When the trailer for Matt Reeves' The Batman debuted, it came as no surprise that a microscope would be placed on Robert Pattinson's look as Bruce Wayne, the Batsuit and Gotham's grimy aesthetic. Of course, this was done for fans to see how this iteration differentiates from the Christopher Nolan and Zack Snyder movies, as well as the Gotham and Titans TV shows.
However, the one thing that stood out the most is Paul Dano's Riddler. The villain's face isn't seen, but his cryptic voice and sinister disposition is littered throughout the trailer, taunting the Dark Knight. In that sense, it's clear the main antagonist of Reeves' movie is taking influence from Heath Ledger's Joker.
Ledger's Oscar-winning performance as the Clown Prince of Crime resonates to this day. Jared Leto's Joker version to live up to the bar it set and many villains face a tall order in giving fans the same dynamic and captivating performance. Ledger left shuddering in their seats, but sadly it was lost following the actor's tragic death. Still, the performance is a work of art, and Dano seems to be following suit with how he goes about tormenting the Bat.
Like Joker's make-up, Riddler is covered up with a mask, straying from the exposed look and eye mask worn in various comics and cartoons. This Riddler is hellbent on secrecy more than showmanship and ego, intimidating off the cuff by wrapping up a victim's face and leaving riddles behind for Commissioner Gordon's men and the Bat to solve. But what's very Ledger-like is the theatrics Dano's villain is steeped in. This Riddler is using an eerie voice, throwing back to Ledger's vocal tone shifting according to his mood, and he's also sparring with Batman using social justice and equality.
Riddler is clearly talking about pitting the city against the Dark Knight, the city against itself and the Batman against Bruce Wayne. It's similar to when Joker had Bruce assessing his essence, moral compass and whether or not he should break his no-kill policy. Rules aside, Joker also had the Bat questioning the man under the cape, and if he was actually one of the monsters he was trying his whole life to stop. Dano's Riddler appears to be doing the same, not only working games for the Bat but also trying to make meaningful change in society. He's also dealing with the ideals and philosophies of the city and Bruce himself, something Ledger's Joker tapped into.
What makes this so clever is that while it's similar to what Nolan did, it's a different sociopolitical landscape in the world today where the rich are being exposed. So while Joker was about giving Gotham a better class of criminal, Riddler might be about social justice, looking to become a symbol. In that sense, he reflects the distrust people have against the powers that be to help elevate and defend. And as Riddler suggests, he might know about Bruce Wayne's double life, meaning like Ledger's Joker, he's going to put that hypocrisy on display.
The Batman is directed by Matt Reeves and co-written by Reeves and Mattson Tomlin. The film stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin, Paul Dano as Edward Nashton/The Riddler, John Turturro as Carmine Falcone and Peter Sarsgaard as District Attorney Gil Colson. The Batman is set to be released in theaters on Oct. 1, 2021.