After a period of uncertainty amid Warner Bros. restructuring and James Gunn's DCU, The Batman Part II is finally beginning to take shape. Plot and character details have been few and far between. Aside from the Joker tease in The Batman's ending, next to nothing is known about the sequel's plot, nor the villain(s) Robert Pattinson will be facing.
In a fairly significant update, however, reports have linked Scarlett Johansson to a major role in The Batman Part II. Predictably, the character Johansson might play remains under wraps. And while she could be primed for an original creation (think Bella Reál from the 2022 movie), logic suggests an actor of Johansson's fame would more likely be cast as a recognizable figure from DC canon. There are plenty of options, of course, but one in particular stands out.
Scarlett Johansson Should Play Poison Ivy In The Batman Part II
Poison Ivy is typically portrayed as a seductive and deadly villain, not entirely dissimilar from Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow in the MCU. We know the actor has that type of character in her locker, but it's highly unlikely The Batman Part II would run with the traditional depiction of Poison Ivy.
In Matt Reeves' previous movie, the Riddler was transformed from a bright green criminal mastermind into a blend of the Zodiac killer and an urban terrorist, using extreme methods to expose corruption within Gotham City. Poison Ivy lends herself to a similar reinvention. Rather than a temptress gifted superpowers by her plants, Johansson's version of Dr. Pamela Isley could be more of a covert eco-warrior who goes too far.
A scientist by day and a menace by night, The Batman Part II's Poison Ivy would, just like Paul Dano's Riddler, have a valid point in terms of her environmentalism. But, also like Riddler, her way of sending that message would be violent, cruel, and brutal. It's very easy to see how a renegade environmental scientist, turned to villainy after becoming disillusioned with the establishment, could exist within The Batman's dark and realistic landscape.
And Scarlett Johansson would be perfect for the part. Audiences are accustomed to seeing Johansson in heroic roles, especially within the superhero genre. Poison Ivy would be a neat subversion of those expectations, while also accentuating the moral grayness of a villain who makes a good argument. An actor of Johansson's caliber can toe that line, carrying a genuine threat without completely losing the audience's sympathy.
If it's unhinged comic book killers The Batman Part II is looking for, however, Scarlett Johansson can infuse that into her performance too. Not many folks saw The Spirit in 2008, but Johansson's Silken Floss has clear shades of Poison Ivy, from her unfeeling tone of voice to the barely-concealed contempt for others.
In terms of Johansson's previous movies, it's really Under the Skin that makes the prospect of her playing Poison Ivy so alluring. Johansson is an alien rather than a murderous plant lady here, but the way she creeps around luring and killing men ensures Under the Skin remains one of the most disturbing films of the 21st century so far. Again, there's a moral dilemma as the alien begins to feel the human experience and actually releases a potential victim, but as with Poison Ivy, Johansson's Under the Skin character also adopts a friendly outward facade to hide her inner evil.
The thought of translating Johansson's performance from Under the Sky into The Batman Part II as a modern take on Poison Ivy is enough to make you forget the Joker was even introduced. If fans thought Paul Dano's Riddler was a frightening antagonist, a blank-faced Johansson picking off oil barons and industrialists has the potential to chill spines on an ever greater level.
The One DC Character Scarlett Johansson Should NOT Play
Scarlett Johansson's name being attached to The Batman Part II will inevitably trigger speculation over Harley Quinn. Following in the footsteps of Margot Robbie and Lady Gaga, Johansson certainly bears a vague visual similarity to past live-action Quinn actors, and with the Joker already incarcerated during The Batman, it would make narrative sense for Dr. Harleen Quinzel to feature.
There's little doubt Scarlett Johansson could give a strong Harley Quinn performance. The problem has nothing to do with her suitability for the role, but the fact we simply don't need another live-action Harley Quinn right now. With Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey, The Suicide Squad, and Joker: Folie à Deux, DC has released four live-action Harley Quinn movies within the space of 8 years. That's an unnecessarily high rate, and one that matches the Caped Crusader himself. Harley Quinn can appear in The Batman's universe one day, but not yet.
It also feels premature to introduce Harley before we've properly been acquainted with the Joker himself. Barry Keoghan's Clown Prince of Crime is still a relative mystery, deleted scene notwithstanding, and The Batman Part II would do well to give its Joker some breathing room before turning him into one half of a double act.
