The Batman 2 Is Set To Break A Live-Action Joker Tradition

by

The ending of The Batman revealed a new take on the Joker, played by Barry Keoghan, and he’s set to do something in the sequel that hasn’t been done before with live-action Jokers. While details about The Batman 2‘s story are still scarce, it probably won’t center around the Joker as the primary villain. However, Barry Keoghan is still expected to return as the character in some way.

Although the Joker appeared only briefly in The Batman, mostly hidden from view, a single, unsettling laugh from a character connected to the Riddler confirmed that Barry Keoghan was indeed playing the role.

A recently released deleted scene from The Batman gives fans a better look at Barry Keoghan’s unique take on the Joker. The scene, set in Arkham State Hospital, shows a conversation between Batman and the Joker that reveals details about their past and hints at a new, compelling dynamic between the two characters.

The Batman 2 Can Explore A Batman And Joker That Already Know Each Other

Both Tim Burton’s Batman and The Dark Knight depicted the first encounters between Batman and the Joker, with the 1989 film even explaining how the Joker became a villain. The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) could have done things differently – Ben Affleck’s Batman had already been active for two decades – but Suicide Squad didn’t include any scenes of Batman and the Joker interacting directly.

As a huge fan, I was so excited by that quick glimpse of Batman and the Joker’s shared history at the end of Zack Snyder’s Justice League! It really got me thinking about the possibilities. Now, with The Batman 2 and any future sequels, we finally have a chance to see versions of these characters who already know each other—a dynamic no Batman film has ever truly explored before, and I can’t wait to see it!

While director Matt Reeves has said Barry Keoghan’s Joker isn’t the fully formed villain fans know, a deleted scene from The Batman reveals a history between this Joker and Batman. The scene shows Batman consulting Joker about the Riddler’s crimes, and heavily implies that Batman was the one who initially locked Joker away in Arkham Asylum.

The playful back-and-forth between Robert Pattinson and Barry Keoghan’s characters suggested a pre-existing understanding, something that made their dynamic feel fresh and was notably absent from previous Batman and Joker portrayals on film.

The Joker Doesn’t Have To Be The Batman 2’s Main Villain

In the final scene of The Dark Knight, the Joker suggests to Batman that they’re fated to fight each other endlessly—a sentiment that has defined their comic book relationship for years. However, no movie adaptation had ever truly captured that constant, ongoing conflict until now.

Batman films have often felt disconnected from each other. For example, Batman Returns (1992) doesn’t really feel like a continuation of the original Batman (1989). However, The Batman and any future sequels could be the most faithful adaptations of the comics yet, particularly in how they portray Batman’s relationships with his iconic villains.

Even without making the Joker the main villain, the next Batman movie can still delve into the complex dynamic between Batman and his greatest enemy. The comics have often shown Batman visiting the Joker in Arkham Asylum for questioning or advice, and this highlights how much more compelling the Joker can be as a consistent presence in the Batman world, rather than just appearing in a single film.

Read More

2026-02-06 03:08