The Batman has given fans plenty to talk about. But the most pressing topic of conversation may very well be Barry Keoghan’s character, billed in the credits as “Unnamed Arkham Inmate.” Shown only in a brief scene in Arkham Asylum, Keoghan’s character forges a bond with the Riddler (Paul Dano), suggesting that the two of them could be friends. And if there was any doubt about who this prisoner could be, all questions were drowned out by the sound of his blood-curling laugh. It was the Joker, returning again to be the anarchic mirror to double Batman’s shadowy search for justice. The scene only became more of a tease when The Batman director Matt Reeves indicated that a potential sequel would not necessarily focus on the Joker, leaving fans fearing that they wouldn’t get to see more of Keoghan’s take on the Clown Prince of Crime. But thanks to a new Riddler ARG, a deleted scene featuring the Joker and Batman has found its way onto the internet. Those who followed the movie’s post-cred scene to visit the site rataalada.com have been participating in a game, the results of which include this tantalizing scene. Drawing more from Michael Mann’s Manhunter than from the David Fincher films that inspired most of The Batman, Reeves gives us a scene in which Batman (Robert Pattinson) visits the Joker in a cell, seeking help on catching the Riddler. The Joker does his best Hannibal Lecter, not only psychoanalyzing the Riddler (“He’s a nobody, who wants to be a somebody”), but also deconstructing Batman himself. “You afraid [the Riddler] makes you look soft,” he taunts, punctuated by Keoghan’s breathless take on the villain’s signature cackle. These limited shots don’t give us much more of Keoghan’s Joker look. Bound in a straight-jacket and prison garb, there’s no sign of a purple suit anywhere. Nor does the actor get to bring much body language, other than the way he shakes when lets loose with a menacing giggle.
