With each major delay that hits The Batman: Part II—and there have been many—more and more theories start swirling about potential plotlines, villains, and what, exactly, fans can expect from the sequel that will have been a massive six years in the making. Expectations for the movie have never been higher, even as interest wanes with each delay, and now fan theories and set leaks are really all that’s keeping the fandom alive, especially with some recent photos from the set that have hit the internet.
Those photos are making the rounds now, and it seems official that the Court of Owls will be featured heavily in the film—maybe even as the A-tier villain. And in the same photos, fans finally get a glimpse of Robert Pattinson, who plays Bruce Wayne, on set, alongside protest signs. The protest signs that Bruce weaves his way through in the footage read “Court of Fowls,” “Re$i$t,” “I’m coming for you next,” “Your Greed is Killing Us,” “Oligarchs gotta go,” “The richer get richer,” “Eat the rich,” “One day the poor will have nothing,” and “Gotham is _ for justice,” seemingly making it very clear what the focus of the sequel’s narrative will be.
First look at Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne on the set of ‘THE BATMAN: PART 2’. 
(Source: @p87627) pic.twitter.com/YTbVkPa5mR
Who, exactly, the villain (or villains) would be in The Batman: Part II has been hotly debated since the Joker, played by Barry Keoghan, appeared at the end of the first film. When Sebastian Stan was cast, it was thought he’d certainly be playing Harvey Dent, who goes on to become the villain Two-Face. But when he appeared in set photos with a shaved head, whispers of him possibly playing Victor Szasz entered the chat. And then Scarlett Johansson was added to the cast list, and it was believed that she’d be playing the serial killer Gilda Dent, who later became known as Holiday. But with a “Court of Fowls” sign making an appearance, and that one video featuring the cast of the first film talking about their knowledge surrounding the Court of Owls, it seems that we might finally have some concrete information.
Created by Scott Snyder, the Court of Owls is a group of Gotham’s oldest and wealthiest families that has existed since the city’s founding, operating in the shadows and unknown to the general public. Doing their bidding and protecting their interests is a group of assassins from their own ranks that they call the Talons, and while many fans would love to see them, they can’t seem to agree on the best way to do them justice. “Great idea, but many writers don’t know how to write a compelling story about a cabal of old families with their own fantastic assassins.” In terms of when they should appear in the films another fan added, “In concept, they should be Batman’s final boss. The final threat to Gotham, and the original threat to Gotham.” But despite what the fans want, it seems that the sequel officially has its villain—or is possibly setting the franchise up for its third movie.
