Are we going to hear something about Joker? We thought there would be a big guy involved, sooner or later, probably the same thought viewers had throughout Batman’s 3-hour runtime. But the movie strikes a rare balance where all three villains fit into the plot and it never feels too much. The Penguin, played by Colin Farrell, is a hilarious and blustering right-hand man to Falcone. And there’s Carmine Falcone, a ruthless and charismatic crime boss who works in the shadows. Matt Reeves, the director, presents a spin on the Killer Zodiac this time. Of course, we’ve got The Riddler, played by Dano, who is impeccably done and is one of the major villains.

In the DCEU, Zack Snyder’s League of Justice and Suicide Squad showed Leto Jared playing his own version of the Joker. Even though Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight won an Academy Award, the DCEU’s Joker took a different direction with his own origin story, leaving the possibility for the character to enter the sequel with a teasing cliffhanger. In Tim Burton’s Batman from 1989, the main villain was Jack Nicholson as the Joker. The Joker has always been an integral part of Gotham’s crime and Batman’s arch-nemesis, appearing in the on-screen adaptation of The Dark Knight’s story.

Wondering who Joker needs is a perfectly reasonable thought. Those villains are also compelling, so it’s probably the thought that had crossed his mind, knowing that at the end of the movie, sitting in prison, he’s up to something mysterious, talking to starts with a voice that has a belly-gone plan after Riddler’s, and Reeves Matt knows.

The person we have here is a Joker, it appears, but he could potentially be a new friend, as the Riddler informs us of this prisoner. We must have a good enough understanding of who exactly we are dealing with–and we have never seen a full glimpse of our neighbor, the Riddler’s, face, only hearing his maniacal laughter and seeing his creepy and distorted smile. You are a clown…And in the next minute, the voice tells him through the prison cell wall.

We have never heard any specific name referring to him, but the Joker, Riddler’s cellmate, certainly exudes a generally menacing presence that is hard to ignore, making us both laugh and smile.

Barry Keoghan is officially recognized as “Invisible Arkham Inmate”… But he portrays the Joker.

Assuming a sequel to Batman is made, it will be exciting to watch Keoghan take on the role of perhaps the most famous supervillain in superhero history. He’s probably too excited, considering the fact that the last two actors to play the role, Joaquin Phoenix and Heath Ledger, won Oscars for their performances as the Joker.

In the years to follow, it would be astonishing if we didn’t eventually witness Keoghan appearing in both storylines. While a sequel or continuation to Eternals has not been officially announced, he portrays the character Druig in Eternals and holds a significant position in both a DC franchise (The Joker, undoubtedly) and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This situation also presents a captivating scenario where Keoghan assumes a pivotal role.

The pyrotechnics are ready. Let’s maintain a sense of optimism for that, shall we? It provides the chance for the pair–who acted together in the underappreciated psychological suspense film The Killing of a Sacred Deer–to reunite on screen, especially since Farrell’s Penguin character is still living.