Top 10 Batman Movie Villains We Want Next

Though he’s the Dark Knight’s most iconic villain, he’s at the bottom of our list simply because he’s already confirmed to be a part of Reeves’s new “Batman” universe. There’s no speculation. We know the Joker will return and we know who’s playing him: Barry Keoghan. Reeves has also said that his version of the Joker is going to forgo an origin story whereby he’s thrown into a vat of acid, nor will he have scars. He’s likely going to have some kind of congenital disease that gives him a permanent smile instead, more similar to the nervous laughter of Joaquin Phoenix’s recent take on the character.

This one’s a little out there, but there’s been speculation that the Ventriloquist, yet to see a live-action “Batman” film adaptation, could be a shoo-in for the next movie. The Ventriloquist is the man behind the mob-boss puppet Scarface, who’s himself a major player in Gotham’s criminal underworld in some continuities. With the Penguin looking to take over all of Gotham, it makes sense to introduce a new rival for him. The Ventriloquist could definitely be a frightening addition to Reeves’s universe despite him not generally being taken seriously as a villain, and we’d be pretty excited to see him finally adapted.

A much more recent addition to Batman’s rogues gallery, Professor Pyg first appeared in 2007. He’s quickly become a popular and sadistic villain, showing up as a twisted serial killer in 2015’s “Batman: Arkham Knight,” and is an ideal choice for upcoming sequels. However, we’re not sure Pyg could carry an entire movie by himself. Plus, “The Batman” already focused on an extremely dark, serial killer story, so doing that once again – even with a different gimmick – might not be what Reeves is interested in. Still, with rumors circulating that a movie or series focusing on Arkham Asylum is in the works as well, there’s definitely room for Pyg in this new continuity.

With modern special effects at DC’s disposal, we can definitely see Clayface finally getting his chance to shine in a blockbuster movie. Plus, it seems wrong that decorated thespian Basil Karlo still hasn’t appeared in a live-action film. We’ve most recently seen Clayface as one of Harley Quinn’s comedic lackeys in the adult-oriented animated show, but who can forget his memorable appearance as the shocking final boss of “Batman: Arkham City” in 2011? As Clayface hasn’t been done in a live-action movie before, there’s total freedom for what to do with the character. As well as that, Mike Flanagan, noted horror auteur, has expressed interest in making a movie all about Clayface.

On the blockbuster movie side of things, the Scarecrow has only appeared in the Nolan film trilogy, played by Cillian Murphy. As one of Batman’s biggest villains, he was chosen to appear in many movies before “Batman Begins,” but never quite made the cut for one reason or another. “The Batman” has already become one of the scariest Batman movies, which sets the stage for Scarecrow to fit perfectly into any sequels. Gotham is already in chaos following the end of the latest movie, which would give Jonathan Crane the perfect opportunity to strike. Only time will tell whether Scarecrow will make an appearance or whether he’ll be cut once again.

Though he’s often mocked as one of Batman’s silliest characters, Calendar Man’s potential as a dark and serious villain is finally being realized. He themes his criminal exploits around particular holidays and events, and was a major character in one of Batman’s most famous stories, “The Long Halloween.” Though the busiest night for Batman is always Halloween, using Calendar Man means that any holiday, no matter how minor, could become deadly for Gothamites. Robert Pattinson himself has said he’d like to see Calendar Man done properly in a movie, and we can’t ignore an endorsement like that.

We haven’t seen her in a live-action movie since Uma Thurman took on the role back in 1997, in one of the most infamously awful superhero flicks ever made. So, it’s about time she gets a worthwhile adaptation. The great thing about Poison Ivy is that she gets more and more relevant to current politics every year, thanks to her stance as a hardcore environmentalist. Matt Reeves has already shown in “The Batman” that he wants to comment on real-world events, and Ivy is a great villain to utilize in order to do this. Plus, everybody likes a sympathetic villain who kind of has a point, and Poison Ivy is definitely that, though we obviously disagree with her methods.

They appeared as major villains in “Gotham” on Fox, and they’re also set to be the villainous faction in upcoming video game “Gotham Knights.” We think it’s about time they made their cinematic debut as well. The Court of Owls is a clandestine and violent secret society, and they’ve been controlling Gotham from the shadows for hundreds of years. First appearing in a critically acclaimed comic book storyline back in 2011, the Court of Owls has already developed a huge place in “Batman” lore. Since “The Batman” focused so much on Gotham’s corruption, the revelation that the Court of Owls is pulling all the strings would be an exciting thing to see in a movie – and Robert Pattinson agrees.

Eagle-eyed viewers and long-time “Batman” fans may have spotted a handful of references to this famous foe in the 2022 movie. We not only see newspaper clippings discussing the Elliot family, but also the word “Hush” in one of Riddler’s videos. However, the plot of “The Batman” already drew inspiration from the “Hush” comic book story, along with many others, so it’s not clear whether we’d see Tommy Elliot himself in a sequel. But he’s still a great and very tantalizing villain for these much darker movies, and Reeves has said that he personally finds Hush “interesting.” We’re keeping our fingers crossed that Hush will show up in a movie sometime soon.

He’s a difficult villain to get right thanks to his over-the-top gimmick, but Matt Reeves has stated in interviews that he’s especially interested in adapting Mr. Freeze for the silver screen once again. Currently, the only live-action “Batman” movie version of Mr. Freeze was Arnie’s, and just like Poison Ivy, he hasn’t been touched since. Even in sillier interpretations, he’s often portrayed as a more sympathetic villain, usually searching for a way to cure his terminally ill, cryogenically frozen wife. It’s also been pointed out that as of the end of “The Batman,” Gotham is underwater, setting the stage for Victor Fries to wreak havoc.