As The Batman: Part II inches closer to the beginning of principal photography, a number of questions remain regarding the Matt Reeves-helmed movie. One particular detail that’s been heavily discussed by fans is whether Barry Keoghan will reprise his role as the Joker. Unsurprisingly, Keoghan himself has played coy whenever he’s been asked about the prospect of reprising the Clown Prince of Crime. The Irish actor did the same thing during a recent interview, yet I’m still convinced he’ll be returning for the sequel.
Keoghan’s Mr. J only appears briefly at the end of 2022’s The Batman, as his silhouette can be seen while he forms an alliance with the unsuspecting Riddler in Arkham Asylum. However, following the release of the film, Warner Bros. officially released a deleted scene featuring Joker. Keoghan recently took part in Wired’s Autocomplete Interview (which was shared to YouTube), and one of the questions posed was in regard to why his Joker scene was cut. Keoghan didn’t provide an exact reason, but he did share these thoughts:
It was deleted from the movie, but it still exists because, you know, it came out after the movie, which I thought was quite a nice moment.
The scene in question is very entertaining, as it shows the incarcerated clown being interrogated by the Dark Knight (played by Robert Pattinson), who seeks his thoughts on the Riddler’s crimes. Overall, the deleted moment quickly and effectively illustrates the dynamic between the two foes, and it’s a major reason why I want to see Keoghan play the Gotham City rogue again. Keoghan also addressed the prospect of playing the role again:
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I cannot answer that question truly, sincerely. Cannot talk about that.
Considering the Banshees of Inisherin star’s uneasiness and quickness to move away from the topic, I’m more than tempted to believe he’s poised to make a comeback as Joker. It’s definitely not uncommon for actors affiliated with certain projects to deny involvement until something is made official. For example, I can still remember when Paul Rudd tried to brush off the report that he’d been cast as Ant-Man. So, while Keoghan may not have provided any kind of confirmation, his deflection suggests there’s something big he can’t talk about.
Keoghan may not be keen on divulging any details on what lies ahead for his Joker, but he is fully aware of how massive the gig is. He previously referred to the role as being “a big one” and emphasized the “iconic” nature of the character. Considering that Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix are among the actors who’ve played versions of the DC Comics villain over the years, it’s clear that Keoghan is following in the footsteps of some titans. Considering Keoghan’s solid debut as the character, I’d love to see him get a chance to further develop this iteration alongside Matt Reeves.
Of course, the status of the Joker is just one query swirling around this Batman sequel, as fans still don’t even know what the actual plot will be. At the very least, it’s been reported that some newcomers are joining the fold, including blockbuster franchise queen Scarlett Johansson, and she’ll be joined by Sebastian Stan, a fellow MCU alum. Here’s hoping Keoghan is indeed part of the ensemble Reeves is putting together for this film.
The Batman: Part II is set to open in theaters on October 1, 2027. While fans wait for the film, they can stream its predecessor as well as the spinoff series, The Penguin, using an HBO Max subscription.