By now, it’s barely a secret that the Clown Prince of Crime, or at least a proto-version of him, appeared in a cameo at the end ofMatt Reeves’The Batman. While this isn’t the first time that the Joker has made a quick appearance in live-action this decade (looking at youZack Snyder’s Justice League), it is the first with the true potential to be followed up onscreen. WithThe Batmanhype at a current all-time high, fans have been kind of split on whether they’d even like to seeBarry Keoghanreturn to face off againstRobert Pattinson’s Batman in future installments.
While there’s certainly an argument to be made that the Joker should make his way into the new Batman’s crosshairs (he is Batman’s greatest enemy after all), the truth is that many of us are a bit, well, “Jokered” out… In the past six years alone, the Joker, or at least some version of him, has appeared nearly a dozen different times in live-action media (this isn’t even including his countless animated appearances). Some of the most notable includeJoaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck inJoker,Jared Leto’s DCEU Joker fromSuicide SquadandZack Snyder’s Justice League, andCameron Monaghan’s portrayal of Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska inGotham, the latter of which would evolve into the Joker by the series end.
RELATED:From Jared Leto to Jack Nicholson: 7 Best Jokers, Ranked
Over-Saturation
It’s clear that the Joker has had a prominent influence on pop culture and has maintained a steady presence in live-action, animation, and comic books over the years. Even shows likeTitansandBatwomanfeel the need to constantly include references to, or briefly show, the Clown Prince of Crime, tying his story tightly to that of Gotham. With so many live-action incarnations to choose from, the Joker seems, at times, to be almost as popular as Batman himself. With a 2019 film dedicated entirely to this character, it’s clear that he’s infiltrated just about every medium possible.
But it’s the Batman comic books themselves that prove the Joker shouldn’t return to the Bat films any time soon. Since DC Comics' big company-wide reboot in 2011 (known as “the New 52”), the Joker has been the primary antagonist of multiple Batman story arcs in a relatively short time. Stories such asDeath of the Family,Endgame,The War of Jokes and Riddles, andJoker Warall try to “one-up” each other, making the latest Joker tale more relevant than the last. This isn’t even to mention the other out-of-continuity Joker-based stories, such asGeoff Johns' epicThe Three Jokers,that have also been published in that time. Joker even has his own monthly comic series now!
The point is, the Joker has been at the forefront of Batman stories for too long. In fact, it’s hard to name a truly iconic Batman comic book arc outside ofBatman: Year OneorKnightfallthatdoesn’tinvolve the Joker in some way! Almost all of them do, and it’s because the Clown Prince of Crime has become something of a crutch to Batman writers, and this extends to live-action also.The Dark Knightis still largely considered the greatest Batman film of all time, with bothTim Burton’sBatmanand the animatedBatman: Mask of the Phantasmstanding as contenders for the title.
Why? It’s simple: the Joker sells.
But films likeBatman Begins,Batman Returns, and evenBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justicehave proven that the Joker doesn’t have to be your primary antagonist to tell a great Batman story. In fact, most of those hardly mention the Clown Prince at all, and if they do it’s in passing, genuinely related to the plot. Of course,Batman BeginsandThe Batmanboth set up future appearances, but the fact still remains that we’ve had too much Joker saturation in Batman media, especially in the past few years.
Stick to the Crime Dramas
Besides the excellent personal journey that Bruce goes through throughoutThe Batman, the reason the film works is that it’s ultimately a crime mystery that Batman is forced to unravel. Many have criticized Batman’s lack of detective skills in theChristian Bale,Michael Keaton, andBen Affleckinterpretations of the character, but Pattinson’s Batman truly stands out as the “World’s Greatest Detective.” This has been a breath of fresh air for Bat-fans and helps make the character more interesting for a broader audience, especially as we wait for the eventual sequel.
The Joker doesn’t necessarily fit so neatly into that detective mold thatThe Batmanhas cultivated, and while it’s exciting to think about the Joker existing in this new Gotham, what makes the new film so appealing is the high focus on the mix of organized crime, city-wide corruption, and serial killers.Paul Dano’s Riddler was perfect for this new direction and proved to be a unique and compelling foil with clear motives that kinda made sense by the time Bruce uncovered his plot. The Joker on the other hand… He’s chaotic, and if films likeThe Dark Knight,Suicide Squad, and the ‘89Batmanprove anything, it’s that his motives are ultimately for complete anarchy. He wants to watch the world burn.
While that’s interesting to see play out inThe Dark Knight, it’s a hard beat to repeat, especially in this new world that Reeves and company have created. What drove many toThe Batmanin the first place, besides, you know, Batman, was that the film was a dark neo-noir crime drama that featured compelling characters and an even more compelling mystery. While the Joker has the potential to fit into something like that (seeMask of the Phantasm), his complete insanity makes him a harder villain to get in the head of. Dano’s Riddler, while clearly insane and evil, has obvious motives that make sense to us. He actually wants the same things that Batman and Gordon do, he wants to see criminals put behind bars and for Gotham to rise up out of its corruption. His means of getting there, of course, are less than noble, and that’s what makes his war with Batman so compelling.
Save Him For Later
Don’t misconstrue my words here, the Joker is an exciting and interesting villain who we love to watch tackle against Batman because of their symbiotic rivalry, which almost always results in tragedy. The Joker has been a part of so many great Batman stories because he’s so vital to Batman’s mythos and his growth as a character. Bruce, and countless others, have suffered so much at the hands of the Joker, and still, he refuses to cross the line and kill the clown in cold blood. This is such an important hurdle for every Batman to climb, even if some fail miserably (looking at you Keaton).
But thankfully, Matt Reeves understood, just likeChristopher Nolanbefore him, that starting Batman out against the Joker is an immediate death sentence to the rest of your films. BothBatman BeginsandThe Batmantease the Joker without actually making him the Dark Knight’s main foe. While Nolan fully introduced Joker in his second act, it would be infinitely smarter for Reeves to draw out the Clown Prince of Crime’s first meeting with Batman until the finale, leaving room for Bruce to grow into the hero that Gotham needs so that he might face the Joker successfully.
By saving the Joker for later, Reeves and company would build greater anticipation towards an epic conclusion that would push the limits of what Batman can handle, and what a Batman film could be. It’s no secret thatThe Dark Knight Risesisn’t as thrilling asThe Dark Knight, nor are any of the ’90s Batman sequels as great as the original 1989 classic, and there’s a clear common thread there as to why. If the Joker was saved for later, both Batman and his audience would have ample time with other Gotham rogues who might better pave the way for the iconic psychopathic clown. This would allow the city to descend slowly into complete insanity rather than throwing us in the deep end upfront.
The Joker isn’t Batman’s Only Nemesis
Ultimately, Batman is more than the Joker, and further separating the two leaves room for other Batman rogues to stand in the spotlight. There are plenty of Batman villains who would be perfect for a Battinson sequel, and some have even been teased already. The most obvious example is Hush, made popular byJeph Loeb’sBatman: Hush, who directly connects to Bruce’s past and, according toThe Batman, the greater Wayne family. In the film, it’s revealed that a reporter named Edward Elliot discovered Martha Wayne’s family secret, and for those familiar with Batman comics, Dr. Thomas “Tommy” Elliot was once Bruce Wayne’s childhood best friend. Eventually, angry at Bruce for having everything he ever wanted, Elliot became Hush and wreaked havoc upon Bruce’s, and Batman’s, life. Whether Hush appears or not, some groundwork has certainly been laid.
We also know that Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot aka the Penguin is getting hisown HBO Max spin-offseries that would connect toThe Batman, and since Penguin is such a big Bat-foe in the comics it’s always possible that he could be a primary antagonist going forward. Along with him, there are other Batman mob bosses and enforcers such as Rupert Thorne, Tony Zucco, Alberto Falcone, Ignatius Ogilvy, and even the Black Mask who could easily take over Gotham’s underbelly in future installments. Plus, Riddler’s incarceration in Arkham opens the possibility for villains like Dr. Hugo Strange or even Jonathan Crane/the Scarecrow to make their way intoThe Batmanuniverse.
But as far as supervillains go, there are arguments to be made for developing countless other Batman foes to the screen. Bane, Ra’s al Ghul, and Two-Face have all had their iconic debuts, so maybe it’s time for Clayface to shine as a shape-shifting (or at least face-shifting) serial killer who goes after Gotham elites for their money? Or maybe the Court of Owls or the Mutant gang fromThe Dark Knight Returnsenslaves the streets of Gotham post-Riddler? Better yet, why not finally do Mr. Freeze justice and bring his tragicBatman: The Animated Seriesbackstory to life, forcing Bruce to see that some villains can find redemption from their circumstances?
The possibilities are endless when it comes to Batman, which is why settling for the Joker (especially this early) would be impractical. With over 80 years of comic book and media history to work with, and countless villains to choose from, there’s no reason that the Joker needs to be the next Batman villain. While we’d all love to see Pattinson’s Caped Crusader face off against the Clown Prince of Crime, it might be best to save that bit for later and focus on what’s best for Bruce, and for Gotham.
