6 Characters Who Most Definitely Shouldn’t Appear In The Batman

As of right now, we know very little about what to expect from Ben Affleck's The Batman. It's already been confirmed that the Caped Crusader will take on Deathstroke, but beyond that, we really have no idea what the story will entail or which familiar faces from the DC Extended Universe will show up in the highly anticipated release. Fans understandably have a very long list of heroes and villains they'd like to see in the movie, with names like Catwoman, the Red Hood and the Joker among those which are most frequently mentioned. However, which of the Dark Knight's supporting cast and enemies shouldn't show up a few years from now? While you may not think that anyone from the comic books should be left off the table, there are some who definitely need to be kept out of The Batman for the good of both this movie and the DC Extended Universe as a whole. We'll explain why that is below, and though these folks could potentially show up somewhere down the line, it really shouldn't be for quite a while... 6) Harley Quinn Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn was perhaps Suicide Squad's most popular character, hence why a spinoff movie revolving around the Birds of Prey is now in the works. That's all well and good, but it's more than a little concerning to think that Warner Bros. will take her popularity as a sign that she should be shoved down the throats of moviegoers over the next few years. It's something which has been happening in the comic books in recent years, and a cameo here would no doubt end up feeling forced, ultimately distracting from the main story. Reshoots made it so that Harley Quinn and the Joker are still an item, and while it would be fun to see the Clown Prince of Crime show up in The Batman, bringing that baggage along in an attempt to set up her own movie would be not only a mistake, but the exact sort of forced world-building which plagued movies like Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Iron Man 2. 5) Harvey Dent District Attorney Harvey Dent is an interesting character, but his origin story is not one which needs to be tackled again here. There's no denying that Two-Face is one of the Caped Crusader's best and most iconic villains, but it would be much better for Harvey to show up in his villainous persona for a cameo rather than retreading old ground. Delving into the relationship between Batman, Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent is something which probably appeals to Ben Affleck given his past work on crime movies, but it's hard to imagine it adding an awful lot to the upcoming release. After all, if Batman: The Telltale Series has proved anything, it's that even the freshest take on Harvey's origin is really just the same old thing we've seen a million times before. Throw in the fact that Christopher Nolan did such an amazing job with the character in The Dark Knight, and he's better off left on the shelf here. There are actually others who could take his place if Affleck really wants to delve into the connection between a vigilante, the police commissioner and the DA, but Two-Face's time will definitely be better spent behind bars in Arkham Asylum than in an office. 4) The Justice League One of the most exciting things about the upcoming Justice League movie is seeing how Bruce Wayne's relationships with characters like Aquaman, The Flash, and Wonder Woman develop. As the apparent leader of the superhero team, he'll no doubt be able to call on them all for help down the line, but do we really want to see Cyborg or Superman swooping into Gotham City to help the Dark Knight take down Deathstroke? It's essential that Affleck's solo Caped Crusader flick keep the focus on Batman, especially as the best parts of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice all took place in his hometown. While I wouldn't necessarily be against one member of the team showing up in an after-credits scene to set up the Justice League sequel or something similar, it would be a massive mistake for The Batman to feature the sort of dream sequences and time travelling shenanigans that the Zack Snyder-helmed release mentioned above did. Instead, the focus needs to remain squarely on the Caped Crusader and his supporting cast as Affleck delves deep into his world and tells a standalone story which can sit alongside the likes of The Dark Knight and 1989's Batman. 3) Robin While I would love The Batman to revolve around the return of Jason Todd as the Red Hood, it doesn't appear as if that's the plan as of right now. After all, Deathstroke never played a role in the comic book version of that story and there's been absolutely no mention of Jared Leto's Joker showing up here (which would be a necessity). If the storyline is somehow adapted, I could live with a flashback featuring Robin, but one thing this movie shouldn't do is introduce us to a new version of Batman's sidekick. Whether it's Carrie Kelley or Tim Drake, Robin doesn't need to show up. It would definitely be nice to get some insight into the Robin costume Batman has on display in the Batcave though, but that would be best achieved by having someone like Nightwing appear. A former Robin, Dick Grayson could now be estranged from the Dark Knight due to what happened to Jason, and even just a simple conversation between these two could help set the stage for the Red Hood to appear down the line. Ultimately though, it may be best for Batman to have no help as there's something quite a bit more exciting about him heading into battle with no back up. 2) Oracle For those of you unfamiliar with the comic books, Oracle is the moniker taken on by Barbara Gordon after she was gunned down by the Joker. Left wheelchair bound by his attack, she became the Caped Crusader's eyes and ears in Gotham City, providing him with intel and assistance from her Watchtower. She's a cool character, but this isn't someone who's remotely necessary to The Batman, and it would be a much smarter move by Affleck to keep the focus on the relationship the hero has with Alfred while he's out in the field, as that was a lot of fun in Batman V Superman. Picking up with Barbara as Oracle here would also be something of a waste, especially as there are better uses for the character. Whether she just shows up as the daughter of Commissioner Jim Gordon who has an unusually keen interest in Batman's vigilante or as Batgirl (which would be very cool to see), there are a lot of stories which could be told with the hero before going down the Oracle route. Throw in the fact that there's a Birds of Prey movie on the way - a group Batgirl has close ties to - and it would obviously be better to have that film feature Batgirl rather than Oracle. 1) Catwoman Somewhere along the line, it apparently became an unwritten rule that all superhero movies need to feature a love interest. Chances are that will also apply to The Batman, but with any luck, it won't be Selina Kyle who catches Bruce's eye. The character has appeared in two movies now, and honestly, it's hard to imagine what else she could bring to the table either as a love interest or someone who fights alongside the Caped Crusader in battle. It's all been covered in her previous big screen appearances, and it would be much better for Affleck to go down a different route. Yes, it would be nice to see a more comic book accurate Catwoman in this movie, but one of the things that made Deathstroke as the choice of villain so exciting is that it's something no one expected and completely different to what we've seen in the past. A strong female character in The Batman is essential, but why not delve deeper into the likes of Renee Montoya, Kate Kane or Stephanie Brown? There's definitely room for Catwoman in this franchise and the DC Extended Universe, but before going down that route, there are plenty of other exciting options available.