Barry Keoghan's role in The Batman may not be as clear-cut as a previous casting announcement made it seem. If the actor's brother is to be believed, Keoghan could be playing one of the Caped Crusader's greatest foes.
Keoghan has proven himself as an impressive member of superhero films after making his debut in the MCU in Marvel Studios' Eternals. His role in The Batman may not include any superpowers, but it may be a bigger role than a member of the Gotham City Police Department.
Over a year ago, Keoghan was revealed to be a member of The Batman cast, set to take on the role of Stanley Merkel. However, a member of Keoghan's family may have spoiled a huge surprise for his role in The Batman. In a now-deleted post, Keoghan's brother Eric responded to a rumor that suggested Keoghan will be taking on the mantle of the Joker in The Batman. In response to the rumor, Eric said, "So it's finally out My Brother playing the JOKER in the new Batman Unreal Stuff." If true, Keoghan's role would change the scope of The Batman, which already includes some of Batman's most formidable opponents.
Keoghan's originally revealed role, Stanley Merkel, is an early partner of the famous Jim Gordon, who will be played by Jeffrey Wright. Gordon and Merkel will likely work together to solve the mysterious case of The Riddler (Paul Dano) and the strange appearances of Batman throughout the city. They are joined by the evil antics of Colin Farrell's Penguin and Zoë Kravitz's cunning Catwoman. This is not the first collaboration between Farrell and Keoghan, as they previously starred opposite of one another in the 2017 psychological thriller titled The Killing of a Sacred Deer.
Previously released trailers and teasers for The Batman have included little to no sightings of Keoghan, meaning it may be possible that Keoghan will be revealed as the Joker before the film's conclusion. Even if Keoghan does not begin to take the official form of the Joker in The Batman, it is possible that hints to this turn could be sprinkled throughout the film. In April, Keoghan shared a glimpse of himself on the set of The Batman, but there is nothing that hints toward the rumor of his role as the Joker.
It's possible that in the midst of the excitement surrounding Keoghan's role in Eternals and the anticipated release of The Batman, Keoghan's brother aimed to create more buzz for the film. Suggesting that Keoghan could appear as a character as infamous as the Joker would certainly give fans of Keoghan and The Batman additional reasons to be excited about its release. Without an official sighting of the Joker or a strong sighting of Keoghan within The Batman's teasers, it's difficult to know how much credibility this rumor has.
The Batman will release in theaters on March 4, 2022.
Source: CultureCrave