Courtesy of Warner Bros Pictures
The Batman is now in theaters and is winning over critics and audiences. The box office is so far very good. Matt Reeves has so far crafted a great look and feel for Gotham. Robert Pattinson is terrific as Batman and the supporting cast is great. Now, fans are wondering what the future of The Batman franchise will be. What characters could Matt Reeves use? What else is in store besides movies? Matt Reeves wants to do a trilogy, but there have also been talks of spinoff shows for HBO Max. Here is what is confirmed and what is rumored or hinted at. Fair warning, there will be some spoilers for The Batman.
Confirmed for HBO Max is a spinoff series starring Collin Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot, also known as the Penguin. Farrell did terrific as the classic Batman villain and the makeup work for him was some of the best in a comic book film. The Batman opened up many possible directions for him. With Carmine Falcone dead, Cobblepot will likely take over for him as a crime lord. The HBO Max series could possibly explore him taking over that criminal empire. The Penguin spinoff has been in talks since December 2021.
Another confirmed HBO Max series in this universe is based on Arkham Asylum. The series originally started as a Gotham City Police Department series, which was the first spinoff series to be in talks about. The end of The Batman showed Riddler and a familiar clown in Arkham. The series could introduce other classic and minor Batman villains that Reeves might not use in his films.
While a Catwoman spinoff project has not been confirmed, Matt Reeves has confirmed he has talked to HBO Max about one. Zoe Kravitz got praise for her performance as Selina Kyle, also known as Catwoman, so it would not be a surprise if something does happen. Reeves admitted he wants to see her storyline continued, but it would likely depend on the film’s success.
As of right now, the sequel to The Batman has no release date. Producer of the film Dylan Clark said it’s likely to come out in less than five years. The sequel could go in many directions based on the hints and Easter eggs in the film. The Joker was hinted at, but he could likely be used later on instead of right away. Reeves will likely take any possible villains in a more realistic direction. For example, he thinks he has some ideas on doing a realistic take on the classic villain Mr. Freeze.
One villain hinted at for a possible appearance in the future is Hush. The Batman revealed a reporter with the last name Elliot investigating Martha Wayne during Thomas Wayne’s run for mayor. Thomas Elliot in the comics is the villain Hush, who targets both Bruce Wayne and Batman and kills people. He tries to replicate Bruce Wayne’s face. Another character brought up many times in rumors is Robin. The Batman has hints of a possible future, with mentions of Bludhaven, the city he protects when he becomes Nightwing, mentions of the circus, and Bruce Wayne’s sympathy for kids who lose parents. Reeves has yet to address the rumors of any future appearance by Robin though.
What do you think of the HBO Max spinoff series and possible directions for The Batman universe to go in? Let us know in the comments down below.