How The Batman 2 Breaking A Live-Action Joker Trend Can Impact The DCU

Summary The Batman – Part II can test an established Joker & Batman dynamic, bringing a new twist to their well-known relationship.

Previous live-action Jokers met Batman for the first time, but The Batman 2 shows the duo already have history together.

The Joker is Batman's most popular villain, so exploring their relationship without making Joker the main threat is crucial.

Thanks to a surprise appearance in the first movie, The Batman – Part II can bring a new Joker (played by Barry Keoghan), and through him, it would be breaking a live-action Joker trend. The DC Universe keeps expanding after the failures of the DC Extended Universe, bringing new characters and new versions of popular ones while also continuing the stories of already established characters, but with a different place in this universe. Such is the case of Matt Reeves’ The Batman movies, which are now part of the DC Universe’s branch of DC Elseworlds, along with Todd Phillip’s Joker, as they aren’t part of the main continuity.

The Batman introduced the audience to a younger Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) in his second year of crime-fighting in Gotham City as Batman. The Caped Crusader helped Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) catch a mysterious serial killer known as the Riddler (Paul Dano) while he also dived into Gotham’s criminal underworld, led by Carmine Falcone (John Turturro) and Oswald Cobbeplot a.k.a. The Penguin (Colin Farrell). The success of The Batman led to a sequel being greenlit, which is expected to bring Keoghan’s Joker back after his surprise appearance in the first movie, thus breaking a live-action Joker trend.

Related The Batman 2's Best Villain Theory Can Rebuild The Genius Joker Trend Nolan Started An intriguing new villain theory for Matt Reeves' The Batman 2 could rebuild the genius Joker origins of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy.

The Batman 2 Can Test How An Established Joker & Batman Dynamic Works For The DCU

The Batman’s Dark Knight & Joker Already Have History Together

Previous live-action versions of the Joker followed the character’s first meeting with their respective Batmen.

The Batman already had one too many antagonists with the Riddler, Falcone, the Penguin, and Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz), though the latter ended up teaming with Batman, but the movie had one more surprise up its sleeve. At the end of The Batman, the Riddler befriended the prisoner in the cell next to his at Arkham State Hospital, and it was none other than the Joker. That was Keoghan’s only scene in the final cut of The Batman, but a deleted scene saw Batman visiting the Joker to profile the Riddler, revealing that they already knew each other quite well.

Previous live-action versions of the Joker followed the character’s first meeting with their respective Batmen. In Tim Burton’s Batman, Jack Nicholson’s Joker met Batman once he set his chaotic plans into motion, though there was a dark connection between them, as the Joker was revealed to be the murderer of Bruce’s parents. Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight also showed the first meeting between Christian Bale’s Batman and Heath Ledger’s Joker, in what became one of the movie’s most memorable scenes.

By having a Joker and Batman who already know each other, and thus have some history together, The Batman 2 can test the audience’s reaction to it, especially as it’s now known that Batman has gone to the Joker for guidance. This could bring a completely different dynamic to the DC Universe, giving a fresh twist to their well-known relationship.

Why DCU's Batman & Joker Rivalry Is Crucial To The Franchise

The Joker Is Batman’s Most Popular Villain

Exploring the dynamic and rivalry between a Batman and Joker who already know each other takes their relationship to a level that previous versions didn’t.

The Joker is Batman’s most popular antagonist, so it’s not that surprising that Reeves’ universe includes him. Every live-action Batman world has featured a version of the Joker, as he brings out a side of Batman that no other villain can. Exploring the dynamic and rivalry between a Batman and Joker who already know each other takes their relationship to a level that previous versions didn’t, and the consultation from the deleted scene adds a layer of complexity to their rivalry.

Even if the Joker isn’t the main villain in The Batman – Part II, the movie can still continue exploring Batman and the Joker’s relationship without the pressure of making him the threat to defeat. The Joker could even be a recurring character rather than the main villain in the world of The Batman, which opens up new possibilities for him and Batman.