'BvS' Could Be Bringing Back A DC Fave

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is bringing some very welcome surprises to fans of the DC universe. The trailers for the upcoming movie show off some killer action sequences, a stoic Ben Affleck, Superman's cleft chin, and, most importantly, an introduction to Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot. Yet one of the most exciting things about the movie is the potential return of some other classic characters, especially from Batman's storyline. Some clips from the film have suggested that both the Joker and the Riddler will be in Batman v Superman , but is that going to actually be the case?

Unfortunately, the two characters won't be making appearances in the film, although there certainly were hints that would not be the case. In one shot seen in a BvS trailer, brooding ol' Bruce Wayne walks past Robin's old suit, which is spray-painted manically with the phrase "HAHAHA Joke's on you BATMAN!" This moment triggered a number of online theories about the villain's entrance into the franchise, but director Zack Snyder recently revealed to Collider that both the Joker and the Riddler will not be in Batman V Superman . Though there are connections between the upcoming Suicide Squad film (in which Jared Leto's Joker, and possibly a Riddler, will appear) and Batman v Superman, including their production company, no crossover is currently in store.

In the Collider interview, Snyder discussed considering putting the Riddler and the Joker in BvS, saying,

"We talked about the possibility of putting them in. [Screenwriter] Chris Terrio and I talked about it a lot and felt that their mythological presence is felt in the movie, and that’s cool, but I didn’t want to get my eye too far off the ball because I needed to spend the time, frankly, with Batman and Superman to understand the conflict.”

While this feels like a bit of a letdown, not all hope is lost. BvS does set up several movies to come, including Justice League, and if the Justice League film franchise follows the comic books accurately, the Riddler will indeed make an appearance. In Justice League America : Absolute Justice , the team confronts the Legion of Doom, which is basically a Babysitter's Club made of evil. Among the villains in this group is the Riddler, who steals secret files describing the Justice League's weaknesses from the Bat-Computer. A fight ensues, and Batman locks him in Arkham Asylum. But then, Lex Luthor rescues him and even bigger fights occur. So good news, DC fans: there are lots of great opportunities to bring together a huge cast for the upcoming film, and the Riddler might just be included in the ensemble.

Images: Warner Bros; Giphy