When it comes to superheroes, particularly masked vigilantes, part of the thrill is wondering if someone will discover their identity. Matt Reeves' The Batman is no exception to this. Part of the paranoia for Robert Pattinson's distinct portrayal of Batman is the concern that someone will find out who he is beneath his mask. His partnership with James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), sudden alliance with Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz), and crime-fighting activity, already have Gotham residents curious to know who it is behind the mask.
At the start of The Batman, the Riddler (Paul Dano) begins to enact his very public and highly detailed plan, immediately knocking the desire to uncover Batman's identity down on Gotham's list of priorities. The Riddler doesn't set out to reveal who Batman is, either. His infatuation and belief that they are a team, limit any desire he may have to unveil Batman. However, the Riddler fails to realize that in setting his sights on both Batman and Bruce Wayne, he has come dangerously close to cracking the biggest mystery in Gotham.
At each of the Riddler's staged crime scenes, he leaves some sort of message behind for Batman. His messages are always masked in riddles that only Batman demonstrates any real understanding of. Throughout The Batman, the Riddler uses language that gives the impression that the Riddler knows something that others don't. His tricky clues stump most, allowing him to weed out those he deems smart enough to understand his message. Batman learns fairly quickly that Riddler doesn't make any mistakes. Therefore, when the Riddler expresses his desire to "unmask this cesspool of a city," it's difficult to imagine that his choice of words was purely coincidental. Batman and Riddler's official meeting in Arkham confirms that Riddler's language was purposeful.
During their talk, Riddler says that those that want to know who Batman is beneath his mask are missing the point. The Riddler reveals that his own mask allowed him to be himself and that no matter who Batman is under the mask, putting it on is what allows him to become his true self. Before Batman's visit, he and the GCPD uncovered the Riddler's final video entitled, "Truth Unmasked." The initial, natural belief is that in his research into the Waynes, the Riddler has somehow discovered that Bruce is Batman. When the Riddler talks with Batman in Arkham, he repeatedly says "Bruce Wayne," as if he is talking directly to him, knowingly. Fortunately for Batman, that turns out not to be the case. Instead, the Riddler repeats Bruce's name as if it haunts him and Batman because he escaped the clutches of their plan.
While it becomes clear that the Riddler didn't actually know Batman's identity, he certainly came closer than anyone else to cracking the mystery. The clues to uncover Batman's secret were right in front of him. The Riddler sends a package to Wayne Manor with the expectation that Bruce will open it. Other characters within The Batmanfrequently remark that Bruce is a hermit and remains far more isolated than anyone else in Gotham. Given that Bruce didn't open the explosive package that nearly killed Alfred, and wasn't home at all, questions of Bruce's whereabouts should have been raised. Gotham City firefighters may have overlooked this detail, but it is something the Riddler wouldn't have missed. The only thing that kept Batman's identity safe from the Riddler, was his admiration of the masked vigilante. Now that it's gone, anything is possible.
When the Riddler talks to Batman about Bruce Wayne, he fails to recognize the irony of his words. The Riddler isn't the only person in Gotham to make this mistake. At the funeral for the former Gotham mayor, Bella Reál corners Bruce and tells him that he should be doing more to help the people of Gotham, and commit himself to do more philanthropic work like his parents. Bella, like the others in Gotham, remains unaware of Bruce's nighttime activities where he is helping Gotham in his own way. Selina criticizes Bruce as another one of Gotham's elite that people pay far too much attention to, to Batman. The Riddler criticizes Bruce similarly and remarks that Bruce isn't a "real orphan," given the money and comfort that having that money gave him. Orphans like the Riddler were left fending for themselves, especially after Thomas and Martha were murdered, unable to follow through on their promises.
As someone who praises themselves for their intellect, the anger Riddler feels after their talk in Arkham has a strong chance of boiling into a newfound desire to reveal Batman's identity. Had the Riddler taken the time to fully consider the information he had gathered about the Waynes and his own obsession with Batman outside of his plan, he likely would've discovered Batman's identity. The Riddler was bent on revealing the dark truth about the Waynes to the public, and discovering that Bruce was the violent Batman lurking in the shadows of Gotham would've been a huge revelation for him. The true identity of Batman is arguably the biggest mystery in Gotham, and solving it would reaffirm the Riddler's own thoughts about his intellect. Given the new friend he has made in the Joker (Barry Keoghan) in Arkham, the damage the two could cause for Bruce's secret and the entirety of Gotham is endless. Now, the two have nothing but time to plan their revenge and potentially connect the dots about Bruce and Batman.
The Batman is now streaming on HBO Max.