The superhero genre continues to be popular, but a few projects are actually set outside of a shared universe. Fans who have watched the DC movies in order know that Matt Reeves' The Batman is in its own timeline, separate from co-CEO James Gunn's DCU. After the spinoff series The Penguin (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription) a sequel has been in development. There were reports that Scarlett Johansson might be joining the mysterious project, and now fan art imagines her as the title character from the animated film Mask of the Phantasm.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was released back in 1993, and was connected to the beloved '90s animated series. It's a cult classic movie a this point, and fans have waited decades for it to be adapted into live-action. Some fans are hoping to see ScarJo play Andrea Beaumont/ The Phantasm, and some fan art on Instagram imagined what she might look like in that role. Check it out below:
I mean, how cool is that? You can't deny that Johansson looks perfect in this role, and it would be truly wild seeing her go from Marvel to DC. She really does look like the cartoon character, and the fact that she's circling a role in The Batman's sequel is thrilling. We'll just have to wait and see if she signs on, and which character from DC lore she actually plays.
The Batman Part II has faced a number of delays, and it's currently not expected to hit theaters until late 2027. As such, not much is known about the upcoming DC movie at this point. So the idea of the Phantasm finally being brought to live-action is just a fan theory at this point.
The 1993 animated movie has aged well, and remains truly iconic... especially for '90s kids who grew up with Batman: The Animated Series. Its a chilling mystery, and Mask of the Phantasm even had a scene that was too graphic for the studio. It's kind of surprising that it never got adapted into live-action at this point, but maybe that's what Reeves is planning for The Batman Part II. Fingers (and batarangs) crossed.
Of course, Andrea isn't the only DC role that fans think Scarlett Johansson might be playing in The Batman's sequel. Other popular theories include Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, or Vicky Vale. She's obviously got the talent and action experience to pull any of these roles off, but I think seeing her as the Phantasm would be thrilling, and would fit well into the world Reeves has built.
All will be revealed when The Batman Part II hits theaters on October 1, 2027. Since it's not part of the 2026 movie release list, we're likely going to have to try and stay patient while we wait for more information.
