Last year, an audition tape Barry Keoghan made in the hopes of playing the Riddler in Matt Reeves’ The Batman was released, and now Keoghan has some more to say about it.
In a profile with Esquire magazine, Keoghan reveals that he spent a measly $10 at a costume shop to purchase a cane and bowler hat, which he wore in the unsolicited video. He tells Esquire: “I just made it up. I wanted to make it Kubrick-y: symmetrical, the X on the back, the square doorframe, everything square. I just wanted swag to come across. Swag and endearing. It was just me giving my idea. And then I’s like, I’ma send this in!”
Even though he was not asked to audition, and did not end up getting the role of the Riddler (first offered to Jonah Hill, and ultimately played by Paul Dano in the film), the video impressed Reeves enough that Keoghan was offered a different role in the film: Unseen Arkham Prisoner.
At least according to his IMDb credit, that is. In the final film, it’s obvious who he’s supposed to be, despite his full face and features being drenched in low light and shadows: the Clown Prince of Crime himself, the Joker. That’s been all but confirmed since when a deleted scene between Keoghan and Robert Pattinson’s titular Batman meet in Arkham Asylum for a tense conversation. If and when he will reprise the role in future Batman films remains to be seen, but being cast as the Dark Knight’s greatest foe isn’t a bad consolation prize.
You can read the entire profile with Esquire here. The Batman Part II is scheduled to hit theaters on October 3, 2025.
