It’s been about seven months since the release of “The Batman” in theaters. And upon seeing the film, one of the most talked about scenes involves a tease for a new version of Joker played by none other than Barry Keoghan. Shortly after the film’s release, a deleted scene featuring Joker hit social media, and fans were instantly asking for more of Keoghan’s take on the villain. But Joker wasn’t the first role the actor went after in “The Batman.” In fact, you can watch his original audition tape for the role of Riddler.
As seen in the audition clip (via GQ), Barry Keoghan dons a bowler hat, a cane, and suspenders to give a dialed-down version of Riddler. He’s only shown strutting down a hallway and eventually finding himself covered in blood. But it does show that Keoghan was committed to landing a role in the film. Unfortunately, the unsolicited audition tape didn’t land him the role of Riddler. Instead, that role was already taken by Jonah Hill (eventually replaced by Paul Dano).
However, showing the audition to the producers on “The Batman” lined him up for a role that he didn’t even realize was up for grabs—Joker. And the rest is history.
When talking about his version of Joker, Keoghan described him as a “broken-down boy” who is “a bit charming and a bit hurt.” He added, “I wanted some sort of human in there behind the makeup. I want people to relate to him… [to know] this is a façade he puts on.”
Interestingly, “The Batman” isn’t even Keoghan’s first attempt at a superhero film. About a year ago, the actor showed up as Druig in the Marvel Studios film, “Eternals.” Unfortunately, that film didn’t have a really warm reception, earning mixed reviews and a very low box office result (partially due to the pandemic, of course). And when asked about the possibility of “Eternals 2,” the actor mentioned how Marvel Studios failed to tease anything at San Deigo Comic-Con earlier this summer.
READ MORE: ‘The Batman’: Matt Reeves Releases His Deleted Joker Scene Starring Barry Keoghan
“[They] didn’t really mention ‘Eternals 2,’ so…” he said.
That isn’t stopping Keoghan from trying to add another franchise notch to his belt. Apparently, his latest goal is to land a role in Taika Waititi’s “Star Wars” film.
“I’m tryna meet him,” he said. “I’ve been askin’ everyone.”
You can next see Keoghan in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” which definitely isn’t a superhero film, when it arrives in theaters on October 21.