Joker series ft. Barry Keoghan in development at DCU? James Gunn slaps down the rumor

With the release of The Batman Part 1, the world was introduced to a fresh new vision of Gotham, opening the door to a full-fledged franchise set in DC Elseworlds. Directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne, the movie brought multiple villains from Batman’s world to life and laid the foundation for their potential standalone futures. This franchise, referred to as The Batman Epic Crime Saga, led to the spinoff show The Penguin, set immediately after the events of The Batman and streaming on HBO Max. As The Penguin approaches its finale, fans are eager to know what’s next in the saga. Amid various rumors, the latest buzz suggested a Joker series featuring Barry Keoghan as the Clown Prince of Crime was in the works. However, James Gunn has now addressed these rumors. 

James Gunn Debunks Joker Series Rumors

Barry Keoghan made his debut as the Joker in The Batman Part 1, appearing in the finale scene where Bruce Wayne visits Arkham Asylum. His brief portrayal as Arthur Fleck excited fans, who were looking forward to seeing how the character might develop within the DC Universe. Rumors circulated that a Joker series with Barry in the lead role was being planned by James Gunn and Matt Reeves and was in early development. However, Gunn recently took to Threads to debunk this speculation.

James Gunn, known for his active presence on social media, often updates fans and clarifies rumors about upcoming DCU projects. When asked about the potential Joker series starring Barry Keoghan, Gunn quickly dismissed the idea, confirming, "A Joker series is not being discussed nor has even come up at this time," on Threads.

Also Read: The Penguin Review (Ep 1): Gotham’s never felt more real, and Oz has never been more raw

Previous rumors suggested that a Joker series could serve as a bridge between The Batman Part II and The Batman Part III, similar to how The Penguin bridged the gap between the first two films. But Gunn has firmly put these rumors to rest, further adding, "Turn on Threads and everyone is asking me about this. No, there is absolutely no truth to this."

Matt Reeves on Barry Keoghan’s Future as Joker

Recently, in an interview with Variety, Matt Reeves addressed Barry Keoghan’s future as the Joker following his introduction in The Batman. Credited as the “Unseen Arkham Inmate,” Reeves confirmed that Barry was indeed playing the Joker, explaining, “It’s not an Easter egg scene. It’s not one of those end credits Marvel or DC scenes where it’s going, like, ‘Hey, here’s the next movie!’ In fact, I have no idea when or if we would return to that character in the movies.”

The Penguin finale will stream on JioCinema in India this coming Monday. Stay tuned to OTTplay for more updates on this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.

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