Batman director Matt Reeves confirms the identity of Arkham’s mysterious prisoner from the end of the film, played by Barry Kyohan.
Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Batman
The identity of The BatmanThe unnamed prisoner of Arkham has been officially confirmed, as director Matt Reeves confirms that the film presents the Joker. Featuring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne, also known as Batman, Batman restarts the iconic DC superhero again on the big screen. The decision to introduce another new version of The Dark Knight in theaters came when Ben Affleck’s time at DC Extended Universe expired and Michael Keaton’s Batman made an unexpected return across the multiverse. However, Batman sets the stage for a new universe in which Pattinson and Reeves can create a new perspective on the mythology and characters of Caped Crusader.
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Batman is full of new perspectives on Batman’s famous characters, with Catwoman, Jim Gordon and Alfred Pennyworth introduced to help Pattinson’s superhero. Meanwhile, the film makes Riddler its main antagonist and also introduces Penguin before his spin on HBO Max. Although Batman has just hit theaters, there has been speculation for months that Matt Reeves may introduce a new version of the Joker. Rumor has it that Barry Kyohan will play the clown prince of crime. Although he eventually appears as a prisoner in Arkham next to Riddler, Keoghan’s character is credited only as an unnamed prisoner in Arkham.
Related: Explained Batman scene after credits
Now that Batman is in theaters, Reeves has finally confirmed who exactly is playing Keoghan. In an interview with IGN, the director confirmed that Arkham’s mysterious prisoner is indeed the Joker. Batman irritates this identity with blurred looks at Keoghan’s character, which include obvious facial scars, conversations about clowns, and the actor’s perception of the character’s maniacal laughter. Reeves also revealed why the Joker is in Batman and why additional scenes have been cut with him.
Interestingly, the reason the Joker is in the film is actually another scene that was earlier. And since the film is not a tale of the origins of Batman, but in his early days, it really is a tale of the origins of the characters of Rogue’s Gallery. And for me, I think [it’s] this idea that the Joker is not yet the Joker, but they already have that connection.
Confirmation that Kiohan’s unnamed prisoner in Arkham at the end of Batman answers one of the biggest questions in the film. He was previously said to be a GCPD employee, Stanley Merkel, and Reeves even filmed scenes for the role to repel people. He also recontextualizes Reeves’ previous revelation that there are cut scenes involving Keoghan’s character. He clarified in this interview that this includes a deleted scene of Batman talking to Keoghan’s Joker while trying to understand Riddler. Based on this interview and previous comments, fans can expect to see more of the Keoghan Joker in the deleted Batman scenes.
Although the Joker is now officially in Batman, there is no confirmation of his future. Reeves explains that he likes the idea that the Joker is not yet what comic book fans know, but instead a killer that Batman has interacted with before. However, this does not guarantee that Barry Kiohan’s Joker is in The Batman 2. However, he could potentially return for one of the HBO’s spinoffs, especially after Reeves revealed that the action takes place in Arkham Asylum. Whether it’s a sequel or a spin, it’s only a matter of time before the Keoghan Joker comes into the spotlight after his secret debut in The Batman.
More: Everything we know about Batman 2
Source: IGN
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Cooper Hood (5474 articles published)
Cooper Hood is the author of Screen Rant news and movies. He joined Screen Rant in late 2016 after a one-year stay with MCU Exchange, which came after the first development of MCU’s own blog. He graduated from college in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Media and Public Communications, with a minor in Media Production. Cooper’s love of film began with watching Toy Story and Lion King as a child, but it was only after The Avengers that he became interested in film and the filmmaking process, which led him to discover the world of film journalism. Each year, Cooper looks forward to seeing the latest blockbusters from Marvel, DC and Star Wars, but also loves the rush to catch up with the Oscars at the end of the year. When not writing or watching new releases, Cooper is obsessed with fantasy football and is looking to expand his Blu-Ray collection – because physical media is still king! Follow Cooper on Twitter @MovieCooper.
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