It’s no secret that Batman is one of the most iconic superheroes of all time. He’s a figure that has become almost synonymous with the superhero genre, particularly in the world of cinema, where he is one of the most prolific hero characters on the big screen. Over the years, many actors have played Batman, and they have each brought something new to the role. However, no iteration of Batman is complete without at least one or two villains to contend with, and, across the many cinematic iterations of the Dark Knight we’ve received, there have also been many different incarnations of some of the hero’s most iconic antagonists.
There is no hero with a stable of villains more compelling and intriguing than Batman, and there are a number of DC movies that prove it. The very best Batman movie villains are incredibly well known, but even some of the less popular characters prove why Batman’s rogues’ gallery is one of the best in the superhero genre. The following movies each demonstrate the strength of Batman’s villains as characters, either as antagonists in the hero’s movies or as the star of their own stories.
In the many decades of Batman movies, many actors have played the Joker in live-action, and each has brought their own ideas and style to the role. Joaquin Phoenix made his debut as Batman’s iconic archnemesis in 2019’s Joker, which itself proved to be one of the most acclaimed comic book movies of all time. The movie follows Arthur Fleck, a man living with a complex mental illness who becomes disillusioned with society and begins to carve himself a new identity as the Joker.
Joker definitively proved that Batman villains could serve as interesting protagonists in their own right, and that even as the focal point of a movie without Batman, they still shine on the big screen. It’s hard to imagine many other superheroes’ villains managing to pull off that feat with so much success, but the Joker’s rich history and complex character made the movie work incredibly well. In terms of comic book villains, the Joker is often considered the gold standard, and his 2019 solo movie proves exactly why.
The Dark Knight is often considered not just one of the best superhero movies of all time, but one of the best films ever made. The second film in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy introduced Heath Ledger’s iconic Joker, with Two-Face also serving as the movie’s secondary antagonist. Building upon the foundation laid by Batman Begins, The Dark Knight populated Nolan’s Gotham with even more memorable villains, pitting Batman against two very different foes.
There is no better example of a Batman movie in which the Caped Crusader must face multiple threats of incredibly different types. The Dark Knight makes both the Joker and Two-Face feel incredibly real, but also highlights just how challenging it is for Batman to contend with such varied threats. The strength of the two villain characters — bolstered by exceptional performances from Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart — only serves to further prove just how incredible Batman’s stable of villains really is.
2022’s The Batman saw Matt Reeves put his own spin on Batman and Gotham City. A gritty, noir story of the hero in his earlier years as a vigilante, The Batman introduces the Riddler as its main antagonist. Far from being a direct adaptation of the comic book character, The Batman‘s Riddler is a far darker figure inspired by real-life serial killers, with the deadly game of cat and mouse between him and Batman serving as the focal point of the movie.
Paul Dano’s Riddler is an unforgettable DC movie villain, and he proves that there are so many ways that even some of the best-known Batman antagonists can be reinvented. As the Riddler is usually depicted as an energetic, somewhat campy character, The Batman‘s completely grounded and decidedly unsettling take on the villain was utterly brilliant and incredibly innovative. The movie proved that even some of the most well-known Batman villains can still be used to excellent and unexpected effect when written carefully.
2020’s Birds of Prey might not be too fondly remembered among the movies of the DCEU, but it is actually one of the franchise’s most underrated titles. It features a number of prominent DC characters, but most notably, two traditional Batman villains, cast as its hero and its villain, respectively. Harley Quinn leads the line-up, breaking free from the Joker’s shadow, while Black Mask serves as the movie’s main antagonist. It’s also important to mention that Batman himself is nowhere to be seen.
The key takeaway with Birds of Prey is that not only does it not need a hero to make its villain characters work, but that Harley Quinn is undeniably one of the characters that DC movies got right. Despite predominantly being a villain, the movie establishes her as a complex character with a fascinating story of her own, and also establishes that there’s even a hierarchy of villainy among the figures in Batman’s rogues’ gallery. Black Mask might be a lesser-known villain, but he works perfectly as the dangerous Gotham crime boss at odds with Harley, further proving that Batman’s villains are an incredibly rich vein for DC stories.
At the time of writing, Clayface has not yet been released, but it’s still a great example of why Batman has the best rogues’ gallery of all time. Clayface will be the next DCU villain introduced into the franchise, and the fact that he has yet to appear in a live-action movie speaks volumes about the quality of Batman’s nemeses. The shape-shifting Clayface is an interesting and unique villain and is obviously considered compelling enough to be at the center of his own solo movie.
The simple fact that even after decades of Batman movies, there are still great villains who have yet to be adapted onto the big screen further proves just how strong Batman’s rogues’ gallery is. Clayface’s abilities make him a great fit for a big-budget blockbuster, and he will finally get his chance to shine in the DCU. Even before its release, Clayface is helping to demonstrate the depth of Batman’s roster of villains and will hopefully mark the start of a new era for the hero in the DCU.
