Batman has the best rogues’ gallery in comic book history. No offense to Spider-Man, who has to face off against iconic villains like Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus, but the Dark Knight’s bad guys hit different. No matter who’s writing the character, the Joker always finds a way to torment his nemesis, to the point that Batman even considers breaking his no-kill rule to put a stop to his schemes. Their rivalry translates well to the big screen, and it doesn’t hurt matters that Warner Bros. usually recruits acting legends to bring the Clown Prince of Crime to life, such as Heath Ledger and Jack Nicholson.
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Of course, Joker isn’t the only villain Batman faces in movies, as he’s gone up against the likes of Penguin, Riddler, Bane, Poison Ivy, and Ra’s al Ghul. However, despite having a long history on the big screen, the Caped Crusader has dodged plenty of major bad guys.
1) Man-Bat
Creating a serum rarely works out in superhero media, but Dr. Kirk Langstrom makes one anyway when he discovers he’s going deaf. His experiments turn him into a giant bat-like creature with superhuman strength and durability. While Man-Bat may be a bit too outlandish for Matt Reeves to include in the Bat-Verse, James Gunn’s DC Universe surely has a spot open for the terrifying villain.
2) Mad Hatter
There’s a non-zero chance that Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight could find himself up against the Mad Hatter, as the villain keeps his plans pretty grounded. Based on the Hatter from Alice in Wonderland, the comic book villain likes to mind-control people and have them do his dirty work for him. He’s been battling Batman since the 1940s, making him one of the hero’s oldest villains.
3) The Court of Owls
A much more recent addition to Batman’s rogues’ gallery is the Court of Owls, a secret organization made up of Gotham’s elite that rules the city from the shadows. It uses agents known as Talons to do its bidding, and the Dark Knight never has an easy night when he crosses paths with one of them. If Batman continues to weed out corruption in Gotham on the big screen, he’s sure to run into the Court of Owls eventually.
4) Hush
Tommy Elliot is similar to Bruce Wayne in that he grows up as part of a rich family. However, the similarities stop there because Tommy tries to kill his parents to gain access to their fortune. After his plan fails, he turns to a life of crime as the villain Hush and sets his sights on his old friend. Hush’s connection to Bruce’s childhood makes him a great candidate to be a movie villain, but he has yet to get his chance to shine.
5) Hugo Strange
Since Hugo Strange has been causing trouble since 1940, there have been many different versions of the character. The one thing all of them have in common is that they enjoy using science for the wrong reasons. As part of Arkham Asylum’s leadership, Strange conducts experiments on people using his psychiatric background. With the hospital appearing in nearly every Batman movie, it’s tough to imagine a world where Strange doesn’t get the chance to appear in a film.
6) Red Hood
Robin doesn’t get many chances on the big screen, and whenever he does, it’s always Dick Grayson. Jason Todd has the biggest arc, though, going from Boy Wonder to full-fledged villain as Red Hood. He blames Batman for letting him die and vows to take revenge on his mentor. Since Red Hood knows everything he does, the Dark Knight struggles to beat the former Robin.
7) Punchline
Like in the DC Extended Universe, Harley Quinn finds her independence in the comic books. Losing his best lackey forces Joker to recruit a new one, Punchline, who may be even more sadistic than her boss. Punchline hasn’t been a part of DC Comics for long, which means an upcoming movie could take the opportunity to flesh her out. Batman can never have enough villains, and she has the potential to be another great one.
8) Condiment King
No, Condiment King doesn’t bring Gotham to its knees like Joker or Penguin, but he’s still a major Batman villain. Created for Batman: The Animated Series, the character is a parody of the campy villains the Dark Knight fought in his early years. While no one is arguing that Condiment King should headline his own movie, there has to be room for a brief appearance from the villain somewhere.
9) Bat-Mite
A being from the 5th Dimension, Bat-Mite is a big fan of the Dark Knight and his heroics. He usually appears in front of the hero and causes trouble while bending reality. While Bat-Mite doesn’t seem like the kind of character that Batman usually fights on the big screen, Creature Commandos confirms that he exists in the DCU. Gunn just has to do the right thing and toss him in the next movie.
10) Killer Moth
Batman does a number on Gotham’s criminal population, forcing Killer Moth to step in. The villain wants to protect his fellow evildoers and picks a fight with the Bat-Family. It would be interesting to see the Dark Knight face off against a dark mirror version of himself in live-action, especially if DC Studios can grab a notable actor to play the bad guy.
Would you like to see the villains on this list appear in a Batman movie? Which other bad guy deserves a chance to shine on the big screen? Let us know in the comments below!
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image courtesy of Peacock
