Barry Keoghan Reportedly To Return as Joker in ‘The Batman: Part II’

With the release of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ DCEU is officially finished and the fans can look forward to a new era under the leadership of James Gunn and his new cinematic universe rebranded as DCU. 

But not all exciting projects based on DC characters will be part of the new cinematic universe. Notably, projects helmed by Matt Reeves that revolve around dark and gritty Batman’s world will be a part of the “Elseworlds” stories; this was a personal choice made by Matt Reeves, which means that practically nothing changed in that aspect since Pattison’s Batman wasn’t a part of the DCEU either. 

Robert Pattinson will be portraying Bruce Wayne. Zoë Kravitz will reprise the role of Selina Kyle, also known as Catwoman, while Andy Serkis will return to take on the character of Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler and confidant. Colin Farrell will be returning as the Penguin, rounding out the cast of characters in this new iteration of the Batman universe. While most of the cast was confirmed months ago, one name is still under question – Barry Keoghan’s Joker.

Keoghan played an “Unseen Arkham Prisoner” ‘The Batman’ (2022). Reeves subsequently confirmed that Keoghan’s character was, in fact, the Joker. A deleted scene featuring Keoghan’s Joker and Robert Pattinson’s Batman was released by Warner Bros. on March 24, 2022, three weeks after the film’s initial release, and the fans received it well.

Now a year ago Collider reported that Keoghan would be returning to his role of The Joker in the upcoming sequel, however, no official confirmation from the studio came, now Vanity Fair also asked about Keoghan’s role in the movie, while he didn’t explicitly confirm it, he didn’t deny it in any case. Fans are already speculating that Keoghan’s Joker will have a minor role in the movie, but a much greater one in ‘The Batman III’ if it ever comes to it that is.

Barry Keoghan’s acting journey began in 2011 when he responded to a casting call for the film ‘Between the Canals,’ landing a small role as Aido. Following this, he appeared in the Irish soap opera ‘Fair City’ at the age of 18. He gained recognition in Ireland for his role as Wayne in ‘Love/Hate’ in 2013. Keoghan’s breakout year was in 2017 when he starred in acclaimed films like ‘Dunkirk’ as George Mills and ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ as Martin Lang, earning him an Irish Film and Television Award.

He continued to impress with roles in ‘Black ’47’ and ‘American Animals.’ Keoghan received a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination in 2019. He showcased his talent in projects like ‘Chernobyl’ and ‘Calm With Horses’ before landing the role of Druig in Marvel’s ‘Eternals’ in 2021. He earned critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for his role in ‘The Banshees of Inisherin.’

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