Barry Keoghan Has A Fresh Approach To The Joker Up His Sleeve
"The Batman" was one of the more refreshing comic book movie releases in 2022, with director Matt Reeves' take on the caped crusader considered by Chris Evangelista to be a "sprawling, ominous, dreamy epic." With a sequel to the film on the way, anticipation is high to see what adversary Robert Pattinson's Batman will go up against next. The Riddler (Paul Dano) was a great first villain for the series, giving Matt Reeves a chance to showcase Batman's detective skills, making the movie even more of a crime film than previous iterations. Whether "The Batman" sequel plays into that same genre or experiments with another feels like an aspect of production that will rely heavily on which villain Reeves decides to use.
One potential villain for the sequel is Barry Keoghan's Joker, who was featured in a deleted scene in the movie. The scene is a brief interrogation between Batman and the Joker, as Batman attempts to probe the mind of one criminal to get inside the mind of another. While the scene didn't make it into the film's final cut, the dynamic between Keoghan and Robert Pattinson makes the idea of Joker being the main antagonist of "The Batman" sequel exciting. For those worried about Joker fatigue, especially with a Todd Phillips "Joker" sequel on the way, fear not; Keoghan has some ideas for a fresh take.
A fresh new iteration
In an interview with the New York Times to promote "The Banshees of Inisherin," Barry Keoghan spoke about his iteration of the Joker, stating:
"It was intimidating. But if you stay true to yourself, that in itself is new. I know that sounds pretty lame, but I'm a big believer that if I'm myself, whatever I do is going to be completely fresh and unique. You build the character up before production, get familiar with their world, build a mood board, listen to the music they do, kind of dress like them, answer all the copybook questions you've written down — and then go on set and let the instincts take over."
Keoghan has been a solid performer in films like "Banshees," as well as mesmerizing audiences with his performance in the Yorgos Lanthimos film "The Lobster." The actor isn't a stranger to comic book films either, having starred in "Eternals" as Druig, an eternal with the ability to control the minds of others. If "The Batman" sequel were to have Joker as the main villain, Keoghan would be more than thrilled and ready to step up to the plate. "That would be a dream," he said. "I already have a back story that I've created in case it does happen — a totally fresh way of playing him."
Keoghan is clearly passionate about the character. While we've already had plenty of iterations of the clown prince of crime, Reeve's unique origin for the character will undoubtedly play a role in Keoghan's supposed fresh way of portraying the character. "The Batman" was an exceptional film, and whatever route Reeves decides to go, we hope that the director will put as much passion into the highly anticipated sequel.