‘The Batman’ Co-Writer Hints That One Important Riddler Fan-Theory Could Actually Be True

Following the release of The Batman one popular fan theory suggested the journalist, Edward Elliot, who was killed as part of Thomas Wayne’s cover-up, might be the father of the Riddler, Edward Nashton. While the movie never explicitly confirms this, there are some interesting connections that fuel the theory.

Both share the first name “Edward,” which could suggest a deeper link. Riddler grew up in an orphanage after Thomas Wayne’s actions led to Elliot’s death, raising the possibility that Elliot was his father.

If so, Riddler may have originally been named Edward Elliot before taking the surname Nashton. The film also references “Hush,” a villain tied to the wealthy Elliot family, further suggesting a connection. However, there’s no direct confirmation, and it could just be a coincidence.

Now in his most recent interview, Peter Craig who served as the writer in the first Batman movie finally addressed this theory.

The interviewer suggests that the movie hints at the Riddler being the son of the murdered journalist and that Falcone played a role in making both Bruce Wayne and Edward Nashton orphans, shaping them into Batman and the Riddler.

Craig smiled and confirmed that this level of detail was definitely discussed during the filmmaking process. While he doesn’t outright confirm the theory, he implies that these ideas were considered and are part of the deep, carefully crafted world that director Matt Reeves is building. He also mentions that he’s not working on the sequel, despite a mistaken IMDb listing.

“The way that you’re reading it would make some people, including Matt Reeves, very happy” Craig said. “It’s the level of detail that was certainly discussed and thought about, but some of that is going to spoil what I know is continuing forward. There was a glitch on IMDb. It looks like I’m working on the sequel right now, but I’m not. It’s still Matt, and Mattson Tomlin came on [to co-write]. But let’s just say that those ideas you’re bringing up are exactly the level of detail people should be looking at, because it’s a meticulously wrought world that Matt Reeves is building there. He’s incredibly rigorous and incredibly detail-oriented, and that was part of the fun of working on The Batman with him.

He was also asked about a character who appears at the end of The Batman. This character, one of the Riddler’s followers, is unmasked on a catwalk and repeats Batman’s earlier line, “I’m vengeance.” Fans were wondering if this is the same person Batman fought at the start of the movie, suggesting it shows the cycle of violence continuing.

Craig agreed with this interpretation but says the character was just “an ordinary guy” to symbolize how violence spreads and affects everyone. He explains that both Batman and this follower are “Everymen,” meaning they represent regular people caught in a cycle of violence.

The idea is that people who commit violent acts can also be victims of violence, creating an endless chain of hurt. Even if the character isn’t literally the same person Batman fought earlier, the idea remains the same: what you put out into the world comes back to you.

“This chain of violence and victimhood just goes on eternally. So even if that reading is not exactly right, it’s spiritually right. It was supposed to be the same kind of guy, and it was the same kind of idea: what you put into the world, you’re going to get right back” Craig explained.

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