It's safe to say that The Batman - Part II is one of the most mysterious projects in Hollywood today. This is partially down to the fact that it has taken years to get it into production, and that hasn't even happened yet (star Robert Pattinson reveals it's happening in the coming months), while it's also simply down to the lack of details that have surfaced about its plot.
The Matt Reeves movie boasts a star-studded cast, with some major names joining the fray while many of the headliners from the original 2022 Batman film are also expected to return. However, a new report might have just shed some light on one major addition to the film - perhaps even the type of role that they play in the heavily-anticipated movie.
New video suggests Two-Face might debut in The Batman 2 after all
We know that Sebastian Stan has been officially cast in The Batman - Part II with the trades eventually confirming that he would indeed be playing Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent. While many rightfully reported that this sets the stage for the character's evolution into Two-Face, it was unclear whether that would actually happen in this particular movie. That is, until now, it seems.
As reported by The Direct, a new video on Instagram sees American artist Devon Rodriguez interview The Batman - Part II's prosthetic makeup designer Mike Marino. The interview takes place in Marino's own studio, allowing viewers to see a host of incredible prosthetics and face sculptures on show. One of those sculptures is of none other than Sebastian Stan himself, suggesting that he might need prosthetics in the upcoming DC Studios movie. You can watch that video here.
Marino is no stranger to the Batman franchise as he is responsible for Colin Farrell's incredible transformation into The Penguin in both The Batman and its Emmy-winning spinoff The Penguin. Naturally, this has led fans to deduce that Harvey Dent will indeed be undergoing a similar transformation into Two-Face at some point in Part II. And if it does happen throughout the 2027 sequel, then it could well have him turn into the main villain in the final act - just as we saw with Aaron Eckhart's Two-Face in 2008 masterpiece The Dark Knight.
While this is convincing evidence of Harvey's inevitable transformation on its own, it's not all we have to go on. See, a number of insider reports suggest that the film will place a distinct focus on the Dent family, which would imply that we're looking at a lot more here than just Bruce Wayne's best friend - and Gotham DA - Harvey Dent playing a supporting role. And that's where some of the biggest names in the production come in.
Stan playing the role was obviously a big indicator that the film is going large with Harvey, and he isn't alone in that. We know that Scarlett Johansson has been cast in a mystery role, with multiple reports claiming that she is, in fact, playing his wife Gilda Dent. Adding to that are the multiple reports that Warner Bros. are attempting to cast a major star in the role of Harvey's father, Christopher Dent, with names such as Daniel Craig, Stellan Skarsgård, Brad Pitt, and Robert De Niro all being approached.
Taking all of that into account, the belief that Two-Face could play a big role in The Batman - Part II isn't an unfounded one. There is quite a bit of evidence to suggest that Stan's role will go beyond that of kind-hearted, trusted legal counsel Harvey Dent. The fact that multiple members of his family could be involved in the plot suggest as much. And then you have the prosthetics facial sculpture, which would suggest Stan is going to be wearing some kind of prosthetic makeup at some point in the film.
Of course, the rumor mill is going to continue spinning until the movie comes out next October, and it will no doubt ramp up even more so in the months ahead as filming commences. But it does sound like Two-Face could rear his head after all. The question is whether he will be the only villain involved in a major capacity. We know that Colin Farrell will return as The Penguin (fresh off his award-winning run as the character on the HBO spinoff series) and Barry Keoghan is expected back as The Joker too. It's unclear if those will be major roles right now, but it is clear that Sebastian Stan will play a major role in the film - regardless of whether that is as just Harvey or as Two-Face, too!
The actor is no stranger to playing complex, tortured villains as he is best-known for his legendary run as Bucky Barnes, a.k.a. the Winter Soldier, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His performance in the 2014 movie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, in particular is cited as some of his finest work. Needless to say, we're ready to see him tackle Two-Face!