Sebastian Stan has opened up about swapping the MCU for DC
His take might surprise you.
Right, here we go again — another round of Marvel stars swapping spandex for a shot at DC, and this time it’s properly high-profile. Sebastian Stan and Scarlett Johansson are both jumping ship to join The Batman: Part II, Matt Reeves’s much-hyped sequel picking up where Robert Pattinson’s moody Bruce Wayne left off in 2022. Stan’s been chatting at the Toronto film festival about the big move, and honestly, he seems as bemused as anyone.
‘It’s pretty wild. Yeah. I mean, I thought I knew something about the comic book world. Turns out I didn’t.’
That’s Stan himself, speaking at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (he was actually there plugging a different film, Fjord, but you know what these press lines are like — everyone wants DC and Marvel gossip). After years playing Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier over at Marvel, he’s now getting a taste of Gotham’s rather less colourful universe alongside his old MCU co-star, Johansson.
As for working with her again, Stan didn’t mince words:
‘I really enjoyed working with her, and I’d work with her on anything, so it’s a nice continuation.’
What We Know (and Think We Know)
The Batman: Part II is set to bring Pattinson back as the title brooder, with Jeffrey Wright returning as Jim Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred, and Colin Farrell as The Penguin (or Oz Cobb, if we’re being formal). Matt Reeves is still the man in the director’s chair, though he seems to be guarding plot details like the crown jewels.
What’s out in the open so far: the action’s heading into winter — and I don’t just mean emotionally, for once. A teaser that dropped in July showed Pattinson’s Batman glowering in the snow, so you can expect frosty streets in Gotham as the backdrop this time around. The key beats and antagonists, though? Still very much under wraps.
Now, as for Stan and Johansson’s roles — this is where things drift from concrete to a bit of wishful thinking. There’s a swirl of rumours that Stan might take a swing at Victor Zsasz, one of Batman’s more disturbing villains (yeesh, a serial killer for the MCU’s amiable Bucky), while Johansson is apparently being lined up for some sort of romance with Bruce Wayne, at least if you believe the latest set leaks. Not a single official peep about this from DC or anyone on the actual payroll, so don’t bet the house on it yet.
- Robert Pattinson: Batman/Bruce Wayne, back for round two
- Sebastian Stan: rumoured to be Victor Zsasz, status not confirmed
- Scarlett Johansson: expected to play Bruce’s romantic lead (but again, only rumour for now)
- Jeffrey Wright: Jim Gordon
- Andy Serkis: Alfred Pennyworth
- Colin Farrell: Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin
The film’s currently pencilled in for release on 18 February 2028. Save the date, though as always in the world of DC scheduling, write it in pencil, not ink.
The Batman: Part II opens in cinemas in February 2028.