James Gunn Debunks The Batman 2 Rumor, Teases Casting Plans

Another day, another Gotham rumor. James Gunn hopped on Threads to swat down the latest chatter about The Batman Part II messing with villains and dragging its feet, and he tossed in a quick reality check on casting while he was at it.

Gunn swats away the Clayface talk

The rumor of the week said Gunn personally blocked Matt Reeves from adding a 'realistic' Clayface to the sequel, supposedly causing script delays. Gunn’s response? A shrug and a laugh.

'What? Where does this stuff come from? No it’s the same exact script it has been from the beginning.'

So, no, he didn’t step in to Clayface-proof the movie, and no, the script hasn’t been held up because of it.

Why there aren’t casting announcements yet

Gunn also explained the radio silence on casting. The Batman Part II is officially a DC Studios film, with Gunn and Peter Safran producing. Translation: they run point, but they’re not going to drip-feed names before cameras roll. The rare exception was the 'Lars as Brainiac' situation over on Superman — they announced that one early because it was obviously going to leak. That’s a behind-the-scenes detail worth remembering when people expect weekly casting reveals for movies that aren’t filming yet.

Production timing (and the slightly messy calendar)

The timeline here has a couple of moving pieces, which is why people are confused. A recent report says the sequel will start shooting at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in London on January 1, 2026. Elsewhere you’ll see it phrased as production beginning 'this coming spring.' Either way, the takeaway is the same: as of Gunn’s comments, it hasn’t started filming yet, and the plan points to early 2026.

Who is back, who might be back, and who isn’t

Robert Pattinson is locked to return as Batman. Beyond him, most of the names you’d expect are in the 'expected' or 'likely' bucket: Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred, and Colin Farrell’s Penguin. On the flip side, Zoe Kravitz is not expected to return as Selina Kyle/Catwoman this time. One new wrinkle making the rounds: Scarlett Johansson has been reported as involved, specifically as Harvey Dent’s wife. That’s not confirmed by DC Studios — just a trade-world report for now.

The essentials at a glance

• Title: The Batman Part II
• Script: Co-written by Matt Reeves and Mattson Tomlin; Gunn says it’s the same script it’s been from the start
• Producers: James Gunn and Peter Safran (DC Studios)
• Cast status: Robert Pattinson returning; Jeffrey Wright, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell expected; Zoe Kravitz not expected; Scarlett Johansson reportedly playing Harvey Dent’s wife (unconfirmed)
• Production: A recent report pegs the start at WB Studios Leavesden in London on January 1, 2026; other phrasing says 'this coming spring' — either way, not filming yet
• Release date: October 1, 2027 in the U.S.
• Context: The Batman (2022) was a major hit, pulling in over $770 million worldwide

Bottom line: the Clayface rumor is a miss, the script hasn’t been reset, and casting news isn’t going to pop until the movie is actually gearing up to shoot. Everyone breathe.