‘The Batman’ Director Explains Why the Joker Scene Is in the Movie
thewrap.comWarning: The following contains spoilers for “The Batman.”When “The Batman” hit theaters, fans and critics alike praised co-writer and director Matt Reeves’ new vision for the Caped Crusader, but one scene in particular was the subject of much chatter post-release.
We’re talking, of course, about the scene at the end of the film in which Paul Dano’s The Riddler is revealed to be sharing a cell at Arkham Asylum with someone credited as “Unseen Arkham Prisoner” who has a very distinctive laugh.Yes indeed, Reeves has since confirmed that this character – played by actor Barry Keoghan – will eventually become the iconic Batman villain The Joker, but isn’t yet fully formed.
In fact, there was an earlier scene between Robert Pattinson’s Batman and Keoghan’s prisoner in the film that was cut, in which Batman went to this prisoner as a sort of Hannibal Lecter to consult on his investigation into the Riddler’s crimes.While that earlier scene was cut, the other scene remains – although for a time this other scene was removed from the film as well.
Reeves reveals on the director’s commentary for “The Batman” (currently available as an Apple exclusive) why he decided to keep this Joker scene in the movie.“A lot of people ask me, ‘Is this a set up for another movie?’ and to be honest it really isn’t,” Reeves says on the commentary track.
Read more on thewrap.com