Joker 2 looks likely to happen, which means the sequel needs to cast Batman to fight Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck - here are some suggestions on who should play him. Joker has ended up being not just a box office hit but a box office game-changer. The first R-rated movie in history to crack $1 billion worldwide, Joker is now the most profitable comic book movie of all-time. Though director Todd Phillips has said a sequel has yet to be put into development, only two movies in history (Titanic and Zootopia) have managed to crack $1 billion worldwide without spawning one. It’s doubtful a comic book movie like Joker manages to avoid a sequel, especially since Phillips followed up his 2009 film The Hangover with two more movies.

A potential Joker 2 could go in many different directions but it’s almost inevitable that such a follow-up would have to involve Batman in some manner. After all, one of the closing scenes of Joker featured the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne. That means in the universe of Joker, the Batman origin story has already begun. It’s already clear that Robert Pattinson’s new Batman occupies a different universe than the one Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker inhabits, which means Joker 2 would have to create its own version of Batman. Keeping that in mind, the question then becomes who could possibly play this role.

When casting Batman for Joker 2, there are a number of key factors informing these choices to keep in mind. Namely, the fact that Joker primarily cast actors with strictly dramatic acting experience in its cast, the fact that it’d likely have to be a younger Batman, and the fact that Todd Phillips frequently likes to cast actors he’s worked with in the past. With that, here’s a selection of actors who could possibly play the Dark Knight in a sequel to Joker.

Miles Teller

The Whiplash leading man has had more experience co-starring in Divergent movies than serious dramas in the last decade, true. However, his forays into darker fare like The Spectacular Now reveal acting chops that could make him fit right into the universe of Joker. Such turns have frequently had Teller successfully playing darker and morally complicated individuals. His experience there could make for an interesting fit for this movie’s version of Batman, who could be an even more morally complex creation than prior big-screen versions of the same character. To boot, Teller has previously headlined a Todd Phillips directorial effort, War Dogs, giving him an immediate in with the writer/director of Joker. Clearly, there’s lots of potential with Miles Teller that could make him just the right tempo for Joker 2’s take on Batman.

Armie Hammer

The oldest pick on this list, Armie Hammer was set to play the role of Batman in George Miller’s version of Justice League back in 2007. That movie never materialized, but why not give Hammer another shot at the role in the confines of a stripped-down drama? Movies such as The Social Network and Call Me By Your Name have proven to be where Hammer flourishes most as a performer, whereas large-scale blockbuster titles like The Lone Ranger never quite give Hammer a chance to showcase his acting talent. Joker 2 could easily fit into the former category of cinema, while also giving Hammer the opportunity to finally put on the Batman suit. Plus, if Hammer’s unhinged work in Sorry to Bother You is any indication, he could totally go toe-to-toe with Phoenix’s Joker in portraying on-screen madness, and he could easily portray a charming billionaire with a dark secret.

Harris Dickinson

Harris Dickinson is a name that’s new to most people’s radars, but his work on last year’s miniseries Trust in the role of J. Paul Getty III was more than enough to ensure that he would leave an impression on those who watched it. Prior to that, he received great acclaim for his role in indie Beach Rats, and is stepping into bigger roles now after appearing in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil and with a coming part in The King’s Man. Not only has Dickinson been showing off an immense amount of talent in just a few roles, but he’s also just 23-years-old, nearly half the age of Joaquin Phoenix. Adding that layer of old vs. young to the Batman/Joker dynamic could lend plenty of opportunities for a new richly detailed take on this age-old comic book rivalry. Plus, Dickinson’s perfect physical features that made him look believable as a member of the ultra-polished Getty empire could also be handy in making Joker 2’s version of Bruce Wayne easily recognizable as a conventional rich socialite.

Harry Styles

After his turn in Dunkirk two years, Styles hasn’t expressed immense interest in doing more film acting, as seen by him turning down the chance to play Prince Eric in Disney’s live-action take on The Little Mermaid. But maybe Styles would be willing to get back into acting if given the chance to play Joker 2’s take on Batman. Like Dickinson, Styles has the good looks to ensure that this take on Bruce Wayne can be an appropriate physical contrast to the intentionally grimy Arthur Fleck. His aforementioned role in Dunkirk, meanwhile, suggested great acting promise that could be further tapped into. The extra-interesting wrinkle on casting Harry Styles in this part is that it’s as bold and unexpected of a move as the idea of doing an R-rated Joker origin story movie once was. Todd Phillips doesn’t like playing things safe when it comes to Joker and casting Harry Styles as Batman could be an intriguing way to continue that tradition.

Jovan Adepo

Between his work on When They See Us and especially in a guest spot on Watchmen, Jovan Adepo has cemented himself as a talent to watch out for in 2019. The latter was an especially impressive showcase for his gifts as an actor and showed off Adepo’s ability to handle morally complex and emotionally powerful roles in a way that would fit right in with the world of Joker. An actor with Adepo’s range would be a perfect fit for the casting style of Joker.

While it’s true that Bruce Wayne was shown as being white in the first Joker, one could easily chalk that up to the whole idea of Arthur Fleck being an unreliable narrator of his own story. To boot, the presence of a person of color in the cast of Joker 2 that isn’t just a figment of Arthur Fleck’s imagination could allow the universe of Todd Phillips’ Joker a chance to tackle sociopolitical issues related to race. The possibilities of casting Adepo as Joker 2’s version of Batman are seemingly endless, and they all stem from just how much talent Adepo has shown off after just a few roles. Such talent would be a welcome presence in any form, Batman or otherwise, in the prospective world of Joker 2.

Next: Joker 2 Will Have To Answer The Original Movie’s Best Mystery

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