Barry Keoghan’s Joker Could Play a Major Role in Matt Reeves Batman – Part IIand I hope he synthesizes a classic Alfred quote from The Dark Knight. Keoghan’s Joker appeared only briefly in Batmanhaving a small scene near the end of the film and appearing in a deleted scene. His future in DC is unclear, but he could be significant in Batman – Part IIwhether he is the central villain or a secondary antagonist. Still, this Joker has a lot to live up to, as every interpretation of the villain is always compared to Heath Ledger’s Joker.
Ledger’s Joker is iconic for several reasons. The actor’s performance in the role was incredible, delivering an unbalanced villain who was always one step ahead of everyone else. The Dark KnightThe Joker was truly an agent of chaos, and his lack of morals or code made him mysterious and terrifying. All of this created the most iconic live-action version of the Joker, perfectly described in a quote from Michael Caine’s Alfred. It’s the best description of what the Joker should be, and I’m excited to see Keoghan’s Joker bring that kind of villain to the table. Batman universe.
Alfred’s description of the Dark Knight’s Joker fits the character perfectly
Heath Ledger’s Joker just wanted to watch the world burn.
The Joker’s Motivations The Dark Knight are focused on plunging Gotham into chaos. He doesn’t want power or money. He wants to send the city into a tailspin, highlighting the city’s corrupt institutions and proving that people will turn on each other when things aren’t going well. The Joker’s personality is expertly summed up by Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne’s butler, who tells Bruce a story about a bandit who stole precious stones. However, he did not sell or exchange them, as he stole them for sport.
Alfred explains to Bruce: “Some men aren’t looking for anything logical, like money. They cannot be bought, intimidated, reasoned with, or negotiated. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” Joker proves this when he burns a huge stash of money, showing that leaving a message is more important than money or power. He is a villain that is difficult for Batman to figure out, as he has no clear motive other than to prove which is right about society.
The Penguin establishes that Gotham’s criminals fight for money and power
The Penguin explores Gotham’s underworld game.
The Penguin is an easier villain to examine than the Joker on many levels. His main goal is wealth and control of Gotham’s drug empire. The same can be said of Sofia Falcone and Salvatore Maroni – but they all have different reasons. Oz wants to prove he can do something for himself and make his mother proud, Sofia wants revenge on her father and the others who wronged her, and Sal wants Penguin’s revenge on his family.
Their reasoning may be different, but everyone wants the same thing: money, power and control. The Penguin shows that they may not have morals, but they have similar interests. They usually don’t hurt innocent people, but they are not afraid of hurting anyone who gets in their way. However, it is easier to negotiate with them once their motivations are known. I’m interested to see how disturbing a character like Joker can be once he establishes himself in this environment.
Barry Keoghan’s Joker Could Wreak Chaos on Batman’s Criminal Underworld
Sofia and Penguin may not know how to deal with Joker.
In The PenguinGotham’s underbelly is still reeling from the Riddler’s actions in Batmanis ending. The murder of Carmine Falcone and the flooding of Gotham have torn apart the power hierarchy of Gotham’s criminal empire, and the Penguin and other parties are trying to pick up the pieces and rebuild. Sofia and Oz are the two leaders, but they still operate with the motivation of wanting to stay in control and maintain their wealth. The way they get out of certain situations is by bargaining, even if they don’t intend to keep their end of the bargain.
The Joker cannot be traded, and I hope Batman – Part II maintains this aspect of his character. It will be interesting to see how Oz deals with someone he can’t negotiate or reason with. The Joker could disrupt his empire and cause a major upheaval in Gotham’s criminal underworld. That’s something Batman would have to address if it happened, as he tries to stop the Joker’s madness from escaping into the soul of Gotham.
The Batman Part II is the sequel to Matt Reeve’s The Batman, released in 2022, and will pick up where the original film left off. The film shares a universe with HBO Max’s original Penguin series and sees the return of the Riddler and a different incarnation of the Joker.
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