The Batman Part II is still shooting in Glasgow, Scotland, and an eagle-eyed fan has spotted what could be a nod to the Court of Owls.
While it's unlikely to be a plot point in the sequel, this prop features an apparent nod to Gotham City's bats and owls. So, is it little more than an Easter Egg created by the props department for fun, or a hint at what's really going on in Bruce Wayne's home?
In the comics, the Court of Owls is a secretive, powerful organisation introduced in 2011's Batman #1 by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo.
Hidden within Gotham City for centuries, the Court manipulates the city's elite and influences events from the shadows. They are known for using highly trained assassins called Talons, who are nearly immortal due to special resurrection technology.
The Court's existence challenges Batman's belief that he knows everything about Gotham, as they have remained hidden even from him. Their influence extends deep into Gotham’s history, making them one of Batman's most dangerous and mysterious foes.
Rumours have swirled for a while about the Court of Owls factoring into The Batman Part II, potentially as the movie's big bad. Their existence was hinted at in 2022's The Batman, as was the possibility that the Wayne family had some big secrets.
Characters like Two-Face and Victor Zsasz are supposedly part of Matt Reeves' plans for the Caped Crusader, and either villain would potentially fit into a story about the Court of Owls (Zsasz, for example, could take the place of Talon as the Court's chief assassin).
"A lot of the other films, which I love, once you get past the origin tale, then you start telling the rogues' gallery story and that character's arc," Reeves previously revealed. "I never wanted to lose Rob at the centre of these stories, so that is what we really set our aim on."
The filmmaker continued, "Picking the right villain that digs into what that does and goes into his past and his life, that was what drove that discussion. We're super excited about it, and I will say, it's never really been done in a movie before."
Directed by Matt Reeves from a script by him and Mattson Tomlin, The Batman Part II stars Robert Pattinson, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis, Jeffrey Wright, Charles Dance, Jayme Lawson, Gil Perez-Abraham, Sebastian Koch, and Brian Tyree Henry.
The Batman Part II is set to be released in theaters on February 18, 2028.