Barry Keoghan may not have gotten the part he originally wanted when auditioning for The Batman, but he still was cast in arguably the most legendary villainous role of all time. Now, the audition that landed Keoghan the Joker role has been unveiled.
With Keoghan slated to be the next iteration of Batman's arch enemy, the Joker, it would make sense to see how Keoghan got such an iconic role. However, it turns out Keoghan originally coveted the role of the Riddler, the main villain in The Batman.
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In the audition tape itself (via British GQ), Keoghan is seen wearing what is the Riddler's typical attire, such as suspenders and a top hat, while using a cane, all while the classical music number «Danse Macabre» is playing in the background. Keoghan is walking around while looking curious about what his surroundings are. Then, as Keoghan is out of the camera angle, the camera shakes, implying violence is going on. Then as Keoghan walks back in, blood is spattered all over the right side of his face. Keoghan walks back while using his cane and smiling menacingly to show the kind of character he is. The blood and the smile served as the giveaway that executives believed he was the right choice, just not for the villain they were planning to work with.
Back when Batman was first gaining popularity as a character decades ago, fans thought the Riddler was basically a carbon copy of the Joker, but as comics grew darker and their characters grew more fleshed out, the Joker started becoming more of a homicidal maniac who was willing to kill anyone in the name of getting a good joke off. The Riddler didn't get as much development. He more or less was a crime boss who wanted to
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Barry Keoghan