Today I’m going to try my hand at ranking every Batman movie villain ever seen on the silver screen — but I’m not going to include any villains from animated adventures. I know that might upset some of you, but frankly, if I added that gallery of ne’er-do-wells to my list, this article would be the longest written piece of material in human history.
Also, you aren’t going to see some live-action bad guys that have made their crossovers on a technicality. Which means… No Suicide Squad, no Justice League (or Batman v Superman), and no Joaquin Phoenix. Again, apologies, but this whole ordeal is long enough as it is.
What I’m choosing to focus on here are the handful of dedicated Batman films surroduing Bruce Wayne’s ongoing fight against evil. Plain old Batman movies. Meaning you won’t be seeing any mafia members or petty thieves on here either. Just the heavy hitters. Literally.
So, without further ado, let’s dig in.
22. Catwoman – The Batman
First up, our latest iteration of Catwoman — Zoë Kravitz’s Selina Kyle. Now, I love this character, and placing her at the very bottom of this list was no easy feat.
Here’s the issue; The Batman never really presents its Catwoman as a villain outright, and only ever plays on her anti-hero status. She exists much more as a love interest than as a true-blue villain, which is totally fine, but it means that this particular cat comes without most of her claws.
21. Talia al Ghul – The Dark Knight Rises
I’ll go on record to say that I do like Talia al Ghul — Marion Cotillard does a lot with her role in The Dark Knight Rises — but Talia’s addition to this massive cast of heroes and villains never did much for me.
It’s pretty forgettable.
She’s introduced in the trilogy’s epic finale, teased as a former romantic interest, and has a plan started by her late father, Ra (who we’ll see later on). Yes it’s all very poetic, but her absence from the second film means the emotional gravitas Nolan was going for doesn’t totally land.
20. Catwoman – The Dark Knight Rises
Hatahway’s take on Selina Kyle in Rises is fantastic. Full stop. But, again, here’s the issue… She’s not really a villain. Yes, she steals a few things, runs away here and there, and doesn’t totally trust our beloved Batman / Bruce Wayne — but all in all? She’s never a bad guy.
This Catwoman, like the one above, is more of a romantic interest. And again, there’s nothing wrong with that, but her penchant for villainy is pretty darn low.
19. Bane – Batman and Robin
I’m not going to spend a lot of time here. Batman and Robin isn’t that good, and neither is the Bane it brings to the table. He’s a giant, hulking brute that sort of mumbles for a few minutes and tosses everyone around.
Even in a movie as whimsical as this one, it just doesn’t work. At all.
18. Poison Ivy – Batman and Robin
Uma Thurman swung for the fences here, and that needs to be recognized. She’s over the top and cheesy, but it plays in a movie as disjointed as Batman and Robin.
What’s wrong with this Ivy comes by way of her larger characterizations, and as an audience — because things are so wacky — we never get to justify or emotionally buy in to some of her evil-doings.
17. The Riddler – Batman 66
Riddle me this, riddle me that. This Batman 66 version of The Riddler remains a template Batman actors are still pulling from to this day. The laugh, the smile — it all works, kind of.
Actor Frank Gorshin has a lot to offer, even if his performance was a bit one-note-y (hey, it was the 60s), but sadly can’t compete against all the other great characters in this film and beyond.
16. Two-Face – Batman Forever
So here’s the deal. Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face is an inspired choice. Truly. The reason he’s so high up on my list is entirely because Jones was never really a fan of Batman Forever in the first place.
Now to be fair, neither was I. This movie wasn’t that good, as is the case with some of the earlier Bat flicks. But Tommy Lee Jones was outspokenly upset by his time on-screen, and for that — he gets the 16 spot.
15. Catwoman – Batman 66
The best part about this Catwoman is that she’s the first cat that actually acts as a villain. Hurray! Moreover, in Batman 66, Julie Newmar’s portrayal treats the character like a seasoned veteran. As it should.
The Catwoman here is plotting, planning, and strong as hell. She speaks with a command few Batman villains (male, female, or otherwise) possess, and remains captivating from start to finish. If there weren’t so many other fantastic performances ahead, she would have been placed much, much higher.
14. The Riddler – Batman Forever
I’m sure you were wondering when Jim Carrey would show up to this party. Well, here he is. Carrey’s Edward Nygma is a ton of fun to watch, and the character’s transformation into The Riddler is pulled off beautifully. Yes, he’s wacky, but against Val Kilmer’s stoic portrayal of Batman, Carrey gets the job done.
13. Bane – The Dark Knight Rises
This might be where I lose you. Easily the hottest take on my list, Bane from The Dark Knight Rises is… Meh. Sorry, I’m not sorry.
“I was born in the shadows,” Yada-yada, punch-punch, fight-fight. Look, I like this Bane. Batman truly meets his match here. Tom Hardy sizzles throughout. His character’s demise though? Not so much.
Bane gets run over. Like roadkill. That’s how he dies. After all the monologuing and theatrics, he gets mowed down without a second look, and that’s unforgivable.
12. Mr. Freeze – Batman and Robin
Another one some of you may not agree with. Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze. Is it over the top? Yes. Is it horribly overacted ? Of course it is, but his puns are legendary and that costume is absolutely iconic.
Not to mention the fact that Dr. Victor Fries may have one of the most compelling character motivations of any Batman villain ever created. In trying to save his wife, a kind man slowly becomes a monster she would never approve of. For my money, and this is just a guess but — I think Mr. Freeze could be the main villain in Matt Reeves’ upcoming sequel to The Batman. But don’t quote me on that. (Just kidding, you totally can.)
11. Scarecrow – Batman: Begins
A main antagonist, Cillian Murphy’s Scarecrow is the one and only-live action version of this unforgettable Batman baddie. And he does a bang-up job. Murphy was just strange enough to unsettle an entire generation of movie goers with his take on Scarecrow, and we should all be thanking him for it.
That said, it isn’t like this Scarecrow really does all that much. He’s sort of one-dimensional when it comes to his larger scheme, and for that, he sits a little higher than anyone might have expected. Including me.
10. Ra’s al Ghul – Batman: Begins
Although small in screen time, Liam Neeson’s stint as Ra’s al Ghul is downright dastardly. Having Ra’s train Bruce Wayne only for the two to be at odds later on in the film is what makes Batman: Begins so powerful. It’s master and apprentice, student and teacher. Ra’s even dies at peace with his evil. One word. Badass.
9. The Penguin – Batman 66
Burgess Meredith as The Penguin is quite possibly the best bit about Batman 66. He’s got it all down, and quacks his way into my top 10 because of that sheer commitment.
Perpetually smoking, complete with his ridiculously large prosthetic nose, this Penguin comes to play.
8. The Riddler – The Batman
The most recent of Batman villains, this Riddler is perhaps the most twisted iteration of the character — played beautifully by Paul Dano.
Gritty, determined, and tons of twisted fun, his Riddler feels like a guy who could actually exist in our very real world. Which is about the best — and scariest — compliment I can give him.
7. Two-Face – The Dark Knight
Ouch. Talk about a bad hair day. Two-Face and The Dark Knight go together like peanut butter and jelly, with this more modern version of the character being a gorgeous example for the duality of man.
Entangling Bruce, Harvey, Rachel, and The Joker together in a massive mortality play is exactly why The Dark Knight has stood the test of time. Plus, Aaron Eckhart rocks.
6. The Penguin – The Batman
This new Penguin is the most believable out of the bird-themed villains we’ve seen. Colin Farrell is nearly unrecognizable in the role, with a stellar makeup, and gives us a grounded version of a Batman villain that — let’s be honest — is pretty ridiculous conceptually.
Folks, normally he’s a quacking-penguin person. Be thankful this version isn’t.
5. The Joker – Batman 66
Say what you will about Caesar Romeo’s turn as The Clown Prince of Crime, but this first adaptation of the Joker from script to screen is an archetype that all others are built on.
The makeup. The laugh. The charisma. It’s all here, albeit in an early form, and it sings. It might not be as emotionally resonate as some of the later Jokers on this list, but it’s the first, and one. worth remembering.
4. The Penguin – Batman Returns
Speaking of quaking penguin people, who could forget Danny DeVito’s turn as the pointy-nosed criminal.
His whole plan is to drown every first born son in Gotham City. Dark is an understatement. This Penguin isn’t even entirely human, which is what makes him so great. Or horrible, depending on how you look at it.
3. Catwoman – Batman Returns
Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman strikes a twisted balance between seduction and insanity, embracing femininity and trampling all over anyone who gets in her way.
This undead-ish Selina Kyle is presented as a person wrapped in unpredictability, which made her a serious issue for Batman throughout Batman Returns. In short, she’s perfect.
2. The Joker – Batman
These next two I won’t even spend a ton of time talking about, you already knew when you started reading that this was how things were going to end. Jack Nicholson’s Joker is, was, and will always be iconic.
There’s honestly nothing else to say. Nicholson brings a level of suave charm to the role that other Batman villains don’t even come close to emulating, and imbues this Joker with an unhinged style that keeps us on our toes until the very end. It’s poetry in motion. For a second, you really think he might beat Batman.
1. The Joker – The Dark Knight
Here it is. Everyone’s favorite agent of chaos. Heath Ledger’s Joker. Not a chink in the armor, this isn’t just a villain that causes Batman to grapple with his worldview — he causes us to do the same. What’s right? What’s wrong? How do we embrace absurdity? Is truth ever objective?
This Joker serves as a singularity, an example that all other cinematic Batman characters are compared to. Any hero is only ever as good as their villain, and this Joker outdoes itself.
Well, there you have it. Every live-action Batman villain ranked, for now. This was a long one — so go outside and touch some grass, eat a churro, do whatever you can to stay sane. You wouldn’t want to wind up like one of these folks.
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