THE BATMAN - PART II: Barry Keoghan Hints At Joker Return For Matt Reeves' Sequel

THE BATMAN - PART II: Barry Keoghan Hints At Joker Return For Matt Reeves' Sequel

Saltburn star Barry Keoghan has dropped a pretty big hint that he will reprise the role of The Joker for Matt Reeves' The Batman sequel...

By MarkCassidy - Dec 11, 2023 04:12 PM EST
Filed Under: The Batman

Barry Keoghan has addressed his (potential) return as The Joker in Matt Reeves' The Batman - Part II, and we'd say there's a strong possibility he will be back as the BatVerse's take on the Clown Prince of Crime.

While chatting to E Talk about his latest film, Saltburn, the Irish actor was asked if he will reprise the role for the upcoming DC Comics sequel, and even though he doesn't come right out and confirm anything, his response is pretty telling!

"I can't really say anything about that. It would be exciting, wouldn't it? To see the Joker come to life again. My smile says all, you know what I mean?"

Keoghan was initially said to be playing Officer Stanley Merkel in The Batman, but rumors soon emerged that this was simply misdirection. Sure enough, the Eternals actor shows up near the end of the movie as an "Unnamed Arkham Prisoner" who converses with The Riddler (Paul Dano), but it soon becomes clear that he's supposed to be The Joker - or at least, the man who will eventually become The Joker.

Reeves later shared a deleted scene featuring Keoghan's villain speaking to the Caped Crusader (Robert Pattinson), but the filmmaker has said that this shouldn't be taken as an indication that Joker is being lined up as the main antagonist of his sequel.

When the new DCU slate was announced, James Gunn confirmed that Reeves' "BatVerse" will remain separate from the DCU, so this movie, along with the upcoming Joker sequel, will be considered "Elseworlds" tales. A new actor will don the cape and cowl for Batman: The Brave and the Bold, which will also feature a different take on Robin in Bruce Wayne's son, Damian Wayne.

Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Andy Serkis, Jeffrey Wright, and Colin Farrell are all expected to reprise their respective roles, and there are rumors that the sequel will also feature the debut of Dick Grayson, aka the original Robin, and possibly even Clayface. Hush has also been mentioned as a possible primary villain.

Specific plot details are still under wraps, but we know the Penguin spin-off series will set up the story. As far as official info goes, Reeves has stated that his sequel will continue this "epic crime saga," but that's about all we have to go on.

The Batman - Part II is set to release in theaters on October 3, 2025.

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FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 12/11/2023, 4:02 PM
Forthas
Forthas - 12/11/2023, 4:02 PM
If he has a major role then they are begging for comparisons to The Dark Knight!
FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 12/11/2023, 4:06 PM
@Forthas - Those comparisons will be made regardless.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 12/11/2023, 6:25 PM
@FireandBlood - Not necessarily in the same way.
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 12/11/2023, 4:04 PM
FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 12/11/2023, 4:05 PM
If you thought Joker wasn’t going to show up, you haven’t been paying attention. Never forget what inspired Reeves the most.

DarthAlgar
DarthAlgar - 12/11/2023, 4:05 PM
No please.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 12/11/2023, 4:07 PM
I'd honestly rather he didn't. Was a weak Joker take IMO.
cyclopsprime
cyclopsprime - 12/12/2023, 2:05 AM
@McMurdo - they didn't give us enough to make a decision
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 12/12/2023, 3:51 PM
@cyclopsprime -

We heard his laugh and it was terrible. That’s all we need to know.
tmp3
tmp3 - 12/11/2023, 4:07 PM
Keoaghan was a beast in Saltburn. Give him a decent script and he’s crushing it easy imo
tmp3
tmp3 - 12/11/2023, 4:09 PM
His character design feels a little try hard though… maybe it doesn’t have to be that deformed haha
narrow290
narrow290 - 12/11/2023, 5:08 PM
@tmp3 -































































































































































Saltburn was fantastiic






























































































































































































Saltburn was fantastic























BlackSpider
BlackSpider - 12/11/2023, 6:22 PM
@narrow290 - EHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAEHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA
MaxPaint
MaxPaint - 12/11/2023, 7:50 PM
@narrow290 - [frick]ing hell...
MisterKite
MisterKite - 12/11/2023, 10:06 PM
@tmp3 - Funny enough, that was the only thing I liked about his performance lmao. Which is a damn shame, because he is a phenomenal actor. I absolutely adored him in "The Killing of a Sacred Deer".
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 12/11/2023, 4:08 PM
please no, he sucked joker balls, his end scene and deleted scene felt like I was watching Gotham again.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 12/11/2023, 6:24 PM
@harryba11zack - I think Gotham worked more.
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 12/12/2023, 3:52 PM
@harryba11zack -

I think the kid from Gotham was actually better
GhostDog
GhostDog - 12/11/2023, 4:09 PM
Hope not, wasn't feeling his Joker at all. Bats has a plethora of other rogues ready for the spotlight.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 12/11/2023, 6:49 PM
@GhostDog - Seriously, everyone says Batman has the best villains, yet they just keep wanting to do Joker again and again and again.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 12/12/2023, 4:13 AM
@soberchimera - When are we ever gonna see Ally Babel?!
Conquistador
Conquistador - 12/11/2023, 4:10 PM
I like the guy. But i wasn't totally sold on his Joker, but obviously need more to go on.

He really struggled with the accent IMO. And I'm sure they weren't going for an Irish joker.
valmic
valmic - 12/11/2023, 4:11 PM
@UniqNo - I wouldn't have minded if they went Irish. Mark Hamill's comes off a bit Irish. They could have played on that.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 12/11/2023, 4:17 PM
@valmic - Hamill's was good, but a cartoon non the less. The tone is totally different. Wouldn't work imo.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 12/11/2023, 6:24 PM
@UniqNo - Did you see Return of the Joker and Mask Of The Phantasm?
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 12/12/2023, 4:28 AM
@valmic - "Great Scott!"
"Actually I'm Irish."
?si=ZfEvIB02v75nSZ7q

Interesting tidbit: This is one of the only lines they changed from the comic, due to censorship. In the comic I think he says "Jesus" and the Joker turns around and is like "Where?"
HashTagSwagg
HashTagSwagg - 12/11/2023, 4:10 PM
Either come at from an entirely different angle or don't do it cause that Joker was Gotham level try hard.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 12/11/2023, 6:23 PM
@HashTagSwagg - That hit it stronger
valmic
valmic - 12/11/2023, 4:10 PM
Eeech, please no. The Batman was the perfect opportunity to cast Willem Defoe to be Pattinsons Joker, after having so much chemistry in their previous movie together.
MCUKnight11
MCUKnight11 - 12/11/2023, 4:15 PM
@valmic - Too much of an age difference. Save him for the DCU where that Batman will be older with raising a son.
valmic
valmic - 12/11/2023, 4:18 PM
@MCUKnight11 - Pattinsons in his 30s as will be the newest batman. So either way could have worked.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 12/11/2023, 6:23 PM
@valmic - Why?
dagenspear
dagenspear - 12/11/2023, 6:23 PM
@valmic - Debatable there, I don't know.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 12/11/2023, 4:11 PM
Can we make Batman a competent detective in this one? Batman woulda been thee very first one to check the SOLE ANGLE of the pictures riddler took of the Iceberg Lounge from his apt. Batman even in year one doesn't miss thee most obvious clue in the entire film. A bad cop finds that apt day one with those photos. He's borderline incompetent in the film outside of solving bad riddles. Don't get me started on the guy with the carpet tooled uncle Bats needs to get us to the third act SMH. Great mood and atmosphere. Bad script and detective screenwriting. And when you are making a noir detective film, that means getting that at the very least right. It's a good 7/10 film but he makes Bales bats look like a genius honestly and he didnt even make his own gadgets!
FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 12/11/2023, 4:14 PM
@McMurdo - Bruce is a billionaire playing dress-up detective, and he’s pretty smart. But he doesn’t know everything, and considering neither him nor his family have done a days work of manual labour in their lives, there’s literally no reason why he’d know what that tool was.
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 12/11/2023, 4:14 PM
@McMurdo - Thank you!
McMurdo
McMurdo - 12/11/2023, 4:17 PM
@Nomis929 - It's so hard for me to get past those photos. All Reeves's had to do was have them taken from multiple vantage points and problem solved. Just makes Bats looks super dumb.
Izaizaiza
Izaizaiza - 12/11/2023, 4:28 PM
@McMurdo - They have yet to write a Batman movie where Batman is a competent detective. Kind of crazy when you think that it's one of his primary attributes
dagenspear
dagenspear - 12/11/2023, 6:22 PM
@FireandBlood - Then there's circling like 3 other different types of birds, when I think rat with wings is a pretty solid identifier for "bat", but maybe that's just me. Penguin pointing that out kinda led me to shaking my head.
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