The Joker in The Dark Knight and Bruce Wayne in The Batman
By
Marcelo Leite
Published Feb 5, 2026, 7:12 PM EST
Marcelo Leite is the Deputy Editor for Screen Rant's TV segment, developing and overseeing content about classic, current, and upcoming television shows. He began his editing career on Screen Rant in 2023 after joining the site as a writer in 2022.
Since then, he has worked on different teams and segments, including Star Wars, Superheroes, Movie/TV Features, and Perennials, eventually leading the Classic TV team.
A fan of all things pop culture, Marcelo studied Civil Engineering in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, before realizing that writing was his true passion. From running a WordPress blog with a friend about movies and TV shows to being part of Screen Rant, entertainment has always been part of his life.
When he is not working or watching TV shows, he is most likely playing video games, reading comic books, or stressing over his favorite soccer team.
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The final moments of The Batman introduced a new version of the Joker, played by Barry Keoghan, and he will break a live-action villain tradition in his next appearance. Although not much is known about The Batman 2's plot, the sequel will likely not feature Joker as the main antagonist. However, Keoghan is expected to reprise his role as the Joker in some capacity.
The Batman only featured the Joker in a brief scene toward the end, where the character's face is barely seen. However, one creepy laugh from the Riddler's Arkham friend was enough to confirm that Barry Keoghan was playing the Clown Prince of Crime after all.
After a deleted Joker scene from The Batman was released online, we got to see more of how Keoghan's Joker differs from previous versions. Taking place in Arkham, the conversation between Batman and the Joker revealed crucial details concerning their shared history and set up a fresh, exciting take on their relationship.
The Batman 2 Can Explore A Batman And Joker That Already Know Each Other
Close up of Barry Keoghan as the Joker in a deleted scene from The Batman
Both Tim Burton's Batman and The Dark Knight showed Batman and the Joker meeting for the first time, with the 1989 film even featuring the villain's origin story. The DCEU had the chance to break this trend, as Affleck's Caped Crusader had already been around for 20 years, yet Suicide Squad had no scenes where Batman and the Joker actually interacted face-to-face.
The DCEU's Batman and Joker only referenced their history briefly at the end of Zack Snyder's Justice League, during the Knightmare sequence. Now, The Batman 2 and other sequels can explore versions of these characters that already know each other in a way no Batman movie has done before.
Although Matt Reeves has described Barry Keoghan's version of the Joker as not yet being the DC villain audiences are familiar with, The Batman's Clown Prince of Crime already has a longstanding relationship with Gotham's Dark Knight. The deleted scene saw Batman asking for the villain's take on the Riddler case, and strongly suggested it was Batman who put Joker in Arkham.
The duo's verbal sparring gave the impression that Robert Pattinson and Barry Keoghan’s characters already know what to expect from each other, which is one of the best parts about Batman and Joker’s relationship previously missing from the big screen.
The Joker Doesn't Have To Be The Batman 2's Main Villain
Robert Pattinson's Batman paying attention to something in The Batman
At the end of The Dark Knight, Joker tells Batman they are destined to do battle forever - a line that perfectly encapsulates the decades-old relationship between Batman and the Joker in the comics. Still, no live-action film ever managed to represent that never-ending rivalry onscreen.
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Posts By Matthew RudoyBatman movies, including the Dark Knight trilogy, have been very episodic, to the point where something like 1992's Batman Returns does not even feel like a sequel to 1989's Batman. The Batman and its sequels, despite their grounded approach, have the potential to become the most comic-accurate Batman movie series ever, especially regarding the hero's long-standing dynamic with his Rogues Gallery.
Subscribe for deeper Joker & Batman universe coverage
Unpack the Batman-Joker dynamic: subscribe to the newsletter for detailed analysis, character deep-dives, behind-the-scenes perspectives, and focused coverage of how their relationship influences future films and storytelling. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.The Batman 2 doesn't have to feature Joker as the main villain to continue exploring the relationship between the Dark Knight and his arch-nemesis. The idea of Batman going to Arkham to interrogate or consult with Joker has been done in the comics several times, and is just one example of how much more interesting the Joker can be as a recurring figure in an established universe as opposed to a one-off villain.
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The Batman Part II
Subscribe for deeper Joker & Batman universe coverage
Unpack the Batman-Joker dynamic: subscribe to the newsletter for detailed analysis, character deep-dives, behind-the-scenes perspectives, and focused coverage of how their relationship influences future films and storytelling. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Trending Now
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