Sebastian Stan’s Villain Role in ‘The Batman: Part II’ Just Got Even More Confusing
Casting secrecy has become something of a signature move for Matt Reeves’ Gotham universe, with even the sequel’s biggest new additions kept deliberately vague well into production. Few of those mysteries have generated quite as much back-and-forth speculation as Sebastian Stan’s actual role in ‘The Batman: Part II.’
For months, the prevailing assumption held that Stan would be playing Harvey Dent, Gotham’s district attorney destined to eventually become Two-Face. That theory gained traction after Stan told Deadline back in May that he plays “many roles in this one,” a comment widely interpreted as a hint about Dent’s eventual transformation.
Now that assumption is once again being challenged. According to industry insider Jeff Sneider, reporting via TheInSneider, Stan is actually playing serial killer Victor Zsasz rather than Harvey Dent, with Brian Tyree Henry reportedly stepping into the Dent role instead. Neither Warner Bros. nor director Matt Reeves has officially confirmed these casting details.
The Zsasz theory picked up fresh momentum after a photo circulated online showing Stan with a shaved head, a look that closely matches Zsasz’s traditional bald appearance in DC Comics. Since the character famously lacks a costume or secret identity, fans quickly seized on the image as confirmation that the earlier Zsasz rumor had been correct all along.
That said, not everyone is convinced the buzz cut settles anything. Some have pointed out that Stan could just as easily have shaved his head to make applying prosthetics for Two-Face’s scarred half easier, meaning the photo alone doesn’t necessarily rule out a Harvey Dent connection entirely.
Victor Zsasz first appeared in DC Comics back in 1992’s “Batman: Shadow of the Bat” #1, created by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle. The character is known for his brutal methods, carving a tally mark into his own skin for every victim he kills, making him one of the more disturbing figures in Batman’s rogues gallery.
Despite that grim reputation, Zsasz has had limited live-action exposure so far. Tim Booth played a minor version of the character in Christopher Nolan’s 2005 film ‘Batman Begins,’ and Anthony Carrigan portrayed him in Fox’s ‘Gotham’ television series, but he’s never anchored a major cinematic villain arc the way this sequel appears poised to give him.
Reeves has previously stated that the sequel’s main villain hadn’t been properly depicted in a film before, a detail that arguably fits Zsasz far more neatly than Harvey Dent, given how many prior films have already tackled Two-Face’s story. That comment has only added credibility to Sneider’s more recent report among fans trying to piece together the sequel’s actual plot.
Complicating things further, Stan recently sidestepped questions about the project entirely during an interview with French outlet Le Journal du Dimanche while promoting an unrelated film. He explained that producers deliberately withhold full scripts from cast members specifically to prevent leaks, a policy he says he’s grown used to over his career.
Beyond the ongoing Stan speculation, several other cast members remain shrouded in similar mystery. Scarlett Johansson and Charles Dance have both joined the sequel in roles that have yet to be officially confirmed, with rumors continuing to swirl around potential connections to Poison Ivy and the Dent family history.
Robert Pattinson returns as Bruce Wayne and Batman, joined by Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and Colin Farrell reprising his role as Oz Cobb. With ‘The Batman: Part II’ currently scheduled for a February 18, 2028 release, fans still have plenty of time, and plenty of conflicting reports, to sort through before official confirmation finally arrives.
Who Do You Think Sebastian Stan Is Playing?
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
