Photo Credit: Batman Returns/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc Image Acquired from DC Entertainment PR
Batman has taken on a plethora of villains in the movies over the years. Which ones were the best and what made them great?
The 1989 Batman movie just celebrated its 30 year anniversary. Even after all this time, the film remains a classic. The project got a lot of criticism for casting Michael Keaton as Batman. As we’ve seen, people should have waited for the movie to debut before judging him. Keaton killed his role and became the benchmark of what a character playing Batman and Bruce Wayne should be.
Jack Nicholson’s Joker is looked at the same way. He maintained the Joker’s goofiness, but added a psychotic edge that Cesar Romero (Batman) didn’t have. Ever since then, the role of the comic book villain in a movie has been redefined.
The one thing everyone loves about Batman is that he has some of the best villains in any genre. It’s not just the Joker. Two-Face, Poison Ivy, and Bane all give Batman issues for different reasons. They have made Batman a more interesting hero since he has to figure out how to defeat them before he starts punching them.
The antagonists in his movies have been some of the best we’ve seen. While some of them have been…let’s say less than good. Here are the best villains in the live action Batman movies. Starting from the worst and ending with the best of them all.
15. Bane (Batman and Robin)
Actor: Jeep Swenson
Batman and Robin is looked at as one of the worst Batman projects of all time. It would be difficult to find someone who enjoyed George Clooney as Batman (even though he was a decent Bruce Wayne). However, no matter how bad the movie was (and it was bad), nothing screamed “WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!” more than Jeep Swenson in the awful Bane costume.
I try to find the good in characters and movies, but nothing comes to mind when this version of Bane is brought up. He was just deplorable. While, he wasn’t to blame, there aren’t any redeeming qualities.
The biggest tragedy here is that he wasn’t the Bane we deserved. He was just a bodybuilder in a costume who barely talked. He grunted and made inaudible sounds more than anything. The Bane from the comic books (and later in Dark Knight Rises) talks a lot and is very eloquent and persuasive. He wouldn’t blindly follow Poison Ivy. I’d wager that her hypnotic kiss or fragrances wouldn’t work on him either.
We got some random goon who just happened to be strong after an experiment and some steroids. It was disappointing right from the beginning. The terrible mask and drawn on veins didn’t help their cause either. Call him anything else and change the costume and no one would have cared.
Memorable moment: Dying.
Photo: Batman & Robin / Warner Bros. Studios Image Courtesy Fathom Events Press
14. Mr. Freeze (Batman and Robin)
Actor: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Let’s set the scene. Mr. Freeze is attempting to steal from the Gotham Museum. When we see the museum, there are a lot of artifacts covered in ice. The security guards run in and attempt to take out Mr. Freeze. They shoot him, but the bullets just bounce off his armor.
Freeze slowly walks down the steps and he uses his gun to freeze them in solid ice. Incredibly cool (pun 1). This is the moment where Victor Fries is supposed to say something cool and cold-blooded (puns 2 & 3). He opens his mouth and says, “The Iceman cometh!” Wait, what? It was at this moment where I’m certain people walked out of the theater and asked for their money back.
Why was Arnold Schwarzenegger cast as Mr. Freeze? He’s a box office draw. Especially back in the 1990’s. But this made no sense. To make it even worse, the explanation we got gave me a brain freeze (pun 4). They said he was a two-time Olympic decathlete and that was supposed to be the reason. They were better off not explaining it at all.
Personally, I loved Mr. Freeze. He was incredibly goofy. If Batman and Robin was promoted as a comedy, people may not have given the movie the cold shoulder (pun 5). That said, we can all agree that we should forget the butterfly wings. It wasn’t the ice age that killed this movie.
Memorable moment: Every pun.
Photo: Batman Forever / Warner Bros. Studios Image Courtesy Fathom Events Press
13. Two-Face (Batman Forever)
Actor: Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones is an actor who’s had longevity due to his ability to play any role you throw at him. You’d figure that him playing Two-Face wouldn’t be a difficult task. Well, he was exactly what Batman Forever was; goofy, while trying to be serious. Even though he was good at what they gave him, it was still a terrible Two-Face.
The first time you see him, he has Two-Face he says, “Let’s start this party off with a bang” and a wrecking ball comes crashing through the building. Cheesy, but makes sense for the movie. This opening line was the perfect moment to use one of Two-Face’s gimmicks. Maybe use two wrecking balls or two explosions. Or flip a coin on which one to use. Nothing.
However, we saw how good he was during the scene with The Riddler when he went to Two-Face’s hideout. The way he flipped back and forth between Harvey and Two-Face was done well. Especially when he dropped the line:
"“You have broken into our hideout. You have violated the sanctity of our lair. For this we should crush your bones into POWDER. However, you do pose a very interesting proposition: therefore, heads, we accept, and tails, we blow your damned head off!”"
There were some missed moments, but this wasn’t the comic book. This was a different kind of Two-Face. Us comic book fans may have wanted something different, but Tommy Lee Jones wasn’t terrible. Considering the movie itself was pretty bad, he may be considered one of the few bright spots.
Memorable moment: Showing The Riddler what a real diamond looks like.
Photo: Batman & Robin / Warner Bros. Studios Image Courtesy Fathom Events Press
12. Poison Ivy (Batman and Robin)
Actor: Uma Thurman
Uma Thurman was riding high after her role as Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction. Just from that alone, she sounds like a good pick for play Dr. Pamela Lillian Isley. She’s tall, attractive, and we’ve seen that she can act pretty well. This should have been a home run. Somewhere along the way, this got botched.
Uma started off as a bumbling assistant and that was fine. When she became Poison Ivy after her boss attacks her and causes Ivy’s transformation, she was still good. Her origin was very similar to how Selina Kyle becomes Catwoman in Batman Returns (if it ain’t broke…). When she turned, she was immediately seductive. It looked like this was going to go well. Unfortunately, this was still Batman and Robin.
Uma Thurman did a good job with the material she was given. Since she wasn’t an A-list actor at that time, she probably wasn’t given the option of speaking up about her role. Thurman played it the best she could. Since everything in this movie was overly silly, what was she going to do? When you have the Bat-Credit Cards and Bat-Nipples, it would have been off to see her play the role more like the comics or Batman the Animated Series. We shouldn’t blame Uma for this role.
Memorable moment: Playing Batman and Robin against each other.
11. Ra’s al Ghul a.k.a. Ducard (Batman Begins)
Actor: Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson started the movie as Ducard, the man who trained Bruce Wayne with the League of Shadows. After completing his training, Bruce refused to go further and assist them with their plans. He left and returned to Gotham and became Batman. Ra’s eventually came to Gotham and destroyed Bruce’s home and attempted to bring Gotham down. Thankfully, Bruce found a way to stop Ducard and save Gotham.
In the grand scheme of things, Liam Neeson’s role in this movie was completely underwhelming. Even for the viewers who didn’t know who Ra’ al Ghul was, you’d expect more from the movie’s antagonist. He barely had any memorable scenes or quotes. He did, however, have a major hand in making Bruce Wayne the hero we’ve seen in the movies. To bad that’s not something that can be added to make him a good villain.
Neeson’s role didn’t leave much of an impression as a villain. That said, he’s better than the people above him. Ra’s (or Ducard) did have a plan that was going to take down Gotham. He should be given credit for at least being a very competent villain and leader. Especially since he wasn’t nearly as silly as some of the other villains. As a comic book fan, Ra’s al Ghul was not represented properly and was penalized for it in this list.
Memorable moment: His memorable conversation with Bruce in his Gotham mansion.
Photo: Batman Forever / Warner Bros. Studios Image Courtesy Fathom Events Press
10. The Riddler (Batman Forever)
Actor: Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey was still looked at as nothing but a comedic actor when cast in Batman Forever. While his bread and butter remains comedy, he’s proven that he can play drama and suspense as well. Casting him as The Riddler was a smart choice.
The Riddler may be more serious than we got in Batman Forever, but they still showed the side of Edward Nygma that was bit psychotic, but also a genius. Like Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face, Carrey had a role to play, and he did it the best he could. He was the over-the-top Jim Carrey we saw in Ace Ventura and that’s what the studios wanted.
If we’re going to look back at The Riddler in this movie, he can boast something a lot of other villains on this list can’t. He found his way into the Batcave, destroyed everything he could (with style and comedy), and figured out who Batman was under the mask.
He definitely came closer to taking over Gotham than some of the people on here. It’s probable that people will scoff that I put The Riddler above Liam Neeson as Ra’s Al Ghul. That said, we shouldn’t discount that Jim Carrey did steal the movie and was incredibly entertaining and memorable. And who didn’t love all of his flamboyant costumes and his antics?
Memorable moment: Destroying the Batcave.
9. Scarecrow (The Dark Knight Trilogy)
Actor: Cillian Murphy
Scarecrow is one of Batman’s most underrated villains. He isn’t as flamboyant as the Joker, his costume isn’t as bright as The Riddler’s, and he doesn’t have a bunch of memorable quotes. What Scarecrow does do is get the job done in Batman Begins.
Dr. Jonathan Crane defeated Batman and put fear in him. Fear that Batman thought he was using on criminals. Crane left Batman scared, shaking, and barely able to stand. Other than Bane, no one has been able to bring Batman to his knees like this. What’s even better than he did it without touching him.
Cillian Murphy doesn’t get the credit he deserves for his role in Batman Begins. Their first encounter was brilliant. Scarecrow talked a bunch of smack to Batman. He told him to have a drink as he threw alcohol on him. To add insult to injury, Crane then set him on fire and tells Batman he needs to, “Lighten up.” This one moment put Batman out of commission for two days.
One other thing that Scarecrow should get credit for is being one of the few characters to make it through all three movies. The next two movies he was seen in small doses, but it’s better than nothing at all. It would be nice to get more Scarecrow in the future. His fear toxins could make for intriguing and different stories.
Memorable moment: Putting the fear into Batman.
8. Max Shreck (Batman Returns)
Actor: Christopher Walken
Max Shreck wasn’t the Batman villain we’ve seen in any of the movies. He wasn’t a guy dressed in a costume with a theme and henchmen that matched it and he wasn’t a crime boss. Shreck may have been worse.
He was an awful human being who looked at Gotham and the people who lived there as things to make him money. They weren’t even people. All he wanted was power and he’d use anyone he could to get it. Shreck even tried to kill his assistant after she found out what he was up to (thankfully she survived). He was creating a power plant to steal money from Gotham rather than provide it.
For all of his despicable ways, you had to give Max Shreck credit. He could see a situation and make it work in his favor. He found a way to make Penguin a star and almost made him mayor. He could talk the spines off a cactus and then sell them back for triple.
Going back and watching Batman Returns helped me realize how great of a character he was. He wasn’t a villain that Batman could defeat by punching. Comic book movies need more antagonists like this. Ones that are so detestable that only terrible people would root for them. It’s a shame he’s forgotten and underrated.
Memorable moment: Talking Penguin into running for mayor.
7. Two-Face (The Dark Knight)
Actor: Aaron Eckhart
Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent was one of the few perfect castings we’ve had in comic book projects. When he was in the courtroom as Harvey Dent during his first scene, he was in charge and dominated. The scene where he was “interrogating” one of Joker’s henchmen was great as well. That was when the audience saw that he was going to become the villain he swore to never be.
Then there was the hospital scene with him and the Joker. It was an exemplary way to show Harvey Dent turn into Two-Face. Everyone watching was blown away by how great Eckhart went from the white knight to a villain. Everything from the coin flips to the intensity of his voice was flawless.
It was difficult not ranking him higher than this. The only reason he wasn’t top five is because he wasn’t Two-Face long enough. However, whenever he was on-screen as Two-Face he stood out. Eckhart was scary and the character’s downfall from being such a good person to being transformed into a mad-man by the Joker was everything we wanted from Harvey Dent/Two-Face.
It was a shame he died at the end of that movie. Especially after that phenomenal scene he had with Commissioner Gordon and Batman at the end of the movie. If they were to cast Eckhart again in a future Batman project as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, it’s doubtful anyone would object.
Memorable moment: Confronting Commissioner Gordon in the hospital.
6. Talia al Ghul (The Dark Knight Rises)
Actor: Marion Cotillard
Bane was destroying everything in Gotham City. All while taking out Batman. He may have been the face of Gotham’s reckoning, but there was a mastermind behind the scenes. Who was this person giving Bane orders and setting up the plan that ended up being the destruction and downfall of Gotham? None other than the daughter of Ra’s al Ghul: Talia al Ghul.
Talia al Ghul wasn’t revealed until the end of the movie. A surprise that wasn’t easily predicted. Especially since she was romantically involved with Bruce Wayne. Even that was part of her plan. The idea of having sex with someone you loathe in order to get revenge is a level of hate that a lot of us can’t comprehend.
She had to act nice and kind to a man she wanted to kill more than anything in the world. It must have been satisfying when she stabbed him and revealed that she was behind everything that happened. There also must have been a smile on her face when she heard that Bane broke Batman.
Bane was the main villain in this movie, but Talia al Ghul deserves a good amount of credit for putting this together in secret and maintaining that secrecy until the very end. Despite her lack of screen time, she was too good of a villain to rank lower than this.
Memorable moment: Revealing who she really was.
5. Bane (The Dark Knight Rises)
Actor: Tom Hardy
Every list has a pick that drives people up the wall. This is that selection. The one thing that people harp on is his voice. Yes, it was off and kinda weird. However, when you get into the reasoning, it makes more sense. Before you immediately dismiss this pick, let’s ignore the voice and look at everything Bane accomplished.
Where the Joker (either one), Two-Face, Ra’s al Ghul, and other villains failed, Bane succeeded. Not only did he defeat Batman, he broke and embarrassed him. Before he did that, bane flat-out called Batman Bruce. Doing this gave Bane a psychological advantage before the fight even began. Then, he ended the fight the way everyone wanted him to: By delivering a massive backbreaker.
Now, let’s look at what else he did. He turned Gotham into a hellscape. No one wanted to live there, but they couldn’t escape without being killed. He let criminals out of prison and let them run freely around the city. Most of Gotham Police were trapped underground. If that wasn’t bad enough, there was a bomb ready to go off and destroy the city.
Sure, his voice may have been bad, but he was still fantastic. Don’t let his voice be the reason you hate him. And let’s be honest, everyone loved that opening scene on the plane.
Memorable moment: Breaking Batman.
Photo: Batman Returns / Warner Bros. Studios Image Courtesy Fathom Events Press
4. Penguin (Batman Returns)
Actor: Danny DeVito
You know an actor’s had a tremendous performance when you can’t see anyone else playing the character.
Danny DeVito’s Penguin was as gross and dark as you’d expect from a Tim Burton character. DeVito’s performance was more than his looks. He showed just how smart Penguin was and made it believable.
When he needed to switch back from the diplomatic and sophisticated Oswald Cobblepot to the ruthless Penguin, it was done smoothly. He never let the audience forget that while he was going along with the plan to be the mayor of Gotham, he was still a ruthless guy from the sewer that was abandoned by his parents.
Every scene Danny DeVito was in was memorable. He delivered a plethora of memorable quotes, a ton of great moments, and his presence was always there. He managed to be a focal point in scenes with Michael Keaton’s historic Batman, Christopher Walker’s Max Shreck, and Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman.
Whenever people think of the best villains in Batman’s rogues’ gallery, Penguin isn’t looked at as one of his best. Even in the movies. Danny Devito’s Penguin is hands down one of the best adaptations from the comic book to a movie. He gave us everything including a death that may have looked at as sad to many. Like the city, he played the audience like a harp from Hell.
Memorable moment: My nose could be gushing blood.
Photo Credit: Batman Returns/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc Image Acquired from DC Entertainment PR
3. Catwoman (Batman Returns)
Actor: Michelle Pfeiffer
Selina Kyle started off the movie as a very mouselike character. She was shy, timid, and afraid to speak up. Her bosses didn’t help the cause either. Then, Max Shreck pushed her out of a window for finding out his plans and she came back from the brink of death completely changed.
Selina would no longer bite her tongue or feel the need to be wanted or liked. She was going to take whatever she wanted. Her first night out as Catwoman she beat down a mugger. The victim tried to thank Catwoman, but Selina wasn’t hearing it. She replied “You make it so easy don’t you. Waiting for some Batman to save you. I am Catwoman: Hear me Roar” and backflipped away. Ladies and gentlemen, that is how you make an entrance.
Who would have thought that she’d be this good? She took the role of Catwoman and made it her own all while keeping the essence of the character. Both are incredibly important to a comic book role. She was intimidating, sexy, cunning, and gave everyone a reason to root for her.
Her chemistry on-screen with Michael Keaton made for incredible moments. The two mistletoe conversations were among some of the best. The first one was a well placed moment. It led to the second conversation and a phenomenal way to let each other know their true identities. In the end, when Catwoman finally got her chance for revenge and it was completely satisfying.
Memorable moment: Killing Max Shreck.
Photo: Batman/Warner Bros. Studios
2. Joker (Batman 1989)
Actor: Jack Nicholson
It all started with Jack Napier falling into a vat of chemicals and emerging as a completely different person. The once vain Jack now had a ruined face and a more psychotic look on life (at least now he did it with a smile).
Jack Napier took over the criminal empire and made it seem easy. With a bunch of goons on his side and nothing left to lose, the Joker thought he was now the hottest thing in Gotham City. Too bad Batman was the hottest.
Joker was furious that Batman was the talk of the town and not him. He had all the flair and pizzaz and Batman was just a guy in black tights. It didn’t help that Batman helped create Joker.
Jack Nicholson was the first villain in a comic book movie to take the role to a whole new level. Nicholson still had the trademark Joker laugh, but he was much darker than we’d seen. The brightly colored suits and shenanigans like “improving” art couldn’t hide his murderous intention. He was killing people just because Batman was more popular than he was.
At the end of the movie, Jack Nicholson was looked at as the best villain in comic book movie history. Everything from his quotes like, “Have you ever danced with the devil…” to, “Where does he get those wonderful toys” made him the greatest. Then our number one hit the scene and that changed everything.
Memorable moment: “You ever danced with the Devil…”
Credit: Warner Bros. Studios Pictures
1. Joker (The Dark Knight)
Actor: Heath Ledger
The first time I saw The Dark Knight, I was in complete awe of what I was witnessing. This wasn’t the Joker from the comic books, animated series, or any movie we’ve seen. This was a deranged villain with nothing on his mind except chaos.
Despite his haphazard ways, he still had a plan. One that worked out for up until the very end. Even after Batman saved him, Joker was okay with not dying. Even if he wanted Batman to kill him. He looked forward to batting the Dark Knight for years to come. His performance was so good that he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Heath Ledger wasn’t just the best comic book villain, he’s looked at as the best period. He wasn’t the goofy Joker we’ve seen. He was serious and eerie. The first time he laughed probably sent chills down the spines of the audience. Ledger’s, “Why so serious” and “You wanna know how I got these scars” lines have become the stuff of legends. His look has become a staple for a lot of cosplayers at conventions and Halloween. And his trademark lipstick with the scars have taken over as a look in the comic books.
Everyone reading this list probably knew he was going to be number one and rightfully so. It’s doubtful that anyone will ever be as good at this role. Thanos, Loki, and Killmonger were some of the best we’ve ever seen. But Heath Ledger was the best period.
Memorable moment: How about a magic trick?
Which Batman movie villain has been your personal favorite from over the years and did your favorite villain manage to crack our Top 5? Keep the conversation going in the comments section below!