Paul Dano wants to return as The Riddler in The Batman 2

In the closing moments of Matt Reeves’ The Batman, we saw the Riddler (Paul Dano) locked away in Arkham Asylum after his attempt to take down Batman failed. While brooding over his futile scheme, we hear the voice of the Joker (Barry Keoghan), trying to reassure him, telling him the ominous line, “Gotham loves a comeback story…”

With a sequel to The Batman officially on the way, Paul Dano feels his journey as the Riddler isn’t over yet. In fact, he’s so involved with his character that he even wrote his own graphic novel, “Riddler: Year One,” a prequel story chronicling how Edward Nashton came to power in Gotham.

His passion for the villain is clear. And while he’s continuing to build the character’s story in the comics, Dano is also down to star in a sequel movie. “I’ve been spending the past year writing this comic because I loved so much our film, Gotham, Batman, all of it,” Dano told IGN at SDCC. “So you know, if they call me, I’ll show up, yeah! It’d be pretty fun to get in there with another good actor like Barry.”

Will the Riddler and Joker team up in The Batman 2?

If you thought the Riddler’s ending scene was setting up a future partnership between him and Joker, you shouldn’t get carried away just yet. “The scene is not meant to be there to say, like, ‘Oh, there’s an easter egg, the next movie is X,’” he added.

That said, Reeves’ Batman universe is still in its infancy. There’s plenty of time to return to Edward Nashton’s tale. “Like, I don’t know that the Joker would be in the next movie, but I can tell you is that here’s what you’re seeing is an early days version of the character, and trouble, as always, is brewing in Gotham.”

Given Batman’s extensive rogues gallery, I’d say it’s unlikely that we’ll see Riddler be a central villain again in The Batman 2. That said, he might partner with another. The Joker? Poison Ivy? Two-Face?

The Batman is currently streaming on HBO Max. Although a sequel is officially on the way, we shouldn’t expect to see it anytime soon. In the meantime, Paul Dano’s graphic novel, “Riddler: Year One” is due out on October 25, 2022.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels