As the “Dark Knight” trilogy has receded further into the past, DC fans have taken it upon themselves to analyze it from every possible angle multiple times over. What has come from this exhaustive examination are theories like the aforementioned Deathstroke one, positing that there are more Batman rogues hidden in the three movies than one might think.
Another prominent theory centers on Wayne Enterprises employee Coleman Reese (Joshua Harto), who figures out in “The Dark Knight” that Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is Batman. As if his detective skills weren’t noteworthy enough, he’s often referred to simply as Mr. Reese, which sounds a lot like “mysteries” when said quickly. Therefore, many, like Redditor u/AgentOfEris believe that Reese could be a nod to the intellectually-gifted Batman villain the Riddler, or, potentially, could be the character himself.
Additionally, there’s the idea that Clayface could exist in the Dark Knight trilogy, or that he could be created sometime after its events. A supporting player in “The Dark Knight Rises” is the owner of Daggett Enterprises, John Daggett (Ben Mendelsohn), who shares a last name with Roland Daggett (Ed Asner) from “Batman: The Animated Series.” In one of the show’s best episodes, “Feat of Clay,” it’s revealed that Daggett Industries created a facial cream called Renuyu to turn one’s face into any shape they desire. Actor Matt Hagen (Ron Perlman) becomes addicted to it, transforming into Clayface and committing crimes on Daggett’s behalf. Though Daggett is killed in “The Dark Knight Rises,” that doesn’t mean Hagen couldn’t exist as in this universe in some form.
It’s highly unlikely any of these villain theories are Dark Knight trilogy canon, but they’re certainly fun to ponder all the same.
