Spoiler Warning: The Batman (2022)
Director Matt Reeves’ The Batman is a true piece of cinema. Artistic, moody, and sticking very close to the source material, fans and critics adored this rendition of Gotham’s mythos. Reeves understood the elements that go into making a solid Batman villain, one that reflects the very nature of the city they call home. While the primary antagonist in this movie is Riddler (Paul Dano), the end of the film features the infamous Joker entering this corner of the DC Universe.
His reveal, played by Eternal’s star Barry Keoghan, was rumored a few months before the film’s release, but his presence was a welcome surprise to bookend the movie. Fast-forward a few weeks, and fans were treated to a deleted scene (a whole 5 minutes) featuring an interrogation between Robert Pattinson’s Batman and Joker. The internet exploded with speculation, theories, and potential sequel ideas featuring this undoubtedly unique rendition of the Gotham Knight’s arch-nemesis. It definitely looks like there’s a lot to unpack, and now that fans have had a few weeks to re-watch the scene, Barry Keoghan’s version of the Joker is one that is exceptionally intriguing.
Previous Iterations
Over the years, the Joker has been featured a lot in the media in video games, comic books (obviously), television shows, and live-action films. Fans have their favorite versions of the character, with Mark Hamill’s voice arguably taking the crown for the most comics accurate interpretation. But each portrayal brings something unique to the table. Jack Nicholson brought a lot of pomp to his run, Heath Ledger’s tragic depiction was chaotic (in all the right ways), Jared Leto encompassed a bit of urban flair, and Joaquin Phoenix sheds light on the mental health aspects of the character. Each of these performers chose to focus on a particular corner of the overall character set of the Joker, some succeeding in emulating a specific trait, some did not.
But in the case of Barry Keoghan (from the small glimpses that audiences have seen), it’s apparent that this version is almost unhinged. There’s an almost manic nature to Keoghan’s screen presence that juxtaposes nicely with Pattinson’s calm Batman. Similarities can be drawn to Phoenix’s version, where his Joker took the time to execute his plans. There was an almost calculative aspect behind his every move. Granted, some of his actions were unpredictable. They seemed to have an air of thought and organization. So while the media may be inundated with Jokers (is one ever really enough?), Barry Keoghan seems to be bringing something unique to the table this time around.
A Tub Full of Acid?
Joker is very much a visual villain. His appearance is a crucial aspect of his overall character and how he is presented. Although infamous for not having one single origin story, many fans point to the tub of acid as the (somewhat) definitive reasoning for the rise of the Joker. Heath Ledger’s portrayal hinted at some form of abuse, and Phoenix’s rendition is a direct result of the system ostracizing mental health struggles.
While fans do not have a concrete answer as to where Reeves’ Joker came from, he alludes to the fact that an aspect of mental health may be at play. His appearance is something else altogether, as it looks like he has severe lacerations all across his head and arms with multiple deformities on his face. The green hair is also particularly interesting -- is this something that he did to himself? Or is it a result of an accident? If Reeves truly is ruling out the vat of acid theory, then this Joker will have a lot in common with Phoenix and Ledger’s version of the character.
The Batman Equation
It’s universally known that Batman somewhat compliments the Joker’s existence. One cannot exist without the other, and it's apparent in the deleted scene that there is quite a bit of history shared between these two characters.
“First anniversary is paper,” a play on gifts to commemorate each year of a relationship, this Joker has known Batman for exactly a year now; seeing as this film focuses on year two of Bruce Wayne as Batman, it’s fair to assume that the Joker may quite possibly, have been his first case. An interesting point to note is that Batman visits the Joker in Arkham in hopes to get insight on Riddler, with the prior stating, “You think I get off on this stuff?” clearly indicating that torture and death on a mass scale is something that he is very familiar with. There’s already a sense of obsession that has developed in the case of Joker. He is enamored by Batman and is intrigued by what he represents within Gotham.
Reeves’ The Batman gets many things right, and the Joker’s portrayal is definitely one of them. Keoghan is a performer who has a lot of depth to him. His role in Eternals was particularly nuanced, and this carried over to his role in the DC Universe. He masterfully captures the true essence of the character; maniacal, scheming, and terrifying. What audiences have seen so far is undoubtedly the very tip of the iceberg. Reeves has suggested that the Joker may be featured in an Arkham spin-off show on HBO Max.
If Matt Reeves does not choose to feature him as the (inevitable) sequel’s main villain, a prequel set in year one of Batman’s adventures would no doubt help further flesh out this character and catapult him to take the seat as Gotham’s Clown Prince of Crime.