It goes without saying that The Batman - Part II is one of the buzziest titles in Hollywood right now. That was always going to be the case - because it's Batman! - but the past few months have changed the level of hype completely. Not only have two major Marvel stars joined the production in Scarlett Johansson and Sebastian Stan, production is gearing up to get underway in the coming weeks as the sequel's working title has been confirmed ahead of filming.
Speaking of Johansson, her casting has set the internet alight. The highest-grossing box office star of all time, her stint as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe makes her addition to a DC Universe film all the more exciting. Not to mention the fact that she's just off one of the biggest success stories of her career as she led the juggernaut Jurassic World Rebirth last summer. So there is a lot of hype about the action star's role in The Batman - Part II - as well as a lot of speculation about who she might be playing. Reports suggest a very unique choice.
Scarlett Johansson reportedly playing Gilda Dent in The Batman sequel
According to a number of reports, Scarlett Johannsson will be playing the role of Gilda Dent in The Batman - Part II. This had been rumored for some time now, but a new report from World of Reel appears to confirm that she has been cast in that particular role, adding that DC Studios is intentionally recruiting big name actors to play all of the supporting roles - hence Sebastian Stan's casting as Harvey Dent (a.k.a. Two-Face) and Daniel Craig's apparent turning down of the role of Christopher Dent.
If this turns out to be the case, the long-awaited Batman sequel sounds like it will very much be a case of Keeping Up With The Dents. Harvey, of course, makes perfect sense considering his iconic status as one of The Dark Knight's most infamous villains (as well as one of Bruce Wayne's best friends), but the additions of Gilda and Christopher Dent might be a surprise to fans. Gilda, in particular, considering Johansson may be playing her and she's a somewhat lesser-known DC character.
DC fans, of course, are more familiar with the character due to her history in the comics. The fiancée - and, eventually, wife - of Harvey Dent, she recurs throughout DC lore, appearing most prominently in Batman stories. However, her biggest role came in Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's legendary story Batman: The Long Halloween, in which it is revealed that Gilda plays the serial killer known as Holiday, killing off infamous members of Gotham City's established crime families throughout the calendar year.
The Long Halloween is critically-acclaimed, widely considered one of DC Comics' most gripping Batman stories. So, while casting Johansson in the role of a somewhat lesser-known character (at least to mainstream audiences), might come off as confusing to some, it actually holds the potential to be a positively inspired casting choice. After all, if that means The Batman - Part II is inspired by The Long Halloween, then we could very well be onto a winner here.
Why Gilda is perfect for Scarlett Johansson (and The Batman - Part II)
Matt Reeves' The Batman was heavily focused on Gotham's history with crime families, with Carmine Falcone playing major role. There were also references to Salvatore Maroni and we even met Colin Farrell's Penguin for the first time, too. The spinoff series The Penguin took that many, many steps further, showcasing Oz's rise to the top of Gotham's criminal empire in the midst of his feud with Sofia Falcone. All of this plays a role in highlighting how effective the backdrop of that criminal empire is for these particular Batman movies. And that's what makes Johansson's potential casting as Gilda Dent all the more intriguing.
Could we be looking at a Long Halloween adaptation here? We know that The Penguin will be back, so you can bet the crime families will be involved too. We also know that Harvey Dent is involved in the film, too. Could an attempt to bring down some of the city's non-super-powered criminals result in his eventual transformation into Two-Face? And if that's the case, could Gilda seek revenge?
There is a lot of scope here for a compelling mystery drama. After all, The Batman itself did that oh-so-well, so why not draw inspiration from The Long Halloween for the sequel? The thought of that, while also seeing Johansson and Stan work together again after sharing the screen in 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier (along with multiple MCU and Avengers movies after that), makes The Batman - Part II even more thrilling than it already was.
Johansson is one of the most magnetic, captivating performers in Hollywood today. If anyone can give Gilda Dent her moment, it's her. We just hope this report turns out to be true, because the potential is well and truly there. If it is true, Robert Pattinson's Batman better watch out!