The Batman
After the great interpretation as the Riddler in The Batman, Paul Dano has decided to fully explore the origins and the tragic backstory of his character in a comic he wrote for DC, or The Riddler: Year One. A real journey into the subconscious of the villain and that allowed him to empathize even more for him. However, the actor has been somewhat uncertain about his future in live action.
Riddler's riddles
Will Paul Dano return to play the Riddler? His answer
The actor had already shown his willingness to return to the role of the Riddler and to work with Barry Keoghan, chosen by Matt Reeves to play the Joker. In The Batman, his character shares a brief but intense scene with a mysterious patient inside Arkham Asylum. Patient who was later revealed to be the Joker and who was interrogated by the Dark Knight in a cut scene. Considering how the Clown Prince of Crime and the Riddler have teamed up several times in the DC comics, his return does not appear unlikely.
In The Batman promotional campaign, director Matt Reeves revealed that he wrote the character of the Riddler specifically for Paul Dano. Some very intense scenes, among other things, caused the actor several sleepless nights, but the final result was particularly appreciated by critics and audiences. The Batman sequel, already confirmed by Warner, will again see Robert Pattinson as a young dark knight.
Barry Keoghan's 1 Joker Rule Made His The Batman Villain Even Better
© Provided by ScreenRantThe most recent version of The Joker is that by Barry Keoghan in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, who even though ended up having a very brief appearance and didn’t show off his full look, followed Keoghan’s only rule for the character, which actually makes his Joker even better. The latest live-action adaptation of the Caped Crusader is The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves, which had a surprise for viewers right at the end with the introduction of a new Joker who has already fought Batman.
The Batman saw the title character (now played by Robert Pattinson) working alongside James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) and the Gotham City Police Department to catch a mysterious serial killer known as The Riddler (Paul Dano). This investigation leads Batman into Gotham’s criminal underworld, led by Carmine Falcone (John Turturro) and Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot (Colin Farrell), where he also meets Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz). The biggest surprise The Batman had to offer was the introduction of a new Joker, in the scene where The Riddler is sent to Arkham State Hospital. There, he quickly befriends the inmate living in the cell next to his, who is none other than the Joker. A better look at him was given when Warner Bros. released a deleted scene with the Joker and Batman, and a subtle but important detail made him even better: Keoghan’s natural blue eyes, which was his only rule when it comes to his Joker’s look.
Related: The Batman's Deleted Joker Scene Showed Heath Ledger Still Can't Be Beat
Why Barry Keoghan Is Such Great Casting For The JokerIn an interview with GQ, Keoghan shared his one request for playing this new Joker, who is severely disfigured and thus required hours of make-up and prosthetics. Keoghan insisted that his natural blue eyes stay the same so the audience would be aware of “the human in there behind the makeup”, explaining that the Joker is “a bit charming and a bit hurt” and he wants “people to relate to him”. Keoghan’s Joker retaining this human element, as subtle as it might be, makes The Batman’s version of the Clown Prince of Crime more of a figure of tragedy than past Jokers, but without making him overly sympathetic – after all, this is one of Gotham City’s most dangerous criminals.
This human element is also an important difference from the most notable version of the Joker to date: Heath Ledger’s in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. Ledger’s Joker is widely regarded as the best due to how unpredictable and menacing he was and for being a pure agent of chaos around Gotham City, thus lacking any humanity that could help the audience connect or even empathize a little with him (even what could have been his most “human” element, the story about how he got his scars, was a mess). Keoghan’s performances so far, no matter the genre, have stood out for being charismatic enough to allow the audience to connect with them and understand them but without having them root for the bad guy. This is exactly what the Joker is about, as he’s manipulative and charismatic, but his intentions are not exactly for the good of everyone, and Keoghan can easily bring that balance between menacing, human, and completely insane.
How Keoghan's Joker Could Fit Into The Batman 2's StoryThe Batman was a critical and commercial success, with critics praising its performances, cinematography, Reeves’ direction, and tone, which was darker and a lot more grounded than the most recent version of the Caped Crusader (that of the DC Extended Universe). With this in mind, a Joker like Keoghan’s fits perfectly as he’s a complex character whose personality and actions aren’t entirely black or white, and The Batman pretty much set him up to be the big villain in The Batman 2. However, even though The Batman is intended to launch a shared universe, there haven’t been any updates on the development of The Batman 2, so while Barry Keoghan is expected to return as the Joker, it all remains uncertain.
Next: The Batman's Joker Shared Universe Easter Egg Is Its Cruelest Troll