The Batman - Part II is expected to begin shooting on May 29 in London, and a new production listing has revealed the sequel's updated working title.
The Batman - Part II will reportedly commence filming under the title "Semper Vigilans."
This translates to "Always Vigilant" or "Ever Watchful," fueling speculation that the movie will introduce The Court of Owls.
In the comics, the nursery rhyme associated with this shadowy organisation reads: “Beware The Court of Owls, that watches all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed, speak not a whispered word of them, or they'll send the Talon for your head.”
It's certainly an intriguing possibility, but we already know that Matt Reeves' sequel will feature Harvey Dent (Sebastian Stan), as well as his wife Gilda (Scarlett Johansson) and father Christopher (yet to be cast).
Previous reports have claimed that the movie's plot "involves District Attorney Harvey Dent, Commissioner James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), and Batman forming an uneasy alliance to bring down a serial killer and the city’s entrenched mafia power."
If you're a DC Comics fan, you'll likely be aware that this is the premise of The Long Halloween, which also influenced elements of Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. While Reeves and co-writer Mattson Tomlin might have worked the Court of Owls into this storyline (Talon could be the killer?), it seems unlikely given the scope of the comic book arc and depth of the COO lore.
The listing also mentions Paul Dano (The Riddler) as being part of the returning cast.
During a new interview with Screen Rant, Andy Serkis (Alfred) spoke about the sequel's script. He didn't give much away, of course, but did drop a few vague hints about the direction of the story.
"I obviously can't say too much about the film other than that I am really excited about going back into the world and working with Matt Reeves again, who I've now worked with a number of times, and he's a dear friend, and Rob. And the script and the story and the new story really does speak to Matt as a human being and what he feels about life. Rob and he got on brilliantly. And I can't say any more than that, but yeah, the relationship continues to be one of a very close, slightly at odds, but beautiful relationship."
The Batman - Part II is set to hit theaters on October 1, 2027.
Robert Pattinson will return as Bruce Wayne/Batman, along with Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred, Colin Farrell as The Penguin, and (possibly) Barry Keoghan as The Joker. Zoë Kravitz is not expected to reprise her role as Selina Kyle/Catwoman.