Matt Reeves' The Batman 2 Seemingly Introduces DC's Villain Organization In First-Ever Live-Action Movie Appearance

Published Sep 13, 2026, 11:29 AM EDT

Andy Behbakht has worked as an entertainment journalist since 2010, covering all the latest in Hollywood on both the big and small screens, from staying on top of the biggest breaking news, analyzing movies and television shows in Hollywood, to in-depth interviews with actors and storytellers.

Andy's career includes having worked for publications such as FanSided, KSiteTV, TV Fanatic, It's Just Movies, Heroic Hollywood, TV Overmind, and more. Outside of his career as an established reporter, Andy is the host and producer of The Showrunner Whisperer, The Flash Podcast, the editor-in-chief of Multiverse of Color, and the network director of DC TV Podcasts.

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Robert Pattinson's return as the Dark Knight in his next DC installment is in the works.

While James Gunn's DC Universe is building out DC Studios' main continuity, the Elseworlds brand continues to expand with The Batman franchise. As it has been nearly four years since the first installment, the sequel is currently in the works, as audience members are eagerly waiting to learn more about the continuation.

The Batman - Part II is deep into principal photography, as new set photos from @robymav_ are strongly hinting at the Court of Owls making its live-action movie debut. What appears to be a demonstration or protest of some kind, a sign can be seen in the background with the phrase "Court of Fouls," which could seemingly be a tease that they are in the 2028 sequel.

Click here to see The Batman - Part II set photos.

Another element that is fueling the speculation about the Court of Owls being part of The Batman - Part II story is the film's reported production title in a listing. Allegedly, the Pattinson-starring feature is under the working name "Semper Vigilans," which translates the Latin phrase to “always vigilant” or “ever watching," which could potentially be a nod to the famous DC organization.

In Scott Snyder's Batman run from 2011, when they first debuted as part of The New 52, the nursery rhyme that exists around the secret society goes as follows: “Beware The Court of Owls, that watches all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed, speak not a whispered word of them, or they'll send the Talon for your head.”

The Batman - Part II opens on February 14, 2028.

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