Following his brief appearance as an unnamed Arkham Prisoner in Matt Reeves’ 2022 film The Batman, there have been many discussions surrounding Barry Keoghan’s return as The Joker in the film’s sequel. Although the studio has yet to provide official confirmation, Keoghan’s own comments in recent interviews strongly hint at his involvement in the DC superhero universe once again.
However, fans are not too enthusiastic about the prospect of another portrayal of the iconic DC villain and expressed disappointment at the idea of Keoghan possibly reprising his role in The Batman: Part II.
Barry Keoghan’s Joker Set to Return in The Batman: Part II
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Barry Keoghan dropped significant hints about his involvement in the highly anticipated sequel to Matt Reeves’ hit DC film The Batman. When asked about his future with substantial projects like Masters of the Air and the role of the DC villain Joker in The Batman sequel, he said,
“The filmmaker and the role and the story are the three boxes that need ticking—I also want to be challenged and put to the test where I push my limits and learn on the gig. For me, I physically want to go somewhere. I want to physically change and take on a certain walk or a certain voice and really do a character piece.”
Although Keoghan stopped short of confirming his role, the actor also did not deny that he’s in Matt Reeves’ The Batman: Part II, leading to the belief that the Saltburn star is indeed reprising his role from the 2022 film alongside Robert Pattinson.
Barry Keoghan has also addressed the possibility in another interview, where he shared that although he can’t say anything about it now, he still believes that it would be “exciting” for Joker to return on-screen. “My smile says all, you know what I mean?” he further quipped in the interview.
Fans Are Not Very Excited About Barry Keoghan’s Joker
Joker stands as an iconic DC antagonist, having been portrayed by a plethora of actors including Jack Nicholson, Joaquin Phoenix, and the acclaimed Heath Ledger. However, the recurrent focus on this particular villain by the studio appears to have wearied fans, who now yearn for fresh narratives from the makers.
Following Keoghan’s interview, fans flooded social media platforms with their discontent, urging the filmmakers to explore new villains and their compelling storylines. One user said, “I feel like they could explore so many other interesting villains,” as they described Keoghan’s Joker appearance in The Batman as “unnecessary.”
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 (@BargainBGaming) February 21, 2024
I want to see Mr freeze and deathstroke as villains for the future batman films
— Kartik Ganesh (@kartik19ganesh) February 21, 2024
I'm burnt out with the joker.
— Scott J Lamberton (@ScottLamberton4) February 21, 2024
Really wanted this to be the Batman trilogy that didn’t include joker. His rogues gallery had so many other characters to choose from
— 🐘 (@TimGod) February 21, 2024
https://twitter.com/caitcc89/status/1760317574779187307?s=20
Oh cool. More joker. Just what we all wanted… pic.twitter.com/uNitDykol5
— Eric (@Ebab117) February 21, 2024
I hated that version of Joker. This is a big mistake. pic.twitter.com/nbAmWpFtSB
— Andrew Taylor (@Just_Drew13) February 21, 2024
Many other fans shared similar sentiments, saying, “If they stopped chasing the unattainable bar that was Heath’s Joker and used that energy to create something just as good w/ a new character.” Other fans also expressed disappointment with the expectation that Matt Reeves‘ Batman films would introduce alternative antagonists, like Mr. Freeze and Deathstroke, instead of focusing on the Joker, while some openly voiced their reservations about Keoghan assuming the iconic role.
The Batman is available to stream on Max.
The Batman: Part II is expected to be released on October 3, 2025
