With the immense success of Todd Phillips’ Joker movie, a sequel is confirmed to be in the works. Not only does this mean we get to see more of Joaquin Phoenix’s amazing performance as Joker, but the introduction of more DC characters as well. Since the Joker movie served as a type of origin story, the sequel might play out as a “rise to power” storyline. No matter what direction Phillips decides to go in, there area a plethora of characters from the comics that he can include. Some might be allies to Phoenix’s Joker and others can be enemies (like a certain vigilante) and given the grounded setting the first film had, more realistic iterations of certain characters would be interesting to see. Since there’s a big selection to pick from, let’s narrow it down to the five DC characters that should be in the Joker sequel.
5. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow
The last scene of Joker showed us Arthur Fleck as a patient in Arkham Asylum. Let’s assume that he’ll remain a patient in the prison/asylum and think about who will be unlucky enough to treat him. Comic fans may have a certain clown girl in mind, but there is another well-known Batman villain who is also an expert in psychology. He is Jonathan Crane, better known as Scarecrow, the creator of the famous fear gas. Before he became a criminal, he was a respected doctor obsessed with exploiting the fears of others. What if he’s the doctor who volunteers to treat Arthur? Someone like him would try to get inside Arthur’s head and determine what makes him tick. That would lead to an intriguing interaction that could turn into a partnership or a rivalry.
4. Hugo Strange
If there’s an Arkham Asylum, then there has to be a Hugo Strange. In the comics, Strange is almost always seen as a psychiatrist working in Arkham Asylum. Unlike most Batman villains, he has no alter ego and even discovered who Batman really is on his own. His most defining trait is his ability to get under everyone’s skin, making him a dangerous foe. If Arthur Fleck is still kept in Arkham, then seeing Strange running the place would be an interesting thing to see. The patients in Arkham would be terribly mistreated and Strange would likely take joy in abusing them. This would give Arthur a great motivation to incite a riot in Arkham and get revenge on Strange, leading to a great confrontation.
3. Selina Kyle/Catwoman
Remember when Arthur had a girlfriend named Sophie? Well, apparently that was never really a thing, since Arthur actually created their interactions in his head. This was a shocking revelation, since she could have been Arthur’s only true connection to society, but it was all delusions. Did he really kill her? Maybe or maybe not, but it shows Arthur is desperate to be loved by someone. Perhaps that someone in the sequel can be Selina Kyle. She doesn’t have to be Catwoman, but a professional thief that can cross paths with Arthur. The difference between her and Sophie is that she would be a criminal and considered an outcast to society. This is the kind of person Arthur would be attracted to, but since Selina is actually sane, it’s a relationship that wouldn’t work.
A romance in a Joker movie sounds odd unless Harley Quinn is included, but she really isn’t needed, at least not yet. Having Selina in the sequel would lead to some interesting conflict between her and Arthur, and since he has now fully transformed himself as The Joker, he would cross any kind of line to have her.
2. Edward Nygma/The Riddler
If you go back and look at the scene where Arthur enters the elevator in Arkham Asylum, you can see what appears to be a question mark. It looks like it was drawn on the elevator walls by a certain someone. Comic fans should have The Riddler pop into their heads, since every outfit he wears has some kind of question mark on it. Whether or not this was meant to be an easter egg or just coincidence, it’s got us wondering if The Riddler actually exist somewhere in this movie. He probably wasn’t seen at anytime, but he may very well be a patient in Arkham.
Arthur was never one to have any real friends, but he could use a partner in crime. If they are both committed to Arkham together, it could set up an interesting partnership. He can go by his actual name, Eddie Nashton, and serve as the brains of Arthur’s criminal organization. Of course, since he’s a villain, he cannot be trusted, so he would most likely betray Arthur. We’ve already seen how Arthur deals with people who betray him so having that in the sequel would be quite the scene. The Riddler was always bit too overconfident.
1. Carmine Falcone
And now here’s the guy who should be the main antagonist of the Joker sequel, the mobster known as Carmine Falcone. In the comics, Falcone was an early foe in Batman’s career and was considered to be “untouchable.” This is because he was the typical gangster that had Gotham’s cops and politicians in his pocket. Falcone debuted in the eighties, the same decade the first Joker movie takes place in. He is a more grounded villain that should be placed in a more grounded setting, and on top of that, he can still be the biggest crime lord in Gotham. This would make him the perfect foe for Arthur to go up against, since he became a very influential criminal by the end of the film.
If Phillips does take the “rise to power” route for the sequel, then Arthur would have to take out the competition for the main crime lords in Gotham, and Falcone should be the top contender. If he does decide to have the sequel’s setting jump a few years, it would still be grounded enough to include Falcone as the villain. He wears no costume, no mask, and he’s about the most realistic villain in Batman’s rogues gallery. This time, Joker can deal with him.
Final Thoughts
Was anyone expecting to see Batman on the list? Well, seeing him square off against Joker would be one heck of a sight, but it’s honestly too early for that. Joker just became a serious criminal and Bruce Wayne is still a kid. Their confrontation is something that needs to be build up to and not rushed. If a third installment does happen, then maybe that will be the perfect time and place. What are your thoughts?
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