Matt Reeves’ The Batman films have a great opportunity to explore the Joker in a significant way, beginning with The Batman: Part II and potentially continuing through a third movie. Although it hasn’t been officially confirmed, a third film is largely anticipated. Unless the second movie performs unexpectedly poorly at the box office, it’s likely to happen. Reeves has expressed his desire to create a three-film series, which would only be the second live-action Batman trilogy, following Christopher Nolan’s films.
A strong villain is essential for any Batman film, and the Joker is arguably the most iconic adversary the Dark Knight has ever faced – especially after his memorable portrayal in The Dark Knight. The ending of The Batman hinted at a future confrontation between Robert Pattinson’s Batman and Barry Keoghan as the Joker, and with plans for at least two more films, his return seems probable. However, director Matt Reeves is suggesting he might handle the character in a fresh way.
Why The Joker Won’t Be The Villain in The Batman: Part II
Even though the Joker is locked up in Arkham, he won’t be the main villain in The Batman: Part II. Director Matt Reeves has stated the film’s antagonist will be a character we haven’t seen before in a movie – likely a live-action film. This suggests exciting possibilities, with Hush, the Court of Owls, and Hugo Strange as strong contenders to challenge Robert Pattinson’s Batman.
It’s a bit unexpected that Batman won’t face the Joker right away, considering how quickly Batman usually clashes with him. Before Robert Pattinson, only Michael Keaton and Christian Bale got to star in two Batman films, and both of them had the Joker appear in their first two movies. Still, maybe we should have paid closer attention to what director Matt Reeves said earlier. He mentioned back in 2022 that Barry Keoghan’s appearance as the Joker wasn’t necessarily setting up a sequel.
This isn’t a typical post-credits scene meant to tease a future movie, like you often see with Marvel or DC films. Honestly, I don’t know if we’ll ever revisit that character in a movie again.
The Joker Shouldn’t Be The Batman 3’s Main Villain Either
It’s surprising that The Joker isn’t the villain in the next Batman film, but I believe Matt Reeves should continue to move away from him as the central antagonist in The Batman 3 if it’s made. While he’s arguably the most famous Batman – and comic book – villain ever, that’s actually the issue. We’ve seen many versions of the Joker recently – three different films this decade alone, including the versions played by Keoghan, Jared Leto in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and Joaquin Phoenix in Joker: Folie à Deux. There’s also a possibility he’ll reappear in the DCU’s future Batman movie, too.
It’s notable that Matt Reeves’ Batman films dared to be different with their villains. Because Batman is often rebooted, it’s smart to try new approaches to keep the story interesting – and that’s a big reason why The Batman was so successful, as it offered a unique take on the character compared to earlier films.
There are so many fantastic Batman villains who would be great in their own movies, but there simply isn’t enough space for all of them. Instead of constantly revisiting the Joker, why not explore some fresh faces? For example, if Hush is the villain in The Batman: Part II, the movie could hint at the Court of Owls, setting them up as the main threat in Part III. Another option is to revisit villains who deserve a better portrayal, like Mister Freeze or Poison Ivy. With so many choices available, we don’t always need to see the same villain again and again.
Is introducing the Joker just to hint at him and then not use the character properly? Not necessarily. The Joker could still appear, but in a smaller role – like the deleted scene from The Batman where Batman visits him in Arkham and we discover they have a shared past, potentially shown through flashbacks. Even just knowing the Joker exists adds depth and realism to Gotham City, which is what director Reeves has said he was aiming for.
I wanted Gotham to feel like a fully realized city with a rich history. I envisioned it as a place reminiscent of classic Warner Bros. gangster films, where you might catch glimpses of a character’s backstory if you looked closely. My intention wasn’t to explicitly reveal characters like the Joker in advance, but rather to establish that trouble is always present in Gotham – it’s an inherent part of the city and always will be.
The idea is really interesting and shows how well Matt Reeves builds his version of Gotham. It’s already a uniquely strange city, blending elements of Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan’s versions, but still feeling fresh. His take on the Joker also enriches the city’s history and Batman’s story. While a showdown between Keoghan and Pattinson in The Batman 3 would likely be fantastic, choosing not to do that might actually be the smarter move.
The Batman: Part II will be released in theaters on October 1st, 2027.
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2025-10-27 22:40