Gotham’s villains have never exactly been known for playing nice, and after Paul Dano’s chilling Riddler turned the city into complete chaos in The Batman, the sequel appears ready to unleash another dangerous force. This time, however, one of Hollywood’s biggest names has suddenly entered the conversation. With Scarlett Johansson now hovering over Gotham’s rumor mill, fans are already bracing for Batman’s next nightmare.

If Gotham’s latest whispers survive the darkness, Batman’s next investigation may not lead him into another crime scene but into a nightmare where danger quietly blooms before striking without warning.

A widely discussed post on Reddit’s r/DCULeaks claims Scarlett Johansson is playing the film’s primary antagonist, reportedly a grounded reimagining of Poison Ivy rather than the comic book’s supernatural version. According to the leak, her character is a wealthy botanist turned serial killer who targets Gotham’s elite with deadly plant-based toxins and poisonous gases instead of superpowers. The same post also alleges Batman initially believes Sebastian Stan’s rumored Victor Zsasz is behind the m****** before uncovering Johansson’s character as the real mastermind. Neither Warner Bros. nor director Matt Reeves has confirmed these claims.

The speculation has gained traction partly because Johansson’s role has remained officially undisclosed despite Matt Reeves confirming her involvement in the sequel. It also arrives after the enormous success of 2022’s The Batman, which earned more than $770 million worldwide, received widespread critical acclaim, and helped launch an entire Gotham-centered franchise with HBO’s The Penguin. Unsurprisingly, every new casting rumor surrounding the sequel now spreads through Gotham almost as quickly as the Bat-Signal lights up the sky.

Is Barry Keoghan Returning in 'The Batman: Part II'? Everything We Know About Joker’s Future

Whether the leak survives daylight or vanishes into Gotham’s shadows, Batman’s next investigation is already shaping up to be far more dangerous than the last.

Matt Reeves returns to direct The Batman Part II, with Robert Pattinson once again stepping into Bruce Wayne’s cape and cowl alongside Colin Farrell’s Penguin, Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman, Jeffrey Wright’s Jim Gordon, and Andy Serkis’ Alfred Pennyworth. The sequel is currently filming in London under the working title Vengeance 2 and is officially scheduled to arrive in theaters on October 1, 2027. 

Set during a freezing Gotham still recovering from the Riddler’s devastating flood, the sequel will continue the detective-noir storytelling established in the first film while following events from HBO’s The Penguin. Reeves has also confirmed that Bruce Wayne’s emotional journey remains the heart of the story, with the mystery forcing Batman deeper into Gotham’s corruption and his own family history. Like its predecessor, the film exists under DC’s Elseworlds banner, keeping it completely separate from James Gunn’s main DC Universe.

Whether the leak grows into reality or disappears into Gotham’s shadows, it has already turned Scarlett Johansson’s mystery role into The Batman Part II’s biggest talking point long before the Bat-Signal lights up theaters.

Gotham’s Deadliest Mystery Begins as Joker Hunts Batman’s Killer in New Anime Series

Do you think Scarlett Johansson would be the perfect villain for The Batman Part II? Let us know in the comments.