The Batman Part IIlooks set to ignore two iconic DC villains after decades of them being wasted, a reality I am sorely disappointed by. SinceThe Batman’s ending, I have been endlessly theorizing about which villains could appear in the sequel, as have many others anticipating a continuation of Matt Reeves' story. As an Elseworlds project in thelist of upcoming DC movies, I am excited byThe Batman 2’s somewhat free rein; potential villains for the film can be reinvented as Riddler was in the first movie, without stepping on the toes of the DCU’s mainline continuity.
Barry Keoghan’s Joker, who was teased in the first movie, will likely appear in some capacity inThe Batman 2’s story. That said, I am hoping Joker is saved for a future movie, thus giving less mainstream Batman villains a chance in the spotlight. Some villains raised by many theories include Mr. Freeze, Hush, Clayface, Harvey Two-Face, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, and several others from Batman’s vast DC Comics rogues gallery. Disappointingly, a recentThe Batman 2update hints that two of these villains will not appear and continue to be wasted by DC films.
The Batman 2 Gets New Update From Director Matt Reeves
The Batman - Part II gets a new update from director Matt Reeves, shining a light on the status of the anticipated DC movie set for a 2026 release.
Why The Batman 2 Is Unlikely To Include Mr. Freeze Or Poison Ivy
Two Iconic Villains May Not Be Part Of Matt Reeves' Sequel
The villains I am referencing are Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy. At SDCC 2024, aVFX artist who worked onThe Batmanweighed in on which villains could be included in the film’s sequel. Freeze and Poison Ivy were two that were name-dropped, alongside another Batman villain, Killer Croc. Initially, visualization supervisor Casey Pyke was asked about Croc’s involvement in the film. Pyke went on to say that he thinks villains like Killer Croc may be too farfetched for the world Matt Reeves' created. I can understand where Pyke is coming from, to a certain extent.
I found one ofThe Batman’s biggest strengths to be its dedication to a more grounded story, taking otherworldly characters and putting them in a dark, dreary, noir-inspired crime thriller. That said, I still believe there are ways to make villains like Croc work. Pyke went on to say that he also thinks Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy fall into this same category of being more farfetched than villains like The Riddler or The Penguin, hinting that - while they could potentially have a role - it is unlikely they will appear inThe Batman Part II.
The Batman Part II is currently scheduled for an August 21, 2025 release date.
I Think Mr. Freeze & Poison Ivy Would Be Perfect For The Batman 2
Taking Exaggerated Villains & Making Them Grounded Is Perfect For The Batman Universe
If not inThe Batman Part II,I think Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy could be two perfect villains for an upcoming movie inThe Batman’s saga. As I alluded to,The Batman’s biggest draw was its ability to make Gotham feel like a grounded place with villains from DC Comics who could be real. The Riddler’s over-the-top demeanor from the comics was changed in order to make Paul Dano’s version a Zodiac-like serial killer, making him much more effective than he may have been otherwise. There is no reason why the same cannot be done for Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy.
Every Batman Movie & TV Show In Development
Between theatrical releases, live-action TV shows, and animated series, options abound for where audiences can see Batman in the next few years.
For example, with Mr. Freeze, his comic book backstory surrounds his attempts to save his terminally ill wife using cryotechnology. This results in accidents and mutations, turning him toward a life of crime as Mr. Freeze, though with saving his wife as his driving motive. This could very easily be turned into a more grounded story, especially with a writer-director as talented as Matt Reeves at the helm.
Where Poison Ivy is concerned, I think her driving motivation to save the plant life of Earth could be translated toThe Batman’s universe too. The Riddler’s storyline inThe Batmansurrounds an orphan with a love of puzzles being neglected by the rich elite of Gotham, thus going on a murder spree to enact his justice in the city.The social commentary of the class divide was well integrated into Riddler’s story to make him less farfetched than his comic book counterpart, and the same could be done with Poison Ivy using commentary on the environmentand its state in the world.
Mr. Freeze And Poison Ivy Deserve Redemption After Batman & Robin
Unfortunately, Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy have been wasted in Batman films thanks to their first live-action appearance inBatman & Robin.The film is largely considered one of theworstBatmanmovies in history, primarily due to its over-the-top, campy tone, its incredibly silly depictions of its characters, and the overall lack of seriousness, plot, or character arcs. Sadly for two great villains, Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy were caught up in this.
Poison Ivy and Mr. Freeze were widely mocked and often turned into internet memes and jokes…
Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy were portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Uma Thurman respectively inBatman & Robin, and while both were somewhat praised for hamming up their performances to match the tone of the film, they were not good adaptations of the characters. The overall powers of both were well translated from Marvel Comics, as were their backstories, but they were done with such an absence of earnestness that the film drastically failed regarding story and character.
As a result, Poison Ivy and Mr. Freeze were widely mocked and often turned into internet memes and jokes. Since then, neither of the villains has appeared in a live-actionBatmanmovie. Evidently, I find this a major disappointment, which has only been compounded by the reveal that two iconic villains of Gotham’s Dark Knight may not appear inThe Batman Part IIeither.
The Batman Part II
Cast
The Batman Part II is the sequel to Matt Reeve’s The Batman, released in 2022, and will continue where the original film left off. The film shares a universe with the HBO Max original Penguin series and sees the return of the Riddler and a different incarnation of the Joker.
