Scarlett Johansson Reportedly Playing Gilda Dent in THE BATMAN: PART II as Matt Reeves Eyes Key Roles from the Long Halloween
The Batman: Part II is taking a deeper dive into Gotham’s shadows, and it’s bringing in some heavy hitters to do it.
As director Matt Reeves continues to build out his grounded Batverse, it looks like the sequel will lean into one of the most influential Batman stories with Batman: The Long Halloween, and we also know who Scarlett Johansson might be playing.
According to insider Jeff Sneider, Johansson has officially signed on to play Gilda Gold, also known as Gilda Dent. The character has had various portrayals in the DC Universe, but her most iconic version comes from The Long Halloween, where she’s ultimately revealed to be the mysterious Holiday Killer.
In that story, Gilda begins murdering Gotham’s criminals in a desperate attempt to ease the burden on her overworked husband, Harvey Dent. Her actions end up kick off a devastating chain of events that lead Harvey to become the tragic and terrifying Two-Face.
Sneider also reports that Reeves is currently looking to cast both Harvey and his father, Christopher Dent. The search is on for an actor in his 40s to portray Harvey, while the studio is reportedly eyeing a performer in his 60s for the elder Dent, a role Brad Pitt was actually offered but turned down.
In the comics, Christopher is a mentally unstable alcoholic whose abuse deeply scars Harvey, playing a key role in his descent into duality.
That psychological weight could bring an interesting dynamic to Reeves’ grounded world. It also aligns with the filmmaker’s vision of exploring Gotham through a noir lens, where emotional trauma and moral ambiguity define the city just as much as costumed villains do.
As for how this all fits into the wider DC Universe, Reeves has been clear that The Batman franchise exists in its own pocket, separate from the mainline DCU films like The Brave and the Bold.
Reeves previous said: “We haven’t talked about anything like that. We have had conversations about how things could work and all that kind of stuff, just in general.
“So, of course, it would be a lot of fun. What I really want to do is play out these stories that we began and arrive at the conclusion I’ve hoped we would arrive at from the beginning. It’s very exciting.”
He added, “First of all, I’m flattered. That’s very kind of James to say. It would be really exciting to work with them, of course. We’re working with them on [The Batman Part II]. I mean, it’s a DC, so, like, it’s Elseworld, but it is DC, so it’s theirs as well. What the future brings and what I am doing will become clear when it comes.”
The Batman: Part II is directed by Matt Reeves and co-written with Mattson Tomlin. It’s scheduled to hit theaters on October 1, 2027.