Summary
The Batmanhas been confirmed by creator Matt Reeves to be the first of a full trilogy of films starring the legendary Caped Crusader, and a new rumor suggests that he’ll be facing off against his most impactful foe at the end of the line.
The Batmanhad just as much doubt as it did hype behind it when it hit theaters in 2022, with the project touted asmore grounded than even the best prior live-actionBatmanfilmswhile being led by Robert Pattinson as the Dark Knight, a choice that many felt was pretty controversial at the time. However, fans and critics alike were pleasantly surprised by what Reeves, Pattinson and the rest of the cast and crew were able to achieve there, delivering a truly gritty, well-grounded, and ofttimes heavy box office hit despite a PG13 rating and an inexperienced Batman just two years into his crime fighting career. Following the film’s success, it was confirmed by Reeves that it would be the first entry in a planned trilogy that would also see more world building in spin-off shows.
While things didn’t go as planned with the majority of those spin-off shows that were planned,Reeves confirmedThe Batmantrilogy itself would still be moving forward. Now, a new rumor suggests that the main antagonist set to face off against the latest live-action Batman might be his most iconic foe in DC comics: Barry Keoghan’s Joker. According to Derek Faraci on theMarvelvisionpodcast, Keoghan’s Joker will be absent fromThe Batman: Part IIbut will be the final villain of the trilogy that the Dark Knight will go up against in the still gestatingThe Batman: Part III.The report also alleges that the character will be properly introduced in a spin-off series akin toThe Penguinbut doesn’t specify whether or not the Joker will be in the lead role or simply make an appearance.
Keoghan’s Joker was notably absent from the first film in the series, only being revealed to fans via a short off-screen cameo and a now-released deleted scene showing the character for the first time, but that rendition of the character was enough to make an impression on the fans. Since Reeves confirmed his identity, fans have wondered whether the character would come to feature more prominently in future installments, and the recent rumor certainly provides an answer.The Joker’s rumored absence negates potential storylines forThe Batman: Part IIbut opens up even more possibilities for where the film could go before returning to focus on him for the final installment of the trilogy. As for the talk of a TV spinoff, the nature of the Joker’s mystique and madness would make for poor sport in that medium, making it very likely that the project in question will focus on someone else and only tangentially or sparingly evoke the Joker’s presence in the leadup to the final film.
While this is all still speculation, it would be good news for the franchise and the aspirations behind it if this all pans out as outlined. Reeves’Batmanfilm series has a solid shot at going down asone of the best superhero movie trilogiesever, but there’s a long way to go still, and nailing the Joker really is as much of a make-or-break metric for any live-action Batman franchise as the Dark Knight himself. No one knows just how Reeves plans to leverage the rumored spin-off appearance to build towards the finale, but fans can be fairly confident that it’s all in good hands and wait for the projects to hit screens near them.
The Batmanis available to stream on Max, withThe Batman: Part IIset to release theatrically on July 23, 2025.
The Batman
Directed by the visionary Matt Reeves, Robert Pattinson plays a dark, gritty and tormented caped crusader, looking to save his home from the corruption that eats at it, and the criminals looking to destroy it. With a stellar cast of Andy Serkis, Zoe Kravitz, Collin Farrell and Jeffrey Wright, The Batman takes a new approach to Gotham’s protector, one not seen since the Nolan trilogy.
