Matt Reeves says ‘Bruce Wayne will be finding it very hard to be Batman in the sequel.’

During an interview with digitalspy, “The Batman” director Matt Reeves explained Batman’s absence during the events of ‘The Penguin’ series. Reeves said ‘to some degree Batman blames himself for what happened in the first film, and is finding it difficult to be the cape crusader’.

“The Penguin”, which takes place right after the events of the first film, was a big hit for HBO and the audiences. The series just wrapped it’s first season, but many were wondering where the Batman was when Oz Cobb and Sofia Falcone were murdering people and blowing shit up in Gotham.

In the interview, Reeves detailed how the events of The Penguin directly follow on from the first film;

“This was a time of great turmoil in the city, it’s literally the week after what happened.” Reeves explained. “Much of the city is in desperation, so police can’t get everywhere, there’s crime everywhere, it’s a very, very dangerous time. [Batman] is out there trying to grapple with the aftermath, which to some degree he blames himself for”.

As the new kingpin of Gotham’s criminal underworld after dethroning Sofia Falcone, it may not be long before the Dark Knight catches up to him [the Penguin]. Looking ahead to “The Batman: Part II”, Reeves revealed fans will see the titular hero entering a challenging new phase as he finds it “very hard to be Batman.”

The second part is set to be released in October 2026, with shooting starting in early 2025.