Even before The Batman was released, there were a lot of rumors going around that a new Joker will be played by Barry Keoghan in the film. And while Matt Reeves and DC did their best to keep the Eternals' star out of this DC project, even with Keoghan's brother blowing the whole thing open, fans everywhere still clamored for more in the months leading to the release. Turns out, there was very little of the Clown Prince of Crime in the actual movie in the end. The thing is, there should have been more.

Just recently, DC released a more extensive scene that saw Pattinson's Batman interact with Keoghan's Joker. Needless to say, it was both awesome and downright creepy. We take a deep dive into the said scene and why Matt Reeves was dead wrong to nix it from The Batman's theatrical run.

The Batman's deleted Barry Keoghan Joker scene in detail

The scene opens with Pattison's Batman entering an interrogation cell to speak with an inmate from the Arkham State Hospital. The vigilante starts by giving him several documents and images about Paul Dano's Riddler and asks the unnamed prisoner what's his perspective on the serial killer.

The focus now shifts to Keoghan amidst the blurry cell window obscuring his disfigured facial features. The inmate then describes the loose serial killer and suggests that his whole MO is very personal with Gotham's elite, and even the Batman himself. The Joker then shifts his attention to the Caped Crusader and mocks him, prompting him to leave.

But before he does, the inmate gets one final line by saying that deep inside, the Batman agrees with what the Riddler is doing. The scene ends with Keoghan's eery laugh as the vigilante leaves.

3 Reasons why Matt Reeves was wrong in nixing Barry Keoghan's Joker scene

While The Batman is definitely a film that lived up to expectations, Reeves could have gone for something legendary had he included Keoghan in the theatrical version. We take a look at three reasons why the director was wrong in nixing it.

The Batman was totally great, but it could have been greater

There's no denying that Reeves' The Batman was a very welcome version, especially after Warner botched its own plans of building a shared universe filled with DC's massive library of characters. This take on the Caped Crusader is one that's more grounded in reality, dare we say more realistic than Christopher Nolan's, darker, and edgier right off the bat.

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But it could have been more. It's a given that this version of the Dark Knight is a pretty unique one from the others that came before it. With this Joker scene in it, The Batman could have been more distinct than previous iterations, which could have been a good thing.

Since there has been a lot of content revolving around Batman, both film and TV, standing out from these previous projects is a formula for absolute domination. Right from the start, the dynamic between Pattinson and Keoghan is one that's captivating and teases a very promising cinematic future. Even with this little amount of screen time, the whole film could have benefitted largely from it.

Having the Joker is always a welcome development

When done right, the Joker is an absolute force to be reckoned with on-screen. Even the allegedly worst iteration played by Jared Leto was somehow redeemed when the Snyder Cut of Justice League was released and the end credits gave him more room to play.

Starting from Cesar Romero's goofy criminal during the 60s series, to Jack Nicholson's gangster take, to Heath Ledger's anarchist, and the aforementioned Leto's recent run, the Joker has always left a lasting impression on viewers, no matter what the version is. Keoghan's new interpretation, as it stands, is living up to expectations.

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The Joker's history of elevating any Batman film could have made Reeves' version just go bonkers. Sure, the whole length of the film is already too long but it could have done away with other scenes to make way for Keoghan's Joker. If it did, the whole movie could have generated an insane amount of hype among viewers, both casual and die-hard fans of the Caped Crusader.

The potential reaction from fans would have been worth it

By now, videos of people watching Avengers: Endgame in cinemas and shouting at the top of their lungs after key scenes played have gone viral. The most notable, of course, were those of Captain America summoning Mjölnir against Thanos and the first Avenger leading the final charge with everyone assembled.

In a way, that could have been the case if Reeves included Keoghan's deleted Joker scene in the theatrical version. Sure, the applause might have died down as his take on the Clown Prince of Crime slowly became creepier by the second. But the thing is, the impact these five minutes had could have snowballed the hype for The Batman. Word of this scene could possibly spread like wildfire, thus making the film more profitable and acclaimed.

But alas, the final version didn't really go with the Joker in it. For whatever reason, Reeves and the folks from DC felt that the final version of the film was enough without the said scene. In any case, the release of this eery interaction between Pattinson and Keoghan builds up the hype for The Batman's sequel. With the success of this movie, it's almost a given that a follow-up will come. But before that becomes a reality, this epic Joker scene from Keoghan is all fans can feast upon for the time being.