WARNING: This article contains spoilers for The Batman. Â
Following plenty of delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, fans are finally getting to see the new Batman movie – directed by Matt Reeves.
Starring Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader, the film’s star-studded cast also includes Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman), Colin Farrell as The Penguin, and Paul Dano as the infamous villain The Riddler.
In August 2020, it was reported that Irish actor Barry Keoghan would be joining the cast of the new Batman movie as Officer Stanley Merkel.
In the original DC Comics, Stanley Merkel was the partner of Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon.
But in the movie, the Dublin native is actually credited as an ‘Unseen Arkham Prisoner’, who appears at the very end of the film.
Viewers only get a small glimpse of the prisoner at the end of the movie, but you can make out that he has a very scarred face, and a menacing laugh.
While we never get a clear look at him, fans who got to attend an early screening of The Batman are convinced the unseen prisoner is actually The Joker.
This would confirm ongoing rumours that Barry was set to play the clown prince of crime, who has been portrayed by Heath Ledger, Joaquin Phoenix, Jared Leto and Jack Nicholson in the past.
Barry keoghan is in the batman,his name is in the credits. let’s go! 🤡 #TheBatman
— kyle (@totallykylez) March 1, 2022
Adding fuel to the fire, the film’s director Matt Reeves recently teased fans about releasing a “very cool” deleted scene that features Barry.
During an interview with TechRadar, he said: “There were scenes we cut that I liked. In fact, there’s a scene with the unseen prisoner [Keoghan], who appears at the end of the movie in Arkham [Asylum] with the Riddler.”
“There was an earlier scene where Batman went to Arkham to try to profile the Riddler, and Barry is in that scene.”
“It’s a very cool scene, and I’m sure we’ll we’ll release the scene after the movie comes out, because it’s a really cool deleted scene.”
