When the news first broke that Scarlett Johansson was in talks for a role in Matt Reeves' The Batman sequel, the report mentioned Poison Ivy as one of the characters the former MCU actress was in the running for.
This detail was largely forgotten about once the trades confirmed her casting, since more than one outlet claimed that the Black Widow star was set to play Harvey Dent's wife, Gilda.
Since then, rumors have circulated that Johansson, Sebastian Stan, and Charles Dance are not playing the characters we think they are, and a Reddit post from the generally reliable DCULeaks (approved by mods) recently shared some intriquing information.
The post claimed that Johansson will play a "serial killer obsessed with plants, who uses toxins to carry out her crimes." Her main target is Dance's character, "the leader of a secret organization made up of the most powerful figures in the city" (the Court of Owls, no doubt).
During this week's episode of The Hot Mic, co-host Jeff Sneider said he has also heard that Johansson will play Poison Ivy. He also speculates that the recent news that DC Studios/HBO have decided not to move forward with a solo series featuring the flora-obsessed villain may not be entirely accurate.
Sneider also believes that the Court of Owls will be introduced in the movie.
We recently got confirmation that the working title of Reeves' highly anticipated sequel is indeed "Semper Vigilans." This translates to "Always Vigilant" or "Ever Watchful," and has fuelled speculation that the movie will feature the sinister organization.
In the comics, the nursery rhyme associated with the villainous group reads: “Beware The Court of Owls, that watches all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed, speak not a whispered word of them, or they'll send the Talon for your head.”
A recent (and since deleted) Reddit post claimed that The Batman 2 will include a scene with Bruce Wayne interacting with a member of the Court of Owls at a masquerade ball.
For now, Reeves and co. will continue to keep fans guessing, but we do have some cryptic shots from the movie's production designer, Luke Hull. These photos may not have anything to do with The Batman - Part II, but it might be worth noting that writer Mattson Tomlin liked the posts.
Earlier this year, Reeves officially announced the movie's main cast on social media.
The filmmaker confirmed that Robert Pattinson (Bruce Wayne/Batman), Jeffrey Wright (Jim Gordon), Andy Serkis (Alfred Pennyworth), Colin Farrell (Oz Cobb/The Penguin), Jayme Lawson (Bella Réal) and Gil Perez-Abraham (Officer Martinez) will reprise their roles, alongside new cast members Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Charles Dance, Sebastian Koch and Brian Tyree Henry.
Reeves did not reveal the characters Gotham City's new additions will play.
After several previous delays, The Batman - Part II was scheduled to arrive in theaters on October 1, 2027, but was recently pushed back to February 18, 2028.