Irish actor Barry Keoghan is rapidly becoming one of the most talked about stars in Hollywood. With films like the emotional and heartwarming The Banshees of Inisherin and the disturbing Saltburn, Keoghan has proved that he has the versatility to tackle diverse roles. His cameo appearance in 2022’s The Batman as an Arkham prisoner who turns out to be the Joker, is getting fans extremely excited about the sequel.
The talented star looks to be continuing to sign on high-profile projects. According to the latest reports coming in, Keoghan is in talks to star in a heist thriller named Crime 101 alongside two Marvel veterans Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo. Here’s what we know about this exciting project and the rumored collaboration.
Barry Keoghan, Mark Ruffalo, And Chris Hemsworth Could Be The Dream Team Of This Crime Thriller
While MCU stars Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth are bonafide superstars thanks to their MCU gigs as well as their film choices outside of the franchise, Barry Keoghan is well on his way to reaching this status in Hollywood. The Irish star has made people sit up and take notice of his talent in films like The Banshees of Inisherin and Saltburn, both of which showcased a completely different aspect of his ability.
The Eternals actor is reportedly set to collaborate on a big project with fellow Marvel alums Ruffalo and Hemsworth titled Crime 101 which is based on American author Don Winslow’s novella of the same name. The narrative deals with jewel thefts that are seemingly connected to Columbian drug cartels.
While the plot of the film is yet to be revealed, a report in Deadline states that Keoghan is currently in talks for a key role alongside the Avengers actors. The film which will be directed by Bart Layton, is also said to be produced by Hemsworth along with Ben Grayson for a theater release in 2025.
Most recently, Keoghan was lauded for his performance in the successful Apple TV+ limited series Masters of the Air. Fans of the star will be hoping that this exciting collaboration between the 3 Marvel actors takes off soon.
Did Barry Keoghan Confirm His Appearance As The Joker In The Batman 2?
Matt Reeves’ The Batman starring Robert Pattinson was a dark and gritty portrayal of the superhero based on the Batman Detective Comics that earned the director and his lead actor a lot of praise from audiences and critics. One of the key moments in the film came right at the end when The Riddler played by Paul Dano is seen talking to a shadowy figure in the Arkham prison.
It is learned that this character is none other than Batman’s greatest nemesis, the Joker played by Irish star Barry Keoghan. Incidentally, a deleted 5-minute scene featuring a confrontation between Batman and the Joker which did not feature in the film, was later released online and gained a lot of hype, especially for the Saltburn star’s portrayal of the character.
Now, with excitement building about The Batman 2 and Keoghan having appeared as the supervillain, expectations are sky high about his involvement in the second installment. The actor though, carefully chose his words when asked about this possibility by E Talk (via Culture Crave) in December 2023, but seemed to be all but confirming this news through his statement.
I can’t really say anything about that. would be exciting, wouldn’t it? To see the Joker come to life again. My smile says all, you know what I mean?
When the same question was broached by Vanity Fair in February 2024, Keoghan chose to address aspects of his other projects and did not touch upon the Joker or The Batman 2. All these speculations are adding even more hype to the film and it now remains to be seen how the narrative unfolds for the Eternals star.
The Batman is streaming on Max.
