The Batman: Part IIis arguably the most anticipated comic book movie adaptation in some time, and yet it’s been hit with a volley of issues and delays. Director Matt Reeves briefly paused production due to a family matter, tapping Steven Soderbergh to finish principal photography. The recent Paramount/Warner Bros. merger means that The Batman: Part II will be debuting in a movie landscape that’s already gone through massive upheavals. And now, a set of photos might have revealed the villains that will be menacing Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight. Surprisingly, however, the leak came from someone who isn’t even in the movie.
This Halloween saw some creative celebrity costumes, especially when it comes to comic books, but the person that truly embraced the spooky spirit is model and businesswoman Heidi Klum, who dressed up as a severed hand. Her makeup team, including Mike Marino of Prosthetic Renaissance (who worked on The Batman), posted behind-the-scenes photos of the work that went into making this costume to Instagram. And, in one photo posted by The Makeup Armory, eagle-eyed fans immediately spotted several character molds of actors appearing in The Batman: Part II. What’s more, the now-deleted photo seems to confirm who’s playing who. Check them out below via @TheBatmanSagaNW and also…
First up, a mold of Brian Tyree Henry was shown with heavy scarring around one side of his mouth. This all but confirms that Henry is going to play Harvey Dent a.k.a. Two-Face. Dent is arguably one of the most tragic villains in the Batman mythos, due to being friends with the Dark Knight and Jim Gordon before being horrifically scarred by the mob. Henry’s incredible performance as Megatron in Transformers One proves that he’s capable of such a shift.
Two-Face’s presence in The Batman: Part II also implies that Reeves is continuing to draw inspiration from Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. The Long Halloween is considered to be one of the best Batman stories ever published, thanks to its exploration of the shifting crime scene in Gotham City and the tragic fall of Harvey Dent. Reeves previously named it as one of three inspirations that helped shape The Batman, so it’s great to see that influence spreading into a sequel.
Next is a head mold for Sebastian Stan, showcasing a series of scars around the neck and face. Those scars hint that Stan is playing Victor Zsasz, who might be one of the most disturbing foes Batman’s ever faced. Zsasz originally started out life similar to Bruce Wayne, even losing his rich parents in a freak boating accident. But while Wayne took the pain of his parents’ murder and used it to fuel his desire for justice as Batman, Zsasz grew insanely nihilistic and decided to become a killer. What makes him stand out is that he carves a tally mark into his flesh for each life he takes. Fans who are used to seeing Stan as Bucky Barnes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are in for a shock, while other moviegoers will continue to recognize that this man has serious range.
Perhaps the item that stands out the most in the workshop is a mask that comic fans will immediately recognize as belonging to the Court of Owls. The Court were the first antagonists in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman run, revealed to be a secret society that’s shaped Gotham City for years. The Court often employs “Talons,” undead assassins that carry out their work; given that Reeves has kept a more grounded tone for The Batman, it remains to be seen if that part of the story will be adapted on screen. The story of The Batman: Part II has been shrouded in mystery, but Heidi Klum wound up shining light on some of this movie’s shadows.
