Rumor: Marvel star Sebastian Stan eyed for Victor Zsasz in Matt Reeves’ The Batman: Part II

Honestly, the Matt Reeves Batman sequel rumour mill is starting to look like a very odd episode of Strictly. Every week there's a new name in the frame, characters swapping places, and somehow they've now chucked Sebastian Stan in as Victor Zsasz. Yes, you read that correctly.

The Latest Rumour Rollout

According to leaker Jeff Sneider — who seems to wake up every morning with a new Bat-bombshell — Sebastian Stan (yes, Marvel’s own Winter Soldier) is now apparently playing Victor Zsasz in The Batman: Part II. This is a bit of a curveball considering the long-running gossip that Stan was meant to be playing Harvey Dent (aka Two-Face). It gets weirder: Scarlett Johansson was supposedly up for Gilda Dent, Harvey’s wife, with Charles Dance rumoured as Harvey’s dad, Christopher Dent. That would have been an extremely high-powered — and frankly, slightly random — casting trio.

So, Who Is Harvey Dent, Then?

Like with most things DC these days, there’s a twist. Sneider now claims it’s actually Brian Tyree Henry taking on Harvey Dent. Not gonna lie, that’s an inspired bit of casting. Henry’s got proper range — much more compelling than giving Stan yet another traumatised bloke to deal with. Of course, it’s all still rumour. Don’t start plotting your fancasts for the next decade just yet — nothing is locked in.

Victor Zsasz: Not Your Usual Caped Crusader Choice

Let’s just address the obvious: Victor Zsasz isn’t exactly Batman’s best-known foe. But here’s the interesting bit — early insider chatter said Reeves was looking for a villain we haven’t seen on the big screen before. Zsasz ticks that box, since you can’t really count his fleeting cameo in Batman Begins (played by Tim Booth, and don’t worry if you blanked him out entirely). Anthony Carrigan gave us a memorable Zsasz in the TV series Gotham, Alex Morf did a turn as him in Batwoman, but in film terms, Zsasz is still pretty much an open goal.

Who's Who? Quick Recap

• Sebastian Stan: Rumoured for Victor Zsasz, previously linked with Harvey Dent
• Brian Tyree Henry: Now apparently up for Harvey Dent (Two-Face)
• Scarlett Johansson: Linked with Gilda Dent (Harvey’s wife)
• Charles Dance: Rumoured as Christopher Dent (Harvey’s father)

Victor Zsasz: For the Uninitiated

Zsasz is one of the grimmer denizens of Gotham, even for this rogue's gallery. The man’s a serial killer, but not the type to lounge around with riddles and top hats. He’s a proper psycho, marking his own skin with a tally for every victim — like counting down time in solitary, only with more blood. His murders are unpredictable except for his habit of leaving bodies posed like they’re frozen in everyday life, which is absolutely chilling if you think about it too long. In his own twisted world view, he’s actually doing his victims a favour — in his words, life’s just endless pain and disappointment. Honestly, that’s enough to keep anyone off the mean streets of Gotham.

Does Any of This Fit?

I’ll level with you: Zsasz is hardly A-list as Batman baddies go, but in a universe as grounded and moody as Reeves’ first Batman, it almost makes sense. The big draw of the first film was that it sidestepped the colourful comic-book theatrics in favour of a bleak, noir take on Gotham. Zsasz, for all his bizarre personal branding, fits right into that vibe. Whether he should be the main villain is another debate. Could be a bold move, could be a left turn straight into obscurity, depending on how it’s played.

Sneider claims: 'Brian Tyree Henry is actually the one playing Harvey Dent!'

I wouldn’t bet my rent money on any of these castings until the studio actually announce something. For now, it’s all wild, half-whispered speculation — but it’s definitely making this sequel more intriguing by the day.