The Batman's First Spin-Off May Star A Dark Knight Trilogy Villain (Report)

Matt Reeves' "The Batman" turned out to be a massive critical and financial hit when it released in 2021. The majority of DC fans gave new Bruce Wayne actor Robert Pattinson their seal of approval, showered the supporting cast with praise, and made it clear that "The Batman – Part II" is one of the most anticipated sequels currently on the way. Naturally, Warner Bros. has elected to go all-in on the Reevesverse, offering up more than just direct sequels. Rumor has it that one such spin-off endeavor could spotlight a Batman villain famously adapted in Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy.

According to Hollywood insider Daniel Richtman, Warner Bros. is reportedly developing a film dedicated to Batman rogue Scarecrow — a supporting antagonist played by Cillian Murphy in the "Dark Knight" series. He shared as much on his Patreon page, alleging that this project is set in the same continuity as "The Batman" rather than the main DC Universe. At the time of publication, a source directly from Warner Bros. has yet to speak on such a feature, so it's wise to take this as nothing more than a rumor for the time being.

In the event that Scarecrow is getting a solo project all his own in the "Batman" universe, one has to wonder how Reeves and his team will approach this new take on the villain.

In most DC Comics continuities, Scarecrow's backstory is a pretty straightforward one. Jonathan Crane spent his youth bullied and mistreated, creating resentment within him toward the world. He develops a fascination with fear, which leads him to use his knowledge of chemistry and psychology to terrorize the people of Gotham. He creates his patented fear toxin, using it to terrorize those unlucky enough to get in his way. His mind and resources make him a formidable foe for Batman, but what could his reign of terror look like in the "Batman" universe?

"The Batman" doesn't offer direct adaptations of the titular hero's enemies. Instead of a rich, spoiled, temperamental crime boss, Oswald "Penguin" Cobblepot (Colin Farrell) is a power and money-hungry lackey to Carmine Falcone (John Turturro). As for Riddler (Paul Dano), he's an outcast with a searing hatred for the rich and powerful, not some goof in green spandex with a love for brain games. 

Thus, it would only make sense for this universe's take on Scarecrow to differ from his comic book counterpart. Perhaps he's inspired by the fear and panic Riddler caused in the previous film and uses his status as an Arkham psychologist to get close to him, learning from him how to make people fearful. Maybe Batman slighted him in some significant way, and he figures the best way to get even is to attack his mind by preying on his deepest fears and insecurities.

The Scarecrow character can go in several different directions if he gets his own spin-off and joins the universe of "The Batman." If such a project is on the way, surely Matt Reeves is cooking up something special — and horrifying — for the Master of Fear.