Matt Reeves takes a big risk with Batman 2.

Foreboding for Batman 2 reached an unexpected level after the success of the HBO crime series, Penguin. Although the public was largely kept in the dark about what was going on and who was appearing Batman sequel, director Matt Reeves recently shared information that puts the film at risk of avoidable criticism: Bruce Wayne would find it “very hard to be Batman” most likely to blame himself for the devastating flood caused by the Riddler.

Widely researched in The Dark Knight Rises, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Dark Knight Returns, and non-Batman IP addresses such as Spiderman 2 and iron man 3, the audience had their fill “Tired of being a superhero.” Feeding Bruce Wayne's guilt-ridden Batman faithful is likely to be in bad taste. With Robert Pattinson's Batman still in his prime, it would be unwise to make him doubt himself at this stage, especially when the demands of an active Batman with his rogues gallery are at their highest. Instead Batman 2 must double as Batman, honing his detective and combat skills, cleaning up the streets of Gotham, and perfecting Batman's image as Gotham's true protector.

Batman was noticeably absent from The Penguin.

The first hint that something happened to the Dark Knight was Penguin. While the series got everything right, viewers couldn't help but notice a glaring absence. Neither Batman nor Bruce Wayne appear in the series, even though it was necessary.

U PenguinColin Farrell's Oswald “Oz” Cobb tries to fill the void left in Gotham City's underworld after the death of Carmine Falcone. After a series of murders, he successfully established himself as the top dog among the city's gangs. Throughout the eight episodes of Batman's trials, not only is he absent, but there are few mentions of him. The bat signal piercing the horizon in the last shot of the final episode is all fans got. Given that Batman was hot on Oz's heels in the first film, it's doubtful that he wasn't privy to his atrocities.

While it's tempting to attribute this to Reeves' recent comments, the truth about Batman's absence from Penguin quite simple. He and showrunner Lauren LeFranc didn't want to drag Marvel into an act of fan service by adding unnecessary cameos. A penguin series with Batman lurking on screen could bring attention to Oz. Even a small taste of Batman's presence would deepen fans' disappointment if they didn't get more of it; it was one of those cases where no one gets over the small.

Burdened with guilt, Batman becomes tiresome

Another dreary Batman story runs the risk of becoming too repetitive

If Batman going through an identity crisis and guilt only to be juggled by a difficult villain sounds familiar, that's because it is. From the first days of Batman: The Animated Seriesthe deeply self-absorbed Batman – someone who either struggles to balance his nighttime duties with his personal life or reflects on the losses he's suffered as a result of his run-ins with villains – has been the theme of many Batman films. Some of them, for example The Dark Knight Rises, The Dark Knight Returns, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and even Batman: Arkham games still fresh in the minds of moviegoers because of how brilliantly or poorly they approached the concept. The idea isn't limited to dear old Bruce either. A similar—but not identical—dynamic played out in the Spiderman 2 and Iron man 3.

Batman is more than just a burdened hero

Although the character of Batman is immersed in a moral dilemma, the constant confrontation with his conscience can become tiresome. What makes Batman an interesting character is not emotional trauma, but complexity, discipline, skill, and most importantly, resilience and dedication. He's not the kind of person to give up when the stresses of living in one of the most dangerous cities on the planet and the casualties of trying to save him start to go awry. Anyway, he's addicted to the cape and cowl, and Bruce Wayne is his real mask.

Most fans would rather see Batman in his prime, in Gotham in his prime, fighting villains in his prime, rather than someone who spends half the movie brooding while the streets of Gotham boil over. DC's latest attempt at a larger-than-life character who doesn't want to accept his identity led to a massive backlash and a spectacular failure at the box office, despite some nuance.

Batman 2 should double down on anger, not regret

U BatmanBruce sets out to save the city; thus becoming less Bruce and more Batman. After being outplayed by The Riddler, unable to prevent the ensuing chaos, and Oswald Cobb's rise to power must fuel Batman's rage to seek justice. Even for Matt Reeves, it wouldn't be easy to get him to go from that to someone trapped in a cycle of guilt without facing any significant threat or loss. It's not hard to imagine a Batman-hungry audience Penguin comes to Batman 2 and leave unsatisfied, having lived through another of the tense moral struggles of the Caped Crusaders when the stakes are at their highest in Gotham. Some fans have already expressed displeasure at the news, and others may join them as details emerge.

No matter what, good luck Batman and Penguin means fans will have little reason to doubt Reeves and his vision. The director's proven skill in writing the character just right means that even a more emotional Batman than the first film can be received just as well. But that doesn't change the fact that viewers are fed up with clichés and deserve something refreshing. Given that scenario a Batman 2 is still unfinished (according to James Gunn at Threads), there is time for Reeves to rethink the direction and choose a more compelling storyline from the wider Batman mythos.