As a lifelong fan of DC, I cannot explain the astronomical expectations I have for Matt Reeves’ The Batman. I swear, next month is going to be a glorious month if you’re a fan of the Caped Crusader. All the trailers look amazing and I think the cast is going to deliver top notch performances. Since we’re on the subject of the cast, I think we should bring up a particular subject of speculation regarding this movie. As of now, we already know which characters will be in the movie, but everyone is suspecting a secret character will make a surprise cameo. Care to guess who it is? Oh, nobody important, just his archenemy, the Joker. But not just the Joker, but the one Joaquin Phoenix played in 2019. Okay, now we’re treading on some very thin ice here. Before I go any further, I just want to point out why The Batman is so exciting. We all know the story on how The Batman was originally supposed to star Ben Affleck. That was going to be his solo movie for the DC Cinematic Universe and I was beyond pumped for it. But unfortunately, that was a movie that just didn’t happen and it made all of us question the future of the DCEU. Oh, but we all know that the Dark Knight doesn’t disappear so easily.
About a year after Ben Affleck completely distanced himself from The Batman, it was announced that Matt Reeves would be replacing him as director. And as for who would play the Dark Knight himself, well, that honor would be passed on to Robert Pattinson. You know, the Twilight guy. But let’s be fair here, he disliked being a part of those movies just as much as we all disliked watching them. He’s our new Batman now, but where did that leave Ben Affleck? It turned out, the casting of Robert Pattinson as the cowled hero didn’t matter. Why? Well, it’s because Matt Reeves insisted that The Batman be totally separate from the DCEU. Just like the 2019 Joker movie, this new Batman movie will be a standalone project unconnected from any shared universe. Or is it? Ever since The Batman was announced, fans immediately speculated that it took place in the same world the Joker movie did. Bruce Wayne himself had a minor role in the movie and by the end, we got to see his origins begin once again. The interesting thing about it was that Joker was actually indirectly responsible for the death of the Waynes. This does set up for a contentious dynamic between the two foes, but I think we still need to remember the age difference between the two characters. If that young Bruce Wayne really is Robert Pattinson’s Batman, then by the time he reaches the age in his movie, Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker will be an old man. Then again, that’s what good make-up is for, so I suppose this interaction isn’t completely unlikely.
I have to mention this because a recent report came out and claimed that a sequel to The Joker is moving forward. According to the report, Warner Bros. has received the first draft of the script and is likely awaiting the next. That’s about it from the report, but I have to say, this does intrigue me. I remember when I first saw the Joker movie and walked out of it totally mesmerized. This was a unique comic book movie that gave us a rather unsettling perspective of how the ignorance of society can literally ruin one individual’s life. This was the case for Arthur Fleck, who ultimately decided to give in to his homicidal tendencies and become the agent of chaos called the Joker. This all worked because it separated itself from the DCEU and was able to flex in its own world. The way Matt Reeves is selling The Batman, it sounds like he’s adamant about keeping it separate from the DCEU. That’s a good call, because I’m all for seeing different takes on my favorite superhero. The way I see it, this new Batman is a step up from Christopher Nolan’s take on the character. It looks like Matt Reeves is going for a more grounded tone, while adding his own unique take on the comic book elements. Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot definitely has the comic-accurate look, along with all the mannerisms he needs to the Penguin. The same goes for Zoe Kravitz playing Selina Kyle, who captures the seductive and cunning nature of Catwoman. And as for Robert Pattinson as Batman, you can tell just from the trailers that this Bruce Wayne is out for blood.
That is what we need for a younger and more infallible Bruce Wayne, who I believe speaks true to the character. This is why The Batman is going to work, similar to how a movie about the origins of the Joker worked. If you take all of that into account, you should ask yourself if The Batman really needs Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker. The answer, at least in my opinion, is no. I think adding him in for a quick cameo would be adding him in just for the sake of having a cameo. If you’re going to throw in a cameo, it has to mean something. The only thing I can think of is for the sake of setting up a sequel. I’m confident The Batman will make enough money, but just in case anyone forgot, the Joker movie made over a billion dollars at the box office. For a Joker movie without Batman, that is seriously impressive. Todd Phillips intended this movie to be a standalone, one-time deal, but you just can’t ignore its financial success. If that report is true, then I’ll take a sequel. However, I really don’t think Joaquin Phoenix will make an appearance in The Batman. It already has a handful of villains, with the Riddler being the main antagonist, and doesn’t need the Joker squeezed in. For now, I’m not convinced that these two movies are in the same universe, but we’ll find out in time. The Joker sequel will apparently enter the production stage in 2023, so if there is fire to this smoke, we’ll find out later on. What are your thoughts, Batman fans?Joaquin Phoenix
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