“The Batman 2” is officially happening. The news was confirmed at CinemaCon, one of the most important events of the film industry, after “The Batman” earned over $760 million worldwide and was viewed in 4.1 million households on its first week streaming on HBO Max.
Deadline confirms that “The Batman 2” will bring back Robert Pattinson and Matt Reeves, the director and writer of the first film. In a statement at CinemaCon, Reeves shared the exciting news: “Thank you all for your tremendous support for The Batman. We couldn’t have gotten here without the faith and enthusiasm of all your teams around the world. I’m excited to jump back into this world for the next chapter.”
“The Batman” has quickly become the most viewed movie on HBO Max, topping the success of blockbusters like “Dune,” “Wonder Woman 1984,” “The Matrix Resurrections,” and more, films that were released on the platform exclusively or shortly after they were screened in theaters.
There’s no official plot information on “The Batman 2” but viewers expect the sequel to follow the footsteps of the original, continuing on the dark and gritty vibes that Reeves delivered. “The Batman” follows Bruce Wayne as a young hero, encountering the Riddler (Paul Dano), a serial killer who’s targeting political figures in Gotham. As Batman investigates the city’s underbelly, he encounters characters like the Penguin (Colin Farrell) and Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz), a character that becomes increasingly important to the story and becomes his love interest.
HBO Max is planning on capitalizing on the success of the film, expanding its universe in different directions. A spinoff of the Penguin is currently in development. The TV series is described as a “Scarface-like” take on the character of the Penguin and his rise as a mob boss in Gotham. The series is set to star Colin Farrell in the lead role, with Matt Reeves as executive producer. HBO Max has hired Lauren LeFranc, known for her work in the series “Impulse” and “Agents of S.H.I.E.LD”, as the series’ showrunner.