The Batman is the newest iteration of the classic DC character, reimagined by director Matt Reeves. Thanks to the outstanding performances from the cast and the amazing writing, The Batman has seen a great deal of commercial and critical success, recently crossing the $700 million mark in worlwide box office gross. Many have praised the fresh concept and the overall darker approach to Gotham City and characters, giving it a more sinister and gothic appeal, a departure from the original cartoony garishness of the original Batman played by Adam West. With this new look to The Batman franchise, many are anticipating what else Reeves will bring to audiences in the future.

With Reeves’ The Batman 2 already being lined up, many audience members are left wondering which villains will appear in this sequel. While the first film featured the Penguin (Colin Ferrell), the morally ambiguous Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), and Paul Dano’s Riddler, this is just an introduction to the world of Gotham’s villains. Thanks to the glory of Reeves’ artistry, we’ve been given a sneak peek into what the new franchise will bring us, including looks into future villains that Batman will have to face. Riddler was a standout antagonist in The Batman, and considering how layered Dano’s performance of the character was, many are hoping to see Riddler return. Here’s a look at what could be next for Dano’s Riddler if he does return for The Batman 2.

There is More of the Riddler’s Story to Tell

     Warner Bros.

While it’s beyond refreshing to see the first live-action iteration of the Riddler since Jim Carrey’s performance in Batman Forever, we have only just scratched the surface of Dano’s character. While many previous versions of the Riddler have portrayed him as a character who simply chooses to challenge Batman as he finds it to be a good source of fun, Reeves and Dano have taken a different direction, instead establishing a sort of parallel between Riddler and Batman. The Riddler’s origins are rather sad, showing how the Riddler knew Bruce Wayne as a child and how the Riddler came to hate the world around him. Riddler was fundamentally a by-product of the Gotham’s corruption, and therefore an example of what happens when a society and its leaders fail its people. By the end of The Batman, Riddler was sent to Arkham Aslyum, but, as outlined by Game Rant, this could serve as the foundation for Riddler’s “comeback story.”

Riddler and Joker Tease a Potential Partnership in The Batman 2

     Warner Bros. Pictures

On top of this is the mysterious post-credits scene in which Batman discovers a website called www.ratalada.com, which translates to “rat with wings”, a common insult referring to a bat. The website obviously belongs to the Riddler as Batman tries to decode the Riddler’s enigmas on the site to know what his next move is. One cipher puzzle visible on the site translates to “Gotham Loves a Comeback”. This is in reference to the conversation between Riddler and the Joker at Arkham Asylum when the Joker said those exact words. Every hint points in the direction of the Riddler and the Joker becoming the main villains in The Batman 2, making plans to take revenge on Gotham when they finally escape Arkham Asylum. This sets up the cast and potential premise of The Batman 2 as focusing on Batman taking down the allied Riddler and the Joker.

More Puzzles and More Combat from the Riddler

With his presence in The Batman 2 being known now, we can look upon the character with a great deal of excitement. Thanks to Paul Dano, the new iteration of the Riddler has gone from a comical jokey look to more of a dark sinister appeal. Thanks to the drastic change in the Riddler’s costume, the character’s new appearance gives off horrifying vibes as the new costume was inspired by the infamous Zodiac killer. While Dano has admitted to having some doubts about the costume concept, this change has riled people up, making them excited about the appearance of the new and improved Riddler. Also, the Riddler has previously been more of a psychological villain and less of a physical threat, but in Matt Reeves’ The Batman franchise, many are hoping to see more combat from the Riddler as it would seem that Dano’s Riddler is not afraid to get his hands dirty.