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A portrayal of The Joker we can actually get behind.

The internet was set alight following Matt Reeves’ release of a deleted scene from The Batman last week, his teasing of the Joker in Arkham Asylum drawing widespread acclaim from viewers. Fans even went so far as saying the scene should have been kept in the final version of the film, and now, Reeves has given us a proper breakdown of his version of the mass-murdering clown.

Speaking on his film’s portrayal of the iconic villain (played by Barry Keoghan), Reeves explained, “I wanted to create an iteration of him that felt distinctive and new, but went right back to the roots. So he’s very much out of the Conrad Veidt mold and that idea of the silent film of The Man Who Laughs.”

He also chatted about his explanation for the Joker’s twisted grin and how it differs from previous Batman films, adding, “What if this is something that he’s been touched by from birth and that he has a congenital disease that refuses to let him stop smiling? And he’s had this very dark reaction to it, and he’s had to spend a life of people looking at him in a certain way and he knows how to get into your head.”

It’s definitely a fresh take on Batman’s nemesis and no doubt fans are already desperate to see more of him on screen. As to when that’ll be however, it seems not even Reeves knows, admitting, “I don’t know that the Joker would be in the next movie, but I can tell you that here’s what you’re seeing, is an early days version of this character, and trouble, as always, is brewing in Gotham.”

For the first time in ages there’s genuine excitement in the DC universe. Check out Reeves’ breakdown of the Joker above and check out the full deleted scene below.