It’s been a few weeks since The Batman hit the theaters but the craze doesn’t seem to fade away any time soon. The Robert Pattinson starring movie has been hailed to be one the best superhero movies to have come out in recent times, drawing a comparison with The Dark Knight itself. However, the movie has once again created waves online by releasing the Arkham deleted scene showcasing Barry Keoghan’s full reveal as the Joker.
Joining the list of greats such as Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and Joaquin Phoenix, Barry Keoghan is the newest Clown Prince of Crime in Matt Reeves’ The Batman. While Keoghan’s character has never been called the Joker explicitly in the scene, director Matt Reeves has explained that his iteration of the Joker is yet to evolve, thus serving as an origin for the character. Despite Keoghan’s limited screen time, his portrayal has received critical acclaim from fans. More importantly, his Joker also pays homage to a famous storyline from Batman lore.
Barry Keoghan’s Joker Is Inspired by Death of the Family
Despite being a deleted scene, Barry Keoghan’s Joker finally crossed paths with Robert Pattinson’s Batman, drawing parallels from the famous Christian Bale and Heath Ledger interrogation scene in The Dark Knight. However, in The Batman, the Dark Knight is shown to have come seeking insights and help from the Joker. When Gotham is terrorized by the Riddler, a desperate Batman visits the Joker to understand how the Riddler thinks, thus establishing the intense psychological relationship the duo have shared throughout the comics.
Related: The Batman Proves Why Ben Affleck’s Dark Knight Should Make His Return
As the deleted scene finally brings Keoghan’s Joker to the front, revealing his full face, fans were shocked by his grotesque appearance that was genuinely terrifying. Director Matt Reeves has given some insights into the making of his iteration of the Joker which has taken its inspiration from the 1928 silent movie The Man Who Laughs, which also served as the major inspiration behind the character’s origin in the comics. However, fans have pointed out that Keoghan’s Joker has also paid homage to Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Death of the Family.
The Unmistakable Homage To Azzarello/Berjemo Joker
The grotesque appearance of Keoghan’s Joker was first speculated to have been caused by him falling into a vat of chemicals, which served as the character’s origin story in Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke. However, director Matt Reeves has since then ruled that theory out. Instead, he has explained that Keoghan’s Joker actually has a congenital condition that forces him to smile all the time. As a result, he was subjected to mockery at the hands of society resulting in the creation of a nihilistic viewpoint that acts as a prelude to the character’s notoriety.
Barry Keoghan’s Joker is shown to have a grotesque appearance, most of it being attributed to self-harm. His patches of baldness, disfigured face, and bleeding nails has left fans terrified, and in awe at the same time. While most fans have since pointed out that Keoghan’s Joker has possibly tried to remove his own face and attach it once again, akin to Death of the Family. Similarly, the character’s facial appearance also seems to have been inspired by Azzarello/Berjemo’s iteration of the Joker.
Will Matt Reeves Ever Adapt Death of the Family Storyline In The Future?
After the resounding success of The Batman, it is pretty surprising that Warner Bros. has not yet officially confirmed a sequel. However, fans are quite optimistic that a sequel is on its way. Considering Matt Reeves’s pedantic approach to dissecting the Dark Knight’s psyche, Death of the Family seems like a great source material to showcase the relationship between the Joker and Batman. Also, Reeves has previously confirmed that he is building a Bat-Verse to include other members of the Bat-Family. If that ever comes to fruition, Death of the Family can be terrific source material for the sequel.
Related: The Batman 2: Realistic, Grounded DC Villains Who Could Be Gotham’s Next Big Bad Wolf
The Batman is now playing in theaters.
