Barry Keoghan’s revelation that he will be reprising the role of the Joker in “The Batman 2” has stirred mixed reactions among DC fans.
Key Takeaways:
- Barry Keoghan’s confirmation of reprising the Joker role in “The Batman 2” evoked mixed reactions among DC fans.
- Despite the pressure of comparisons to Heath Ledger, Keoghan aims to bring a unique perspective to the role.
- Director Matt Reeves hinted at an intriguing backstory for this iteration of the Joker, suggesting a congenital condition that compels him to maintain his constant smile.
Keoghan’s brief cameo as the Joker at the end of “The Batman” left a lasting impression on audiences, but for many fans, the constant focus on the Joker character in Batman films has become tiresome.
They argue that there are plenty of other intriguing villains in the Batman lore that deserve more attention, such as Hush, Clayface, or the Court of Owls.
One X user said:
I’m burnt out on the Joker. His scene in The Batman was so unnecessary. I feel like they could explore so many other interesting villains.
— Bargain🔜Dreamhack Dallas (@BargainBGaming) February 21, 2024
In a Vanity Fair interview, despite feeling the weight of comparisons to Heath Ledger’s iconic portrayal, Keoghan is determined to bring a unique perspective to the character, drawing from his own interpretation rather than emulating past performances.
Keoghan said: “It’s very intimidating [playing the Joker]. Heath Ledger was the best for me,” .
He continued: “So you have a lot of people to draw from and that. But again, you bring your version to it. That’s what I do with any character I play, as no one has seen my version of it.”
Director Matt Reeves has hinted at an intriguing backstory for this iteration of the Joker, suggesting a congenital condition that compels him to maintain a constant smile, adding depth to the character’s psyche. :
“He can never stop smiling. And it made Mike [Marino] and I think about — ‘Well, maybe there’s something here where it’s not something where he fell in a vat of chemicals or it’s not the [Christopher] Nolan thing where he has these scars and we don’t know where they came from,”
“What if this is something that he’s been touched by from birth and that he has a congenital disease that refuses to let him stop smiling? And he’s had this very dark reaction to it, and he’s had to spend a life of people looking at him in a certain way and he knows how to get into your head.'”
Despite the disappointment expressed by some fans, details about the plot of “The Batman 2” remain scarce.
The film, slated for release on October 3, 2025, will see Robert Pattinson returning as Bruce Wayne.
