The Batman Will Regret Not Using Joaquin Phoenix's Joker
Warning: SPOILERS for The Batman andJoker.
The Batman wastes the opportunity to crossover with Joker by introducing Barry Keoghan as an in-universe Joker. The reveal of Keoghan as the Joker in Matt Reeves' Batman universe is undeniably exciting, but the Gotham the director crafted is so similar to the city of Todd Phillips' Joker, it seems a shame that the two franchises will not cross over. While Keoghan will no doubt prove a fascinating portrayal of the iconic Batman villain, the concept of Pattinson's Batman interacting with Joaquin Phoenix's Joker was one with a lot of potential, which is now ultimately wasted.
Joker introduces Arthur Fleck, a mentally ill party clown who eventually transforms into the villainous Joker in a version of Gotham City based on New York City in 1981. The film also sees him cross paths with Thomas and Martha Wayne, and he even meets their young son, Bruce. When Arthur starts a riot, a thug ends up killing the Waynes in Crime Alley. In contrast, The Batman takes place in a modern setting, following an adult Bruce Wayne in his first years of being Batman. He takes down the Riddler, who ends up meeting a different version of the Joker in Arkham Asylum. A deleted scene also shows Batman consulting this Joker for hints on how to catch the Riddler.
Related: The Batman: How Robert Pattinson's Batsuit Compares To The Dark Knight
Introducing a new version of the Joker when Phoenix's version seems rife for a crossover is a mistake. Though the two films are set in different time periods, the year is never specified inThe Batman, and this could easily be written around. Logistically speaking, if Keoghan's Joker was not revealed in the deleted scene and the actor identified, the door still could have
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