Since the credits first rolled for The Batman, audiences wondered what the sequel would bring; however, a new Joker tease makes The Batman 2 villain even more exciting. In Matt Reeves' The Batman, Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) faced off against the villainous Riddler (Paul Dano). However, despite its already packed cast that included Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and The Penguin (Colin Farrell), The Joker, played by Barry Keoghan, still managed to make a brief appearance. Between a short post-credits scene and some deleted footage, it was just enough for Batman’s infamous arch-nemesis to shine and leave audiences wanting more.
In an interview with GQ, while discussing The Batman, Barry Keoghan expressed excitement for potentially reprising his role as the Joker and teased what the future may hold for him as a villain in films. Mentioning that his Joker would be a version unlike anything audiences have seen, and he’d “love to show a little arc of him,” developing his version of the character and making it unique from previous adaptations. The time is right, the opportunity is there, and The Batman 2 can deliver on Keoghan’s vision to bring an enticing new take on DC’s most iconic characters.
The Batman 2 Can Make Keoghan's Joker Even Better
In The Batman, The Joker’s screen time is kept short and used to good effect. The Batman 2 already has plenty to work with and can make the Joker even better. For the Riddler, Reeves seemingly took inspiration from figures such as The Zodiac Killer and films like SE7EN. Looking for inspiration in media like Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and other notorious serial killers could build upon Batman’s most infamous antagonist while also playing to Keoghan’s strengths with a more cerebral take on the character. As a villain, The Batman’s Riddler may have set the pace for the series, but the Joker can take it to new and disturbing heights.
Keoghan's Joker Arc Can Make Him Truly Different To Every Version
Actors like Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and Joaquin Phoenix are challenging acts to follow, but The Batman 2 could provide the opportunity to make Keoghan's Joker unique. After several movies playing the Joker opposite Batman, it’d be a unique and refreshing take for the Joker to be working with him. The Batman’s deleted Joker scene already established him in a role reflective of Hannibal Lecter as he helped Batman to understand the Riddler’s motives. The Batman 2 should continue to build on that odd dynamic and complex relationship, with the Joker’s twisted insight becoming a necessary evil to understand Batman’s other rogues. Then as the tensions rise, the stakes are raised, and it becomes clear why Robert Pattinson’s Batman doesn’t want to risk the Joker’s escape; it delivers on his worst nightmare in a future adaptation of Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. Additionally, the Joker could truly stand out if he was like the Riddler, a consequence of Thomas and Martha Wayne’s mistakes.
What made The Batman memorable was the shocking discovery that Bruce’s family had connections to Gotham’s corrupted underworld. Expanding on the revelations made in the first film, The Batman 2 could make for a very different and personal story that’d give new context to the Joker’s existence as Bruce Wayne confronts his family’s legacy. The Batman is still a film franchise in its infancy, but Keoghan's tease about the return of the Joker is a promising prospect. Batman’s villains tend to be the highlights of DC’s films, with their actors making them iconic on the big screen. Considering what The Batman did with Barry Keoghan's Joker and what’s still possible in The Batman 2, it’s exciting to think about what comes next in the caped crusader’s story.
