Director Matt Reeves has detailed how actor Barry Keoghan's version of the Joker will differ from earlier iterations in The Batman universe. Keoghan was first introduced as the character in a 2022 deleted scene from The Batman, which Reeves directed.
Although plans are in place for the character within The Batman Epic Crime Saga, it remains unknown when Keoghan's Joker will appear next. Reports previously claimed a Joker limited series was in development to bridge the gap between The Batman Part II and Part III.
James Gunn quickly denied that report, stating that "a Joker series is not under discussion nor has it even been tabled at this time." The theatrical release of The Batman Part II is currently scheduled for October 2, 2026, and fans are hoping the character will appear.
Creating a unique Batman villain
While fans wait to see what the Joker's future will be in the Batman universe, Reeves told The Hollywood Reporter that they are working to ensure this character is different from previous versions. "Every time you approach one of these characters, you have to find a new way to do it," Reeves said. "So that makes it incredibly daunting. At the same time, this version of Penguin is a version of Penguin that no one has ever seen."
Reeves explained that creators must earn their place when reimagining iconic roles. "The only way to do that is to feel like you're earning your spot because otherwise you'd just do more and people would say, 'Well, we saw it, so what do you have for us?' So how can it be the thing we love, but also something we haven't seen?" Reeves said. "That's always the challenge. So with a character like that, that should be the bar."
Reeves previously discussed the Joker's visual presentation, noting that he is kept visually distanced in a suspenseful way. He wanted an iteration that felt distinctive and new while going back to the roots, drawn from Conrad Veidt and the silent film The Man Who Laughs.
Congenital condition and character background
Rather than falling into a vat of chemicals or following Christopher Nolan's approach of mysterious facial scars, Reeves envisioned a character born with a facial condition. "It's not a version where he falls into a vat of chemicals and his face is distorted, or what [Christopher] Nolan did, where there is some mystery as to how he got these scars etched into his face," Reeves said.
"What if this boy had had this disease since birth and was cursed?" Reeves said. "He had this smile that people stared at, it was grotesque and terrifying. Even as a child, people looked at him with horror and his response was, 'Okay, they played a prank on me,' and that was his nihilistic view of the world."
Reeves expanded on the idea, comparing the character to David Lynch's film The Elephant Man during discussions with makeup artist Mike Marino. "He can never stop smiling. And that made Mike [Marino] and I think about - I was talking about The Elephant Man because I love David Lynch," Reeves said.
"And I thought, 'Well, maybe there's something here that isn't something that fell into a vat of chemicals or isn't the [Christopher] Nolan thinks where he has these scars and we don't know where they come from,'" Reeves added. "What if this is something that affects him from birth and he has a congenital disease that prevents him from stopping smiling? And he had this really dark reaction, and he had to go through a life where people looked at him a certain way and he knows how to get into your head."
Reeves explained that the tragic background ultimately drives the villain's identity. "Life has been a cruel joke on him. And this is his response, and eventually he'll declare himself a clown, he'll declare himself the Joker. That was the idea," Reeves said.
