The Batman’s trailer at DC FanDome wowed everybody (quite unexpectedly, I’d argue). We are barely a week removed and fans are poring over every frame for clues as to what’s coming.
Of note is the recently solved riddle (“What does a liar do when he’s dead?”) in The Riddler’s Halloween card to Batsy.
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The answer (“He lies still.”) is grabbing headlines, sure, but something featured on the card is of greater significance. On the front are a skeleton and a graphic of an owl.
We pointed out in our prior story about the card and riddle this might be a blatant reference to the Court of Owls.
The nefarious group could pull the strings and foment the corruption in Gotham City from the shadows as they have in comics since The New 52.
And they may even be at the heart of the mystery that Batman is supposed to solve in Matt Reeves’ detective story, which Riddler theoretically knows about.
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But that would mean the Court is being set up for future movies if The Batman indeed turns into a trilogy, and we’re not the only ones saying this.
Joseph Aberl at Murphy’s Multiverse thinks “exploring the detective aspect of the character” through “Riddler unraveling Gotham’s system” will slowly unearth the city’s secrets.
Aberl believes these secrets may trace back to Bruce’s parents, who knew and kept them from their son.
Bruce will then question his family name and do some historical digging that leads back to the 1600s.
“Slowly uncovering the influences of a shady organization that has existed since the 1600s seems like a perfect fit,” writes Aberl.
He adds Batman hypothetically finds something that puts him in opposition to the police, explaining why they go from cooperating to fighting in the trailer.
Reeves will show us what causes the GCPD to become corrupt in his “Year One” spinoff series about the cops on HBO Max. And who’s to say that won’t bring up the Owls? Gotham did.
Honestly, the card is potentially a simple Easter Egg for diehard readers like the Catwoman and Ratcatcher allusions in Joker.
But if not, we probably won’t see the Court of Owls just yet. Reeves has to save some stuff for parts 2 and 3.
It’s already suggested the villains won’t be fully formed since The Batman is only in “Year Two.” Bruce is starting out and so are Penguin, Catwoman, and Riddler.
And we might be introduced to more of them in their early years – from Bane to Hush and on to The Joker. Further, Joker could lead to Robin.
No, that doesn’t mean the Owls won’t be fully formed considering how old the organization is, but Reeves ought to be advised to usher them in slowly and delicately.
Do you hope they add the Court of Owls to their plans for The Batman? Sound off with your comments.