The Batman's Big Finale Reveal Explained

The following article contains spoilers for "The Batman"

"The Batman" is finally here, and it's everything fans could want out of another installment featuring the Dark Knight. Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) is dropped into a fully realized Gotham filled with filth and corruption. This is demonstrated through the inclusion of several members of Batman's rogues' gallery, including Riddler (Paul Dano), Penguin (Colin Farrell), and Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz). With some characters like Penguin, it's abundantly clear that they've been Gotham fixtures for a while now, and they could easily appear in sequels down the line.

It's a big city out there, and there could very well be other villains lurking in the shadows, waiting to give Batman a tough time. He may have his hands full with the likes of Riddler over the course of this movie, but Mr. Freeze or Poison Ivy may be the next familiar baddies to strike. "The Batman" doesn't offer much to set up this future rivalries. Don't expect Alfred (Andy Serkis) to reference men made out of clay this time around. However, there's one major villain hint that comes at the very end, and it's bound to delight fans. 

Here's that major finale reveal explained.

Toward the end of the film, Batman stops Riddler's grand plan, and he's now locked up in Arkham Asylum. He seems pretty beat up over his failed plan, but he gets a smile put on his face by his mysterious cell mate next door. In the credits, this character — played by Barry Keoghan ("Dunkirk," "Eternals") — is listed as "Unseen Arkham Prisoner." Of course, the audience knows better at this point, and it's abundantly clear that this character is supposed to be the new version of Joker. 

There are a couple of hints to lead us to this conclusion. First, the unseen prisoner mentions how one day a person can be on top of the world, and the next day, the world views them as "a clown." Joker has become famous the world over for his iconic clown makeup and outfit, so this kind of reference is a pretty obvious tell. On top of that, the conversation between this prisoner and Riddler ends with the two laughing hysterically — another one of Joker's trademark behaviors.

It certainly seems like the writers wanted to set up Joker for a future installment of the series, but will he be the next villain or is this merely a fun tease? Robert Pattinson revealed in an interview with Den of Geek that he'd love to do something with the Court of Owls. Could a combination of villains make their way into the next chapter? After all, "The Batman" introduces new iterations of several villains, so a sequel could very well do the same.