Before Barry Keoghan's surprise cameo in The Batman as the Joker, the actor auditioned for the Riddler with a fascinating video. Robert Pattinson stars in DC's Batman reboot, portraying the famous hero in the early stages of his illustrious crime-fighting career. The film depicts Batman's first encounter with a significant member of his Rogues' Gallery, Paul Dano's Riddler, and is a much darker version of the protagonist's tale than previously filmed. In addition, the film serves as the first entry into a new shared Batman universe.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY
While Dano's Riddler is the film's central antagonist, The Batman introduces several other key characters within the DC hero's lore; the Penguin, James Gordon, Catwoman, and Alfred have substantial roles, but Batman's most storied rival is notably missing. The Joker is the Caped Crusader's first prominent villain in Batman #1 (1940), appearing alongside Catwoman. DC's new universe seems to honor the character's introduction, hinting at Keoghan's Joker in a Batman deleted scene already locked up by the vigilante.
Although Barry Keoghan's Joker appears in The Batman's shocking deleted scene, the actor first auditioned for the Riddler. Barry Keoghan Movies on Vimeo shows Keoghan's tryout for the role that ultimately went to Dano. The video opens with Keoghan exiting an elevator in a black outfit with lime green suspenders and a cane and wandering down an office hallway before turning back with blood on his face. Check out the audition above.
Barry Keoghan's Riddler Leaves Fans Wondering What Could Have Been
Two things are immediately apparent from Keoghan's Riddler audition: his wardrobe harkens to the character's iconic suited appearance with the bowler hat and cane, and his performance is strikingly similar to Malcolm McDowell's Alex DeLarge in A Clockwork Orange. Both qualities are wildly different than Dano's Zodiac Killer-inspired Riddler, which more closely fits the general atmosphere of Matt Reeve's grimy Gotham City in The Batman. If anything, Keoghan's Riddler portrayal in the audition tape is closer to the sophisticated, intelligent, and only marginally unhinged comics version of the character than Dano's or even Jim Carrey's Edward Nygma in Batman Forever.
Keoghan's Clockwork Orange-style swagger and disturbing grin indicate a much different Riddler than the one DC fans got in The Batman, which probably would have resulted in a film with fewer horror elements and something more akin to Nolan's trilogy. Audiences would have likely preferred Keoghan to Dano from a purely visual perspective, but the latter's portrayal sets up the universe's vibe well. And even though Keoghan did not net him the role he auditioned for, his refined menace was impressive enough to land him an even more substantial one as the mutilated Joker. If Keoghan stays on as the Clown Prince of Crime, expect him to channel some of his Riddler's demeanor into the iconic character.