Barry Keoghan uses secret signal after being asked if he'll return as Joker in Batman 2

Barry Keoghan has hinted that he could be reprising his role as the Joker in the new Batman movie.

This was his take on the character for the first movie:

Those of you who've seen The Batman will know very well that the Irishman is not actually in it.

The 2022 superhero flick saw Robert Pattinson don the black cap and horns as took on the iconic role, with Paul Dano also starring as the Riddler.

With a line-up like that, Keoghan desperately wanted a part in Matt Reeves' film.

So desperate was he in fact to be in it that he even shot his own audition tape of him as the Joker, with the director impressed enough to cast him.

Sadly, however, his one scene from the film was cut, with it being released after the movie landed in cinemas.

And said scene saw Keoghan go head to head with Pattinson in a tense prison meeting.

Fans were hugely impressed by the actor's interpretation of the character, and have been vocal in their desire to see Keoghan in the sequel.

So when he was interviewed recently about his new movie, Saltburn, it was the perfect opportunity to ask if he had any news.

And he gave fans a little signal that he could very well be in the next instalment.

Speaking to ETalkTV, the 31-year-old said: "I can't really say anything about it, but it would be exciting, wouldn't it? Seeing the Joker come to life again.

"My smile says it all, you know what that means."

When his deleted scene was released by the studio last year, fans were blown away, which is no mean feat, considering how the late Heath Ledger made the part his own in 2008's The Dark Knight.

One user commented: "The way he slowly revealed his grotesquely damaged mouth as he got more and more menacing and showed the depth of his insanity.

"My goodness. Brilliant cinematography and acting. Answering riddles correctly has never been so worth it."

Another wrote: "Just as sinister as I expected him to be.

"The perfect characterisation for the Joker of this universe."

A third, very excited, fan added: "This is a masterpiece. We need an extended movie of this masterpiece called The Batman. Love this scene. I watched this movie like five times.

"Still a 10/10 movie. Please release the director's cut. This is truly a masterpiece. The riddles, the dynamic between Joker and Batman is freaking amazing."

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what, if any, part Keoghan has in The Batman 2.