DCjust brought the storyline fans have been eagerly hoping for inThe Batman - Part IIto life two years before the movie’s 2026 release date, and it provides a fascinating preview of what the sequel’s story could be like.The Batman’s endingleft audiences yearning for more stories in the universe, and whileThe Penguinhas provided an engrossing follow-up to the events of the film, its own positive reception has only increased hype for the second movie installment. Naturally, in this build-up, a lot of story hopes have emerged, with plenty of theories gaining serious traction.
This makes it all the more interesting that one of the most ardently hoped for theories regardingThe Batman - Part II’s storyand the identity of its antagonist has already become reality in a different way a considerable chunk of time before the movie’s debut thanks to one2024 DC release. Though there are plenty of upcoming projects between now and then, this story appears to present either the best look at what is to come for Matt Reeves' Batman sequel, or what could have been for it, depending on what happens in the movie itself.
Batman Unburied: Fallen City Makes The Court Of Owls Mystery We’re All Hoping The Batman 2 Will Have Reality 2 Years Before The Sequel’s Release
November 2024’sBatman Unburied: Fallen Cityimmediately sets its mystery up by having the story open with Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent being attacked by a mysterious assailant - something that appears to be connected to their plans to transform Gotham’s abandoned orphanage into a place that can provide health and social care for the people of Gotham. The day after this attack, Batman discovers Harvey Dent has supposedly died by suicide out of guilt because he and the plans are corrupt - but, knowing their intentions and remembering the night before, the Dark Knight suspects more is at play.
Over the course of the story, Batman’s suspicions are proven correct. Eventually,it’s revealed that the Court of Owls had taken issue with the plan to alter the orphanagedue to it having been used previously in their plans - since the Court had brainwashed some of the children taken there to do their work for them and become their assassins - and because the building has a close proximity to a Lazarus Pit underneath Gotham, which Ra’s Al Ghul had been using to extend his lifespan.
The uncovering of the Court of Owls naturally lends itself well to a mystery narrative like this one. The way in whichBatman Unburied: Fallen Cityunfurls the Court’s motives and history - even here tying their machinations to Martha and Thomas Wayne’s deaths, revealing that the Court of Owls orchestrated it because they were also looking at trying to change the orphanage - is a prime demonstration of how effectively the villainous faction can work not only as an antagonistic force, but also as a group that helps flesh out Gotham and how it reached its current state.
Batman Unburied: Fallen City Shows How A Court Of Owl Story Can Be Combined With DC’s Other Villains
Batman Unburied: Fallen Cityeffectively has the Court of Owls working to not just their own best interests, but also for Ra’s Al Ghul, as they show equal parts fear and reverence for “The One Who Can’t Die”, no doubt having seen him remain effectively the same for countless years due to the Lazarus Pit and its effects. However, Ra’s Al Ghul is by no means the only DC villain embroiled in this storyline - as his daughter, Talia, is revealed to have been a main character throughout the series under the alias of Allie, having notably been Harvey Dent’s romantic partner.
Harvey himself becomes Two-Face during the events of the series, with the Court of Owls kidnapping him and torturing him until his mind couldn’t handle the strain. Similarly, Bruce and Harvey’s friend Coby Williamson is revealed to unknowingly also be a Talon - a Court of Owls assassin - and the person who killed Bruce’s parents all those years ago.
Batman Unburied: Fallen Cityreleased on Spotify on August 10, 2025.
Since the Court of Owls is suggested to have been playing a shadowy role in Gotham and its government since basically the city’s inception, there’s a lot of opportunity to connect them to prior events in Gotham, especially since their intentions are clearly less than pure. Similarly, since the aims of the Court are basically to corrupt and warp those around them, tying them to other villains and their stories is easy to do, and adds to the idea that Gotham does need Batman to help counter its issues.
Batman Unburied: Fallen City Has Made Me Hope Even More For The Batman 2 To Be A Court Of Owls Story
WhileBatman Unburied: Fallen Cityis likely a very different release toThe Batman - Part II, it works as a stellar example of why and how the Court of Owls are an ideal force for the Dark Knight to go up against in the sequel story.The Court is a faction based around showing just how deep the roots of Gotham’s corruption go, and this works in a way where it seems like only someone with the means that Batman has - as both a vigilante and as Bruce Wayne - can actually have a proper chance at trying to stop them.
WithThe Batmanbeing so focused on the Caped Crusader discovering more about the seedy underbelly of Gotham’s underworld and how it interferes with the city, it stands to reason that the Court of Owls would be the ideal villain choice for the sequel, since it can continue this story avenue in a strong way, and let Bruce know just how far back these issues really go.Batman Unburied: Fallen Cityfurthers that idea, showing that this kind of narrative can be used to great effect and as a solid mystery for a narrative to center itself around, even if other keyDCfigures are in the mix too.
DC Universe
The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
