It's been a while since we had any official word The Batman - Part II, and the lack of updates following the announcement that James Gunn and Peter Safran would be heading up a new DCU led to some speculation that the movie may have been delayed yet again or possibly even shelved altogether.
These were valid concerns given the DC Studios heads' decision to (almost) completely revamp everything that came before and introduce a brand-new Caped Crusader in The Brave and the Bold, but Gunn has always assured fans that the "BatVerse" would continue as an Elseworlds franchise.
Now, co-writer Mattson Tomlin has confirmed reports that cameras are set to begin rolling in 2025, and his comments suggest that the sequel will be worth the wait.
"It's shooting next year. We're gearing up, and I will say that the bar just couldn't be higher," Tomlin told ScreenRant.
"It's the sequel to the first one," he continued. "But also, Matt [Reeves] is like no other. In the five years now that I've been working with him as closely as I have, I've tried to absorb as much as humanly possible from him, and I'm so grateful for the time that I get to spend with him, because he is a true artist who is operating in a world where sometimes art doesn't get to flourish, and he's trying to make something that really matters. So to be able to just be on the ride and be part of that process, it's pretty unbelievable, pretty tremendous. I'm psyched for the movie."
Plot details are still under wraps, but everyone from the first film (who survived) is expected to return, along with some characters from the Penguin Max series. We have also heard rumors that both Dr. Tommy Elliot/Hush and Dick Grayson/Robin might be introduced.
If you've seen The Batman, you'll likely have noticed that the groundwork is actually laid for the introduction of Hush. At one point, The Riddler exposes some dark secrets, revealing that Thomas Wayne played a part in the death of a journalist named Edward Elliot. While this could just be a coincidence, the word "hush" even flashes up on the screen at one point.
This was probably just a little Easter egg for fans at the time, but that doesn't mean Reeves couldn't have decided to go with Hush as the main antagonist of The Batman - Part II since.
As for Robin, several different sources have now reported that Grayson will debut in the sequel, so we'd say there is likely something to it. Details are few and far between, but we have heard that this latest take on The Boy Wonder will be a teenager (possibly as young as thirteen).
The Penguin spin-off series will set up the story. As far as official info goes, Reeves has stated that his sequel will continue this "epic crime saga," which was later revealed to be the filmmaker's official name for this universe.