Close up of Barry Keoghan as the Joker in a deleted scene from The Batman
By
Craig Elvy
Published 3 minutes ago
Craig began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016 and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. After previously writing for various outlets, Craig's focus turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally became useful. Craig has previously been published by sites such as Den of Geek.
Craig is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes.
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The Batman made a promise in 2022, but The Batman Part II doesn't necessarily need to follow through. Barry Keoghan's casting in a mystery role was widely reported ahead of The Batman, but audiences were left confused as the actor remained absent throughout much of the movie. Only those with a sharp ear would have been able to immediately identify Keoghan's cackling as an incarcerated Joker in the very final moments of The Batman's ending.
Post-release, a deleted scene revealed Keoghan's Joker originally had a more prominent role, reduced to a simple tease in the finished cut. The natural expectation would be that The Batman's final sting was the precursor to Keoghan's Joker assuming main villain duties in DC's forthcoming The Batman Part II.
Production on the sequel has been slow. With no firm story details to pull from, the Joker can still land on either side of the fence. He could be Gotham's next major player, or that honor could go to Mr. Freeze, the Court of Owls, Hush, or another enemy entirely.
Joker Becoming Main Villain In The Batman Part II Would Feel Too Much Like The Dark Knight
Heath Ledger in full Joker make-up and costume in the streets of Gotham City in The Dark Knight
The biggest problem with turning the spotlight onto Joker in The Batman Part II is that Matt Reeves would essentially be following in Christopher Nolan's footsteps. Batman Begins famously concluded with Batman and Jim Gordon discovering a mysterious playing card, leading to Heath Ledger's standout turn as Joker in The Dark Knight. If The Batman Part II follows the same pattern, using the first movie's closing moments as a direct lead-in for the next main villain, the trick won't have anywhere near the same impact a second time.
It's also worth considering just how many Jokers have come and gone in recent years. After a near-two-decade gap between Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger, we've had Jared Leto, Joaquin Phoenix, Cameron Monaghan, Zach Galifianakis, then Barry Keoghan. The onus is now firmly on The Batman to take the Clown Prince of Crime and do something unique and worthwhile with DC's most iconic villain. Going back to "Batman fights Joker in the sequel" doesn't quite fit the bill.
The Batman Part III Should Be Joker's Movie
Robert Pattinson looking up at the sky in Matt Reeves' The Batman
Instead, Barry Keoghan's Joker should be saved for The Batman Part III. Matt Reeves has always been open about his desire to make a full trilogy of The Batman movies with Robert Pattinson. Whether the practicalities of production and DCU plans will allow such a thing is another matter, but the overarching design has always been a three-part saga.
Despite the clown car full of Jokers that have burst onto screens over the past 17 years, no Batman movie has ever used the character as a final villain. Nicholson's Joker faced Keaton's Batman first. Ledger's Joker faced Bale's Batman in his prime. Leto's Joker faced Affleck's Batman in the past. Phoenix's Joker faced Batman before he had to go to school.
After The Batman slyly brought Joker to the table, the villain could remain in the shadows throughout The Batman Part II. Promising his friendship between cell walls, perhaps Joker helps Riddler get his revenge in The Batman's sequel. Alternatively, Joker could absorb Riddler's knowledge of Batman and send another of his Arkham friends to hunt down the Caped Crusader. Joker could torture, torment and trouble Batman before the pair ever actually come face-to-face.
Then, in The Batman Part III and the climax of Pattinson's arc, Joker could finally spring himself free and confront Batman in person. Joker possessing intimate knowledge of the Dark Knight while Batman desperately tries to figure out his chaotic new opponent would create an intriguing dynamic, while Part III being Reeves and Pattinson's final movie would allow Joker to truly become the pinnacle of evil in Gotham City.
Nolan attempted something similar with Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, presenting him as the toughest villain of Batman's career as a vigilante. While Bane was certainly the most physical baddie Christian Bale faced, everyone knew Joker was the bigger deal. The Batman Part II and Part III can lean into that by finally giving Joker the headline slot as the grand finale of Pattinson's era.
The Batman Part II
Like Follow Followed Not Yet Rated Action Crime Thriller Release Date October 1, 2027 Director Matt Reeves Writers Matt Reeves, Mattson Tomlin, Bill Finger, Bob Kane Prequel(s) The Batman Franchise(s) BatmanCast
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Robert Pattinson
Bruce Wayne / The Batman
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Colin Farrell
Oz Cobb
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Andy Serkis
Alfred Pennyworth
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Jeffrey Wright
James Gordon
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The Batman - Part II
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