The next sequel to 1989’sBatmanwill introduce The Riddler to the BurtonBatmanuniverse - but it will be the third time this has happened. The Riddler was initially a rather minor villain in the overall Batman mythos, but once Frank Gorshin depicted him in the classic 1966BatmanTV series pilot, Riddler almost immediately became an A-listBatmanfoe. Most iterations andadaptations of Batman include The Riddlerin some form, yet 1989’sBatmanand its sequel,Batman Returns, are among the few to be connected to multiple versions of the Riddler.
2024’sBatman: Resurrection, by John Jackson Miller, is set between the events of 1989’sBatmanandBatman Returns, showing the aftermath of the classic Batman film and having characters from both movies interact for the first time.Resurrection’smain villains are Clayface and Hugo Strange, but the book also sets up The Riddler as a future adversary for Batman.The upcoming 2025 DC releaseBatman: Revolutionwill pit Michael Keaton’s Batman against The Riddler, also known as Norman Pinkus.
Burton Batman’s 3 Versions Of The Riddler Explained
1989’sBatmanandBatman Returnshave several branching timelines. The first is shown in Joel Schumacher’sBatman ForeverandBatman & Robinwhile another includes theBatman ’89comics by Sam Hamm and Joe Quinones. One BurtonBatmanuniverse is merged with the DC Extended Universe in 2023’sThe Flash, replacing Ben Affleck’s Batman with Michael Keaton’s iteration.Two of the Burton universes include iterations of The Riddler, with one possibly including two versions of the villain.
The BurtonBatman/DCEU hybrid universe was almost the main DCEU continuity afterThe Flash.
In the first branching timeline, The Riddler (Edward Nygma) is played by Jim Carrey and serves as one of the two main villains inBatman Forever. TheBatman ’89: Echoescomics introduce another Riddler to their respective branching timeline, though his real name is Edward Nigel Maynard, who uses the alias “E.Nig.Ma.”Norman Pinkus will use the Riddler moniker inRevolution, which is part of the same continuity as theBatman ’89comics. This could mean thatRevolution’suniverse includes two versions of The Riddler, or that Norman Pinkus and Edward Nigel Maynard are the same person.
The Riddler’s History In The Original Batman Films
Introducing The Riddler to theBatmanmovie franchise was one of the earliest decisions made for the film that would becomeBatman Forever. While Jim Carrey would, ultimately, play the role, Robin Williams – previously a contender to play The Joker in 1989’sBatman– was offered the role at one point, though Williams declined the offer. According to an insider’s comments toEntertainment Weekly, Robin Williams was allegedly unsatisfied with the film’s portrayal of the character, wanting to play a more intellectual villain than a comedic one.
