A new deleted scene from Matt Reeves’ The Batman shows more about Robert Pattinson’s interpretation of the Dark Knight, particularly his connection with The Joker (Barry Keoghan). Today’s prize of the “rataalada” puzzle, a hidden website utilized in the film’s marketing campaign, is the scene.
Fans of The Batman who visit the rataalada website today will be presented with three additional puzzles to solve in order to see the deleted scene. “To wit: a wild card in the purest sense,” says the first riddle, with “Joker” as the solution. Then there’s the bit where “it hits you after you’ve been set up.” “Let’s get it done.” The audience must properly answer “Punchline” in order to solve the mystery. Finally, the final question states, “It’s not a joke, but sometimes you have to say it twice to fully mean it,” and requests the response “Ha.” The sequence of the riddles is different for each user, but everyone who plays the game will see the same three questions.
If you successfully answer all three questions, you’ll be sent to a five-minute deleted scene in which Batman meets the Joker in Arkham Asylum and asks for his aid in understanding how the Riddler (Paul Dano) thinks. The sequence takes place before Batman apprehends the Riddler, which leads to the dramatic ending of the film. It’s understandable that the sequence was deleted from the theatrical version of the film because it foreshadows some of the story’s most significant revelations about The Riddler’s actual nature.
In the theatrical cut of the film, Keoghan’s interpretation of the Clown Prince of Crime only appears in the last moments, when the Joker welcomes the Riddler upon his arrival at Arkham Asylum. The deleted clip now adds to Reeves’ universe by explaining how Batman met the Joker before the events of the film. The Joker is at Arkham Asylum after being caught by Batman, as the scenario implies, and the two have already begun to establish their tangled connection. The sequence also gives us a clearer look at Keoghan’s Joker’s scarred physique, which includes a terrible scar that rips his right face open, which appears to be influenced by Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the monster.
Zoe Kravitz portrays Catwoman, Colin Farrell portrays the Penguin, Andy Serkis portrays Wayne’s butler Alfred Pennyworth, and Jeffrey Wright portrays Commissioner Gordon, and Carmine Falcone is played by John Turturro. The narrative will take place in Bruce Wayne’s “Year Two” as Batman, when the vigilante has acquired the trust of the inhabitants of Gotham but is still getting acclimated to confronting supervillains.
Warner Bros. was so sure in The Batman‘s popularity that two spin-off series based on the film’s history were already confirmed for HBO Max before the picture was even premiered. The first will be about Arkham Asylum, while the second will be about Farrell’s take on The Penguin. The wager paid off, as The Batman has now grossed more than $300 million in the United States.
The Batman is currently showing in cinemas. Check out the deleted sequence below, and read Collider’s interview with Reeves for his opinions on it.
