The Batman will introduce a trio of classic supervillains alongside Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight, with Matt Reeves’ debut DC movie featuring Colin Farrell as the Penguin, Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman and Paul Dano as the Riddler. It’s Dano’s Edward Nashton who will serve as the main villain of the piece, as was made clear by the first trailer. Likewise, the marketing has promised that this is a version of the Prince of Puzzles will be like no other we’ve seen before.
What’s more, he might not be about to follow the traditional one-and-done pattern of Batman villains either. Insider Daniel Richtman is reporting that Dano’s Riddler will return in the sequels to The Batman. It’s important to note that Richtman didn’t just say he’ll be back for the second movie, but sequels plural. So that suggests that there could be a role for Nashton in each entry in Reeves’ planned trilogy.
We should count this as just a rumor for now, but if it happens, it would be somewhat unexpected as the main villains of past Batman movies have only appeared once before the next one introduces a new antagonist for the Caped Crusader to battle. There is obviously one precedent for this, however. Cillian Murphy’s Scarecrow turned up in all three films in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. That said, he was only a supporting foe in Batman Begins and mostly provided a bit of comic relief in the next two. It seems unlikely Dano’s chilling Riddler would do the same.
Maybe, assuming Riddler is caught at the end of The Batman, he could become a source of information for Bruce Wayne. Like Hannibal Lecter, the detective could visit him in his cell at Arkham Asylum for advice to help defeat the next crazed soul threatening Gotham City. However he may factor into the follow-ups, though, it sure seems like Warner Bros. must be mighty impressed with Dano’s performance in this first film if they’re wanting to bring him back multiple times.
The Batman finally hits theaters on March 4th, 2022.
