The Batman is an experience and then some! What I enjoyed about the movie was how we saw Bruce as detective Batman instead of superhero Batman, a depiction many fans have been longing for.
As if the immersive movie wasn’t enough, we’re hit by another zinger right at the end. The Riddler is finally imprisoned but he has quite a jolly cellmate to keep him company.
That scene left us thinking, could that really be the Joker locked up with Riddler? The answer is yes.
Barry Keoghan plays the Joker in The Batman, who is discreetly shot to be the Riddler’s cellmate at the end of the movie. The two decide to team up and break out of Arkham together.
Still a bit fuzzy on the details? I believe that director Matt Reeves did not want to go down the mainstream route of pitting the Joker against Batman in Robert Pattinson’s very first rendition.
But it would be impossible to not do the Joker at all, so we have Keoghan in a cameo that may lead to the Joker appearing in other The Batman sequels.
Is The Batman Setting Up A New Joker Movie?
Right before the credits can roll, we see Riddler in his cell in Arkham, complaining about how Batman foiled his plans. His musings are cut by a hauntingly recognizable crackle of laughter. Yes, it is the Joker, this time played by Barry Keoghan.
Joker’s face is covered with make-up and gunk that tries in vain to hide the character’s identity but there’s no fooling us.
The Joker consoles Riddler saying that there is yet an opportunity to turn Gotham into the city of darkness it is meant to be. They then decide to team up and break out of Arkham when possible.
So is this scene setting us up for a new movie with Joker as the supervillain? Or will the “team-up” last outside their prison break and see Riddler and the Joker fight Batman together?
This could perhaps be an on-screen exploration of the comic book series The War of Jokes and Riddles, where the two, first partners soon find themselves sparring with each other due to their difference of opinions.
The “Goodbye” with the cryptic question mark after the credits sure points out to future movie projects, with even director Reeves confirming that there are “talks” happening about a sequel.
The Post-Credits Scene Ties In With An ARG
Before I answer your other queries (I know there is one in particular), I have to geek out about the post-credits scene.
Yes, that green blinking question mark — turns out it is part of alternate reality game (ARG) that has been active since The Batman trailer was first launched.
If you’re one of those fans following it closely, you may have already solved the cipher. If not, here’s what happened: Fans noticed that were a riddle in the trailer and then a message in an unknown script.
After solving the initial puzzle, fans were directed to the website “RataAlada.com“ where you’re first greeted with a green blinking question mark.
Over the months leading to The Batman’s release, riddles would appear which once solved would reveal a promo image from the movie and help you decode the mysterious script.
Guess what? The final puzzle was released on The Batman’s premiere and all the symbols in the script were matched to a letter in the alphabet. All letters, except one: J.
It’s too much of a coincidence that the game ended with the letter J being solved. Is it just obvious that J stands for Joker? Time will tell.
Is Barry Keoghan Playing A New Character?
There’s understandable confusion or/and skepticism about Keoghan’s character. At one point, he was listed as Stanley Merkel in IMDB, a character known to be Lt James Gordon’s partner. The credit has now been changed to “Unseen Arkham Prisoner.”
Funnily enough, Merkel was introduced in the comics Batman: Year One, which is one of Reeves’ source materials for the movie.
I personally believe the former credit was just a red herring to keep the surprise alive. Reeves did state to TechRader there is a deleted scene of Bruce visiting a certain prisoner in jail that is sure to please fans.
He teases that once we see the deleted scene, we’ll know more of what’s in store for the future. Guess we’ll just have to sit tight and wait for them to release it!
About The Batman
The Batman is an upcoming American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman. Produced by DC Films and distributed by Warner Bros. Directed by Matt Reeves and written by Peter Craig, the film will feature Twilight star Robert Pattinson in the titular role.
Other cast members include Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Barry Keoghan, Jayme Lawson, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell.
The brand-new Batman solo will see Bruce Wayne/ Batman in his second year of fighting crime as he explores the corruption that plagues Gotham City and how it may tie to his own family, in addition to coming into conflict with a serial killer known as the Riddler. Set in the parallel universe Earth-2, the movie will be separate from the rest of the DCEU canon.
No Comments on The Batman Ending Explained: Was that the Joker with Riddler in Arkham?