Robert Pattinson is the brooding, emo Batman of our dreams. But what if there was a Batman whose whole vibe was a little less smokey eye and a little more summer camp counselor? That’s how Henry Winkler, who currently stars on HBO’s Barry, imagines the iconic superhero in a recent bit from The Late Late Show with James Corden. In the nearly three-minute clip, Winkler takes us on a wild ride through a different interpretation of the Dark Knight. Unsurprisingly, it’s a delight.
As Winkler posits, Pattinson is the current Batman, with a second film on the way. But a good actor is always looking ahead. Warner Bros. and DC Comics will eventually recast the character, so why not the Fonz? He certainly has the Batman voice down.
In the bit, Corden stops by to check in on the Barry star, only to find him rocking a Batman cowl and the top half of that sweet suit. But right off the bat, something’s amiss. For starters, the more the talk show host asks about Winkler’s iteration of the Batman, it’s clear he’s talking about a caped crusader, if not the Caped Crusader. For instance, Winkler’s Batman wears half a costume, alongside cargo shorts and flip flops (with socks). And under the cowl is a beautiful blonde bowl cut.
However, Winkler’s variation of Batman has a few major deviations from what we remember in the DC Comics. There’s the certainly interesting logo, replacing the bat with two lizards vaping together. Plus, in addition to Robin, Winkler’s Batman has a sidekick called Dennis, whose superpowers we may never learn.
To be honest, the whole thing seems like something of a goofy improv bit from Gene Cousineau’s dearly departed acting workshop. And that is, of course, the highest compliment. It just serves as a reminder of how excited we are to have Winkler back on our screens again every week with Barry season three officially in full swing.