The Batman ending features a Joker cameo by Keoghan; credits: CNET

The Batman is currently enjoying a roaring success on the Box Office, becoming the 2nd major earner for having made a pandemic debut. The numbers are expected only to get better. 

The story of The Batman is surely a major contender when it comes to Batman films. The Robert Pattinson starrer has already been hailed as the best Batman film since The Dark Knight. 

The film stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne, the caped vigilante who is on a mission to avenge his parents and avail justice. Not only is it Pattinson's Wayne who gets to command the film but also the two sinister forces: Riddler by Paul Dano and Penguin by Colin Farrell.

Apart from the two villains, the film also has a healthy dose of plot lent to Selina Kyle, played by Zoe Kravitz, who later becomes Catwoman. Usually a companion of Bruce Wayne's Batman, the two join forces to fight crime in Gotham City. 

While the film has been managing to stay on the top of the list of best-performing films owing to its marvelous portrayal of story and character, several people are a little confused when it comes to the ending of The Batman. 

Most notably, Matt Reeves made sure to keep his audience on edge of their seats. While Riddler is mostly to be blamed for the chaos of evil in the film with an occasional by Penguin, Reeves was relentless in his hints that there are others also working against Batman just beyond the camera. 

The director explained this in his talk with Variety sharing that the imminent hidden threats to Gotham City allow for exploring more in the place. Just like a Warner Bros. film, The Batman could give origin to another character, hidden just behind the "fabric of Gotham."

Just a scene before the ending of the film the audience sees that Riddler was bested by Batman as he managed to save Gotham from the villain's grand plan to destroy it. Now imprisoned in the Arkham Asylum, there is someone to hear Riddler's cries of angst. 

The dialogue that follows is truly chilling as an inmate of the same prison asks out, “What is it they say?” and then answers “One day you’re on top. The next, you’re a clown.” As the shot zooms out of the prison, the two new friends break out into laughter, and the audience can only hope Batman is there to help Gotham if this new friendship comes into being. 

The "Unseen Arkham Inmate" is played by Barry Keoghan from Eternals. While many might not have guessed who the new character is meant to be, any Batman fan might already have guessed. The horrific prison inmate is the Joker. 

Though fans can only hope for a quick new sequel to the film as we know that there is a possibility of a Joker versus Batman film, Reeves shared that placing the scene at the end of the movie does not necessarily warrant a sequel. 

Reeves shared that he is not building an Easter Egg legacy where the end of one film, then transforms into the coming sequel like the Marvel and DC films. If anything he said, he is not sure if the characters of The Batman would ever come together again for another Batman. 

Yet, the director did reveal that Keoghan was originally planned to have a small role in the film, and the other possibility was that there would be no scene with Keoghan in it or hinting about the Joker.

Keoghan was supposed to appear earlier in the film as it was revealed that Riddler killed the earlier police commissioner of Gotham City. The job was then given to Jom Gordon, played by Jeffrey Wright. Riddler would then have left a note, taking account for the murder. 

The note and the murder were supposed to unnerve Batman after which he would have tried to take after the thought process of Riddler and expect his next move. 

So, Batman would sneak into the Arkham asylum, and as he reached a certain inmate's prison, the inmate would ask, "It’s almost our anniversary, isn’t it?" The scene was to show that the inmate was somehow connected to Batman, and it was Batman who brought him into the asylum. 

So, the two talk, and Batman asks Joker to help him to understand the thought process of Riddler, to which Joker answers that Batman and Riddler think the same. Batman can't seem to accept the fact and denies it. The scene was so created to unsettle Batman. 

But, Reeves revealed that the same effect was later achieved elsewhere in the movie. Hence, removing the necessity to portray Joker in the film earlier. As the scene was taken out owing to the complexity it would have given rise to, the story just kept on following its natural course. 

The Batman might receive more villains in the future; Credits: Express CO UK

Yet, the final scene was another unsettling experience for the Batman fans to have seen. In fact, Reeves also thinks that he will release the cut Joker scene after enough people have seen the movie. Reeves admitted that the scene was just created to make his audience anxious as they realize that Joker is present in the equation, too.