Matt Reeves' next Batman show will debut in 2026 with a fresh take on the Joker. Planet of the Apes franchise director Matt Reeves boarded the Dark Knight mythos with 2022's The Batman, for which he is now developing a sequel as an Elseworlds project at DC Studios. Despite cornering off Robert Pattinson's Batman into his universe, Reeves has taken an interest in other Gotham projects. The acclaimed director is producing body horror Clayface for James Gunn's DCU, puppet-animation hybrid Dynamic Duo in another universe, and Batman: The Animated Series' spiritual successor, Batman: Caped Crusader.
The Direct's Gillian Blum spoke exclusively with Batman: Caped Crusader co-showrunner James Tucker, who discussed the upcoming Season 2 and teased the "very different" Joker who will soon wreak havoc on this Gotham. Caped Crusader's Joker was mostly absent through Season 1, despite the inclusion of a brand-new Harley Quinn. That said, Episode 10, "Savage Night," teased the Clown Prince of Crime's role in Season 2.
The finale closed out in an eerie, small cabin on an abandoned lot, with a group of hostages laughing uncontrollably to their deaths and an obscured Joker brandishing a needle and declaring, "Perfect."
Tucker explained that the Caped Crusader's Joker will be a "new take" for those only familiar with more mainstream adaptations, such as those featuring Mark Hamill and Jack Nicholson. However, those who have "read comics for a long, long, long, long time" may be more accustomed to this Joker:
The Direct: "Season 1 brought a reimagining of Harley Quinn that felt particularly fitting because of her own origins in Batman: The Animated Series. Now that we've got Joker on the horizon, are we looking at a similar take on such a classic character, especially because of how iconic Mark Hamill's Joker has become in mainstream Batman media?"
Tucker: "I think it'll be a new take on the Joker for people who only know of... If Joker begins with Mark Hamill and Jack Nicholson, this take on the Joker will be very different for them. But for people who've read comics for a long, long, long, long time, it won't be. I think some people will recognize it and go, 'Oh, I see what they're doing.' And other people will go, 'Wow, this is different.' But, I think it's all Joker."
Speaking to Matt Reeves' involvement in Caped Crusader, the co-showrunner was clear that they "weren't given a mandate to match what he was doing" in the movies and looked to keep things separate and distinct:
The Direct: "So obviously Matt Reeves is a big part of this show, and this show, as well as his live-action stuff, fit into that niche of being very stylized and grounded. What do conversations about making this world distinct from his live-action work look like?"
Tucker: "Well, it's funny, we weren't given a mandate to match what he was doing. He's been very accommodating in that he understands our show is separate from what he's doing in the movies and he gets where our influences are coming from and he understands it."
Tucker noted that the only major similarities between The Batman and Caped Crusader, in his eyes, are the tone and "more detective angle," as they have generally avoided "stepping on each other's toes:"
"The only thing we may have directly in common is that our Batman is coming from a more detective angle and so is his, and the tone of the series, you know, there's a general dark tone. But other than that, you know, the settings are different, it's all all different. We're basically coming from the same source material, just slightly verging away from stepping on each other's toes."
Unlike most other DC storytelling, Batman: Caped Crusader was abandoned by HBO Max and released on Amazon Prime Video instead. Season 2 currently has no premiere date, but Tucker noted they are putting the "final touches" on the upcoming episodes as he revealed hopes to air "some time in 2026."
Batman: Caped Crusader's 'Very Different' Joker Should Excite Fans
The Joker has possibly been adapted more times and by more actors than any other superhero villain. As such, Batman: Caped Crusader's "very different adaptation" ought to be a refreshing change of pace.
The DC animated series drew considerable inspiration from the Golden Age Batman of the 1930s to 1950s comics in Season 1. James Tucker's comments about this Joker being more familiar to those who have "read comics for a long, long, long, long time" may suggest this will be a classic take.
For many years, Star Wars icon Mark Hamill has been synonymous with voicing the Joker, starring in Batman: The Animated Series, the Arkham games, and many more projects opposite Kevin Conroy. However, after the legendary Conroy passed away in November 2022, Hamill indicated his days as the Clown Prince of Crime are behind him as "there doesn’t seem to be a Batman for [him]."
As Hamill looks to be out of the running, Batman: Caped Crusader will likely announce a brand-new Joker actor to join Season 1's impressive cast. In casting the Dark Knight, the animated epic found a first-time Batman actor in Hamish Linklater, and it seems likely the same will be done for The Joker.
Meanwhile, in Matt Reeves' The Batman universe, the filmmaker looks to be brewing another Joker, played by Barry Keoghan, who featured in a five-minute deleted scene. It remains unclear whether the Joker will return in 2027's The Batman: Part 2, but regardless, Reeves seems to have taken him out of the running to be the sequel's main villain.
Find out all 12 villains that Matt Reeves ruled out for The Batman 2.
