman almost guarantees a future appearance. Catwoman's farewell to Batman doesn't seem to be definitive, and their romance is only now beginning to bloom. If Matt Reeves' Batverse will continue to grow through solo adventures centered on characters like James Gordon and the Penguin, Catwoman definitely deserves her solo series to keep pushing her character arc forward. Before another threat reunites "the bat and the cat" in a direct sequel to The Batman, a Catwoman spinoff movie or show could follow Selina Kyle as an independent vigilante in Bludhaven — a setting that would help The Batman franchise grow beyond Gotham City. Her skills and her suit would have to evolve along with her character, and an eventual The Batman sequel could demonstrate how Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle have either grown in parallel with one another or strayed apart from what made them compatible. Batman and Catwoman have a long-standing history of switching between allies and enemies, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Catwoman crossing the line between hero and villain throughout multiple appearances.
The Batman 2
The final installment teased by The Batman may be the most logical one, but it is also the biggest in scope. A direct sequel to The Batman has already been set up thematically and narratively. Thematically, Robert Pattinson's Batman must put in practice what the Riddler's foiled plan taught him: he must become a beacon of hope for those who most need it while keeping himself from giving in to his animalistic desire for vengeance. This not only requires a more nuanced approach to vigilantism but also a certain degree of self-forgiveness and introspection. Narratively, Batman must graduate from targeting low-level criminals to evil masterminds, and he must prepare himself with more arduous training, better gadgets (including a more effective glider), and more polished detective skills. Batman may not know it yet, but bigger threats may be brewing under the surface. The Batman references the comic book villain Tommy Elliot, who adopts the moniker "Hush" and joins forces with the Riddler to take down the Dark Knight. Whether The Batman 2 uses Hush, Joker, the Penguin or more complex threat like the Court of Owls as the main villains, it will certainly be the next big stage in the world of The Batman.