5 Reasons The Batman Part 2's Rumored Villain Is A Perfect Fit
Some stability to the superhero genre is on the verge of returning. Besides James Gunn, hard at work bringing his take on the Man of Steel to life with "Superman: Legacy," Matt Reeves has an eye on 2025 for his next outing in Gotham City alongside Robert Pattinson: "The Batman Part II." The Dark Knight will return after taking down The Riddler (Paul Dano), which set the tone for the kind of Batman we'll be dealing with. It makes sense, then, that if speculation is to be believed, he'll be going up against one of the Caped Crusader's most formidable villains — and we're not talking about the madman in the clown costume, either.
In October, rumors surfaced that Hush would make his big-screen debut in the upcoming sequel. Turning up in DC Comics in 2002 with Batman #609, Hush is a master manipulator who puppeteers some of our hero's most feared enemies to help him attempt to bring down the Bat. If true, the antagonist's involvement could create some enormous demands for Reeves and the world he's established and set up exciting opportunities for the future. However, when it comes to Hush, Batman's past could work in the franchise's favor and, in doing so, address one of the biggest issues audiences had with Pattinson's first run as the iconic hero.
Hush will mean more Bruce Wayne than The Batman
As great as Robert Pattinson's turn in "The Batman" is, Bruce Wayne's obsession with setting the city straight means we see very little of him outside the Batsuit. If Hush appears in the next film, it would demand Pattinson play more Bruce than Batman, simply because of his new nemesis' target.
In the comics, Hush is Thomas Elliot, Bruce's childhood friend who sets about ruining Bruce's life with the help of The Riddler, who, at this point, has discovered our hero's secret identity. If "The Batman Part II" adapts this story, it'll mean more focus on Bruce instead of Batman and show Pattinson perfect the performance of the Gotham-based playboy socialite. Notably, Christian Bale nailed the task during his stint in the Dark Knight trilogy, portraying a Bruce Wayne publicly pretending to be a vapid billionaire. Pattinson may have a more complex job.
In "The Batman," Pattinson's perma-brooding as Bruce Wayne arguably makes him the prime suspect for being Batman. If the sequel makes a conscious effort to show Bruce learning to handle his public identity, seeing it tested by Hush would be a compelling watch, especially when there's a chance of more evil eyes watching him than before.
Hush could pave the way for a handful of horrible villains
With only two iconic bad guys and the tease of another behind a cell door, "The Batman" used its villains sparingly, but that might change if Hush arrives in "Part II." In the original story arc, Hush unleashes some of the Dark Knight's top-tier foes while watching it unfold from a distance, even turning Superman into an obstacle. While we can't expect to see the Man of Steel take on Batman (not this version, at least), if Hush appears in the next film, he could bring some wild adversaries with him that would test the world Matt Reeves has built so far.
In the "Hush" storyline, Batman is forced to go up against the likes of Killer Croc and Poison Ivy, begging the question of how either could find a place in the universe we've already visited. Serial killers and domestic terrorists for Batman to take down are one thing; a woman who controls killer plants and a walking, talking crocodile might struggle to inhabit Reeves' iteration of Gotham. That's not to say they must be like-for-like adaptations — in the Dark Knight trilogy, Ra's al Ghul (who also appears in "Hush") proves characters can be adapted in a grounded way, and the same could be done here. It would also make for a refreshing change of pace from what "The Batman" seemed to be setting up.
Hush is a suitable Joker replacement to take the top spot as Batman's toughest foe
The rules state Batmen of the big screen have to fight the Joker eventually. Some have worked, others haven't, and in the final act of "The Batman" (along with a deleted scene), it is revealed Barry Keoghan is next in line to take on the role. More importantly, it's implied it would be a rematch. But what if Hush ends up being the unexpected interval that could mix things up in all the right ways and leave us wanting more of him and less of the criminal clown?
Just like Superman has Lex Luthor, Batman and Joker have always been the battle audiences expect to see, with the hero and villain being an iconic duo. Hush could change that for the better, introducing casual audiences to a new foe and potentially taking the top spot as Batman's big bad. In the comics, Hush goes as far as to force the Joker out of Gotham while he works on its hero, showing what kind of menace we're dealing with. If the same happened here, it would be a fresh spin and perhaps make Hush the new threat that could become just as memorable as the Joker. Now, wouldn't that be funny?
Hush's debut could make a stronger Batman and Robin story
If rumors turn out to be accurate and the Boy Wonder descends on Gotham in "The Batman Part II," then the sequel could set up something that would be a massive detour from the first film but is essential to the core of the Caped Crusader's history. While most movies have portrayed the Dark Knight as a lone protector, he has a relatively large family that fights alongside him in his battle for justice in the comics. This detail could be tried and tested if Robin and Hush appear in "The Batman Part II."
The first chapter of Robert Pattinson's Batman briefly skims over the Wayne family's messy history. Considering this, Hush could present even more challenges, with the villain being the physical manifestation of a time Bruce may have forgotten about. Bringing that back to the surface could see the troubles of Bruce's past and links to his family impact the new family on the verge of beginning. It would also make the story far more personal and give Bruce a chance to accept he needs help, but also expand on how he became such a recluse and took up the Batman mantle in the first place.
Hush could be a gateway to the origins of Pattinson's Batman
We first meet Robert Pattinson's Batman two years after he's taken up the identity of Batman, but we never see anything from that time or before it. Given that Hush is a skeleton tucked way in the back of Bruce's closet, the sequel could help explore how this Dark Knight came to be by way of his new foe. Yes, we know the core details of the Dark Knight's origin story. Scattered pearls here, a stumble into a Batcave there, and voila, a Batman is born, but Hush could help fill in more of the gaps and, in turn, use Robin as our eyes and ears in learning about his new guardian's past.
If Robin debuts in "The Batman Part II," he could be left wandering around the underground garage talking with Alfred (Andy Serkis), who sheds more light on the creation of Batman as Bruce reflects on memories with Thomas Elliot elsewhere. It would be a brilliant bit of storytelling, helping the audience learn more about the past and the future direction this brooding Bruce Wayne could go. It would also demand an exciting effort from Pattinson to provide more layers to a hero that we've only seen two prominent sides of so far. We'll see what kind of Batman returns when "The Batman Part II" arrives in theaters on October 3, 2025.