Events from The Penguin have convinced me that The Riddler is still important to the DC Universe Matt Reeves has created, and the villain will appear in the upcoming The Batman - Part II. While everything we know about The Batman - Part II suggests that a new terrifying villain pulled from the pages of DC Comics will likely be the main antagonist, Reeves has worked hard to create a world that feels lived in. His Gotham is already populated with many DC villains, including Joker and Penguin, and working Riddler into the story of The Batman - Part II would make sense.
Most Batman villains in film have only appeared in one installment of their series. While Joker's return was planned for The Dark Knight Rises, Heath Ledger's tragic death caused the filmmakers to reconsider. R'as al Ghul and Scarecrow did, however, recur in the film. Given this, I believe the villains of The Batman should continue to pop up so long as they are alive. With the cancelation of Matt Reeves' planned Arkham series, a visit to Arkham Asylum in The Batman - Part II will likely give another look at villains, new and old alike, including Paul Dano's Riddler.
The Riddler's Involvement In The Penguin & How It Sets Up His Return Explained
The Penguin Picks Up Immediately Following The Events Of The Batman
The beginning of The Penguin directly follows the events of The Batman, where Riddler and his followers waged a war to unveil corruption in the city. The effects of their flooding the city continue to be featured, and the refocusing of crime in Gotham follows the death of Carmine Falcone. Corruption continues to flourish in the city, and it appears that, while Riddler certainly unveiled some, much organized crime still presides over the city. Sofia Falcone is taking over her father's work, and after seeing how she treated Penguin for killing her brother, she certainly has something planned for Riddler.
Simply, Riddler's mission is not finished. His army continues to congregate online, and their mistrust of institutions would include the prison system. This could easily lead to a breaking out of Riddler from prison to allow his story to continue. It is also possible that their fight against Gotham's twisted elite could simply continue with Riddler behind bars, with his involvement taking place while he is still in prison. Crime and its links to Gotham's wealthy citizens remain an important theme in the series, and it would be strange if Riddler did not return.
Matt Reeves Has Set Up The Batman - Part II's Deeper Corruption Story
The Batman - Part II Will Continue The Themes Of The First Film
While there have been teases of The Court of Owls appearing in The Batman - Part II, Matt Reeves has been tight-lipped about the villains and direction of the sequel. Still, the filmmaker has outlined that Gotham's corruption will remain an important theme in the film. Details of this have already begun to come out in The Penguin, which has given a closer look at the Falcones, one of Gotham's most connected families, as well as the Maronis.
The organization of crime in Gotham is compelling, and bringing back characters like Riddler will help to make the entire franchise feel more connected. With Penguin spinning off into his own HBO series, it is clear that the intent with these villains is not to use them and forget about them. Riddler's impact on the city is clear, and his mission is far from over. With these details in mind, it seems likely that the character's war against Gotham's elite could logically continue in the upcoming sequel.
Theory: The Riddler Will Be Batman's Hannibal Lecter
He Could Become A Resource For Robert Pattinson's Batman
Riddler's backstory places him as a villain in the world of The Batman, but he is far more similar to the titular hero than Bruce would like. Batman and Riddler both worked to unveil corruption in the city of Gotham. Following this, despite Riddler's much more violent methods, I believe it makes sense that Batman would use Riddler as a resource in the upcoming film. Just like Clarice Starling used Hannibal Lecter's insight in The Silence of the Lambs, visiting Riddler in jail would allow Batman to understand his city’s corruption better.
Reeves has promised there will be more corruption uncovered in the city, which I believe suggests that Riddler and his online army could be a valuable asset to Batman. While Riddler's thugs continue to build their revolution against the city, there is no doubt that Riddler will have much helpful knowledge from which The Dark Knight can learn in his own fight against crime. Despite being on opposite moral ends, there is much that Riddler could do in The Batman - Part II that would be compelling.
Paul Dano's take on Riddler in The Batman was as captivating as it was unsettling. The villain was used in interesting ways that saw him fight against evil and corruption in the city. However, his methods and willingness to hurt innocent people to uncover this crime left him pitted against Bruce Wayne. Seeing the evolution of the city and its crime in The Penguin suggests a logical path for the villain to return in The Batman - Part II, and I would be surprised if his character was not a part of that film's story in some capacity.
