At long last, the cast for The Batman Part II is rounding into shape, and comic book movie fans are going to see a lot of familiar faces in the sequel. Two prominent new additions to the Batman Epic Crime Saga franchise have plenty of experience with big-screen superheroics. On the heels of former Marvel star Scarlett Johansson joining the film in a mystery role, her old Avengers teammate Sebastian Stan became the latest to sign on for The Batman Part II (immediately raising questions about Bucky’s Marvel Cinematic Universe future after Avengers: Doomsday). Similar to Johansson, the specifics behind Stan’s role are being kept under wraps, but fans undoubtedly have plenty of theories.
In the aftermath of Stan’s casting, some are speculating that he could be the latest actor to play Harvey Dent, the charismatic district attorney turned villain. It would definitely be an ideal role for Stan’s talents, and if it comes to pass, it could potentially realize something comic readers have wanted to see for a long time … sort of. When one looks at the rumors surrounding Johansson’s character, The Batman Part II could deliver the Johansson/Stan romantic pairing that Marvel fans had longed to see.
The MCU Never Adapted Black Widow and Winter Soldier’s Romance
Those who know Black Widow and Winter Soldier from only the MCU movies might be surprised to learn that the films left out a key component of their dynamic. In the comics, Bucky Barnes and Natasha Romanoff have been an item. Their relationship began during Bucky’s time in the Red Room, where he met Natasha while he was part of the Black Widow Ops program. From that point forward, the characters developed a complex and memorable dynamic with each other. When Bucky became the new Captain America following the “Civil War” storyline, he teamed up with Natasha on various missions, where they encountered enemies such as Red Skull.
Of course, given the troubled natures of Bucky and Natasha’s characters, they weren’t exactly meant to have a happy ending together. In the comics, the two have been torn apart on more than one occasion, including a time when Natasha had her memories erased by Red Room assassin Leo Novokov. These have proven to be some of the most interesting and compelling stories in Marvel comics, exploring the poignant dynamic between two former assassins. Despite the richness of that source material, Marvel Studios never brought it to the big screen.
Marvel fans would have loved to have seen love blossom between Natasha and Bucky, but it’s easy to see why this specific relationship was never a part of the films. There frankly wasn’t much room for it, especially since Nat and Bucky spent most of the Infinity Saga as supporting characters in other heroes’ solo films or as part of the larger ensemble in Avengers movies. Johansson and Stan only appeared together in four MCU movies. The first was Captain America: The Winter Soldier, where Bucky spends most of the time as a villain. Nat and a reformed Bucky then fight on opposite sides of Captain America: Civil War, which had bigger fish to fry as it chronicled the fracturing of the Avengers and introduced the likes of Black Panther and Spider-Man. By the time we got to Avengers: Infinity War, the conflict against Thanos was front and center, and Bucky spends most of Endgame snapped out of existence anyway.
When looking at those films, there isn’t a place where a Nat/Bucky romance would come across as organic and natural. The filmmakers wouldn’t have the time to properly develop it, which would have been disappointing. If fans got excited about the love story coming to the films only for it to be half-baked, people would have wondered what the point was. If Nat and Bucky were going to have a relationship in the MCU, it would have needed to come in a Black Widow or Bucky solo project where it could have been a primary focus. In the comics, their history is so deep and captivating, that would be the only way to do the romance justice. Throwing it in as a bit of fan service wouldn’t land with the desired impact.
The Batman Part II Can Give Fans a Johansson/Stan Romantic Pairing
There are no shortage of characters Scarlett Johansson could play in The Batman Part II, and one rumor that’s caught on with people is Gilda Gold. Gold is the wife of Harvey Dent, which just so happens to be a popular pick for Stan’s character. Nothing is confirmed at this point, of course, but if these rumors pan out, comics fans would likely find some amusement in Johansson and Stan playing a romantic couple in their first DC movie after the MCU never brought Black Widow and Bucky together over all those years. Should Johansson and Stan display strong chemistry with one another, Marvel fans will bemoan what might have been.
Much of The Batman Part II is being kept under wraps, but Harvey Dent feels like a realistic possibility given what we know about Reeves’ franchise. The director has crafted a gritty, grounded Gotham City defined by its organized crime. It seems logical to include a character like Harvey Dent, who was extremely dedicated to capturing Gotham’s criminals before he became Two-Face. Granted, The Batman Part II would be inviting comparisons to The Dark Knight if Stan is indeed playing Dent, but enough time has now passed that viewers will be able to accept a new iteration of the classic character — especially one portrayed by a fan-favorite actor like Stan.
If Gilda is brought into the fold, that would be an obvious way for The Batman Part II to distinguish itself from The Dark Knight. In Christopher Nolan’s film, Dent is involved with Rachel Dawes, an original character Nolan created for his trilogy. Bringing Gilda into the fold would allow Reeves and Co. to showcase a different side of Dent’s character, making their version easily stand out. Gilda and Harvey aren’t star-crossed former assassins trying to make the best of their lives, but their relationship has plenty of ups and downs that would give The Batman Part II some exciting material to work with. One possibility is putting a spin on the Holiday killer storyline.
Gilda and Harvey would be great to see on screen, but ultimately, whatever Reeves has in store should be a treat for fans. With The Batman and The Penguin, he’s demonstrated that he not only has a keen eye for casting, but also an ability to put those actors in position where they can deliver strong performances of compelling characters. If his script for The Batman Part II was able to attract top-tier talent such as Johansson and Stan, it sounds like the director has something special planned. Whether it’s Gilda and Harvey or something else, fans will be excited to learn more as The Batman Part II makes its way to the big screen.
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