Scarlett Johansson was not the first major Marvel star connected to The Batman 2. Johansson's time as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is well documented, with the actress leaving the franchise in 2021, after her Marvel hero died in Avengers: Endgame and a solo film. While Marvel has two upcoming Avengers movies, the actress is joining another superhero franchise instead.
Recently, it was reported that Scarlett Johansson is in negotiations to star in The Batman 2. The actress would join Robert Pattinson as one of the few confirmed players in the cast of the next Batman movie if everything works out. After the reveal, new details about Johansson's negotiations for the 2026 DC movie and the actress who was offered the role first have emerged.
According to a new DC report from The InSneider, Emma Stone rejected The Batman 2 role that Scarlett Johansson is in final talks for. Additionally, it is said that after Johansson learned that The Amazing Spider-Man franchise's Gwen Stacy actress turned down the role, the Black Widow star asked her team to aggressively pursue the part in the upcoming DC movie. The mysterious character is said to be a villain.
With no confirmation as to who Johansson could be playing in The Batman 2, several rumors have emerged. Possible characters range from beloved Batman villains, such as Poison Ivy and Phantasm, to love interests like Vicki Vale. With The Batman 2
After last playing Black Widow in her solo film, Johansson has been adamant that her time in the MCU is over. The actress has said as much in multiple interviews, including one on May 14, 2025, where she told Vanity Fair, "What works about the character is that her story is complete." Johansson claimed she did not want to mess with Black Widow's ending.
As for The Batman 2's cast, Johansson's casting reports claim Zoë Kravitz is unlikely to return as Catwoman. That makes sense, as Selina Kyle was last seen leaving Robert Pattinson's Batman and Gotham City as a whole behind at the end of 2022's The Batman. That said, DC fans will see some returning faces.
Colin Farrell's Penguin, Andy Serkis' Alfred Pennyworth, and Jeffrey Wright's Jim Gordon are all set to return in different types of roles in the sequel. On July 8, James Gunn told ScreenRant that The Batman 2 script was "great," a sentiment that has since been echoed by multiple actors involved with the film. As such, The Batman 2 seems to be in good hands.
The Batman 2 arrives in theaters on October 1, 2027.
