Just days after Jeff “The In” Sneider sent shockwaves through the fandom by revealing that an HBO Max Poison Ivy standalone series is actively moving forward inside Matt Reeves’ isolated BatVerse, emerging rumors and reports about the identity of the film’s core cast of characters have created a stir.
A disruptive wave of insider leaks originating from a highly scrutinized r/DCEUleaks Reddit post (which has since been removed) has completely rewritten the projected character sheets for The Batman-Part II (targeting an October 1, 2027 theatrical bow).
If these breakdowns hold up under the cameras, Reeves isn’t just delivering a traditional mob sequel—he is orchestrating a massive, star-studded psychological heist that weaponizes the absolute elite of Marvel’s legacy veterans.
The Scarlett Johansson Twist: Dr. Pamela Isley in Plain Sight
Months ago, Sneider pegged academy-award nominee Scarlett Johansson to be playing Gilda Dent, the tragic, soon-to-be estranged wife of Gotham’s District Attorney; however, it turns out she may be playing one of Batman’s deadliest rogues: Pamela Isley, aka Poison Ivy.
This lines up with the structural details of Sneider’s HBO Max series leak. Rather than navigating fantastical, green-skinned superpower variables, Johansson’s Ivy will operate as a radicalized socialite botanist. The feature film will serve as her foundational setup before she spins off to headline her own long-form premium crime drama on HBO Max.
Sebastian Stan’s True Skin: Transforming Into a Serial Killer
In an equally massive shift of character expectations, the Reddit breakdown has thrown a giant wrench into Sebastian Stan’s projected trajectory. While the Cannes Film Festival circuit tracking had fans entirely convinced the Winter Soldier veteran was locked in to portray the ill-fated Harvey Dent, a recent rumor indicated that the role of District Attorney Harvey Dent has actually been handed to Atlanta star Brian Tyree Henry. Instead, Stan may now be playing Victor Zsasz.
If true, Reeves’ universe would certainly e treating Zsasz not as a campy, theatrical henchman, but as a deeply disturbing, calculating shadow predator. Stan will leverage his immense physical acting range to portray a severely unhinged, knife-wielding serial killer stalking a post-flood Gotham, with rumors suggesting his character might serve as the primary muscle manipulated by Johansson‘s Ivy to eliminate corporate obstacles.
Charles Dance: The Grand Patriarch of the Court of Owls
Finally, the leak drops a massive puzzle piece regarding the movie’s overall framework. Game of Thrones icon Charles Dance—who was previously reported to be playing Christopher Dent (Harvey’s abusive father)—is allegedly unmasked in the script as a senior leader of the Court of Owls.
Hinted at in the first film and dozens of times since, The Court of Owls will serve as the overarching, invisible hand attempting to capitalize on the city’s ruined ecosystem, using their historic wealth to manipulate both the criminal underworld and new threats like Ivy to clean the board for their permanent control.
If true, the castings honor the Epic Crime Saga label by ensuring every single villain serves a grounded, systemic function in Gotham’s structural decay, setting up a noticebly darker, more paranoid playground for Robert Pattinson to navigate.
