Let's think outside the Joker—here are 15 other villains to consider for The Batman sequel

From Clayface to The Court of Owls, these crooks could inject unpredictable new energy into The Batman franchise

By Silas Lesnick | April 9, 2022 | 11:00am

Film Features Batman

Let's think outside the Joker—here are 15 other villains to consider for The Batman sequel

A rogue’s gallery of Batman villains who deserve their shot on the big screen Image: Todd Gilchrist

As it passes the $700 million mark at the worldwide box office, Matt Reeves’ The Batman reiterates the Caped Crusader’s role as a true champion—as much at the cineplex as on the streets of Gotham City. Warner Bros. had announced plans for an HBO Max series focused on Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot even before the film opened, and Reeves indirectly announced a sequel by indicating that Farrell’s spin-off would happen before audiences saw his version of the hero again. Given the five-minute deleted scene from Reeves’ film that Warner Bros. released March 25, the Joker seems poised to become Batman’s next big-screen nemesis, perpetuating a different but equally persistent tradition of having him fight the same four or five opponents over and over again.

Comic book fans, of course, know that Batman has one of the biggest rogue’s galleries in the history of the medium; so why not dig a little deeper and find him a new foe? Ahead of his next step as a superhero, The A.V. Club look back through more than eight decades of printed-page adventures for some lesser-known but just-as-great adversaries who deserve a chance to square off against Batman on the big screen.

15. Man-Bat

Researching bats in the hope of finding a way to enhance the human auditory system, zoologist Kirk Langstrom unwittingly transforms himself into the monstrous Man-Bat. Since the character’s 1970 debut in the pages of Detective Comics, Man-Bat has been portrayed as everything from an animalistic predator to a superhero detective in his own right. A distorted mirror image of Batman, Man-Bat’s struggle to regain his humanity parallels Bruce Wayne’s fight not to lose his soul to base instincts. Since Matt Reeves has proven himself a master of performance capture, Man-Bat could not only lend some serious cinematic spectacle through his character design, but also give Robert Pattinson’s Batman a chance for aerial combat in that wingsuit of his, though hopefully he’ll learn how to land before then.

14. Magpie

Like Selina Kyle, Margaret Pye is an expert thief that preys on Gotham’s rich and powerful. Unlike Zoe Kravitz’s character, however, the costumed Magpie isn’t committing crimes for any sort of greater good; she’s simply insane. Introduced in 1986, Magpie not only steals exotic jewelry, she leaves booby-trapped replicas in their place. On the heels of the events of The Batman, Magpie could be a fun way to remind Bruce Wayne that not every pretty thief has a heart of gold.

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13. Scarface (and The Ventriloquist)

The Batman did a fantastic job of establishing organized crime in Gotham, which makes it very easy to now introduce some of the city’s more colorful gangsters. Although Arnold Wesker may appear meek, his nebbish face hides a darkness that has manifested in the form of Scarface, a ventriloquist dummy dressed like the 1920s gangster with the personality to boot. Together, the pair are a perfect fit for the world of The Batman, offering bigger than life theatricality without technically stepping outside the realm of extreme possibility.

12. Calendar Man

Although his first comic book appearance dates all the way back to 1958, Calendar Man was gently reimagined for Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s 1996 maxiseries The Long Halloween, a noted influence on The Batman. Targeting holidays to commit thematicatically related crimes, Julian Day’s plans involve a ticking timebomb of imaginative criminality. In The Long Halloween, Calendar Man is already incarcerated and works with Batman from prison to help catch a copycat. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine swapping that narrative element with the Riddler, forcing Robert Pattinson’s dark knight to work alongside Dano’s Edward Nashton to stop a spree of holiday felonies.

11. Killer Moth

What if, instead of being inspired by bats to become a superhero, someone was inspired by moths and became a supervillain? Meet Cameron van Cleer, a two-bit criminal who becomes obsessed with Batman while in prison. Upon his release, he decides to emulate the caped crusader in every possible way. He’s got a moth-themed costume, operates from his Moth-Cave, and even drives around in a Mothmobile. Killer Moth is a decidedly silly foe, but part of what makes him such a fun Bat-foe is that he reminds the audience of how silly Bruce Wayne’s situation is, too. We’ve seen an imitator with the “hockey pads” guy Batman has to rescue while stopping real criminals in The Dark Knight, and Killer Moth would offer an opportunity to expand on that idea.

10. Clayface

One of Batman’s earliest foes, Clayface has gone through quite a few iterations over the years. Originally a master of makeup in his 1940 debut, alternate versions of the character have taken a more fantastical approach, transforming Clayface into a massive monster who can reshape his body in any form. For Batman, who already has some significant trust issues, the notion that anyone might not be who they claim to be is especially dangerous.

9. Professor Pyg

A relatively recent addition to Batman’s rogues gallery, Professor Pyg made his comic book debut in 2007. Arguably one of DC Comics’ most disturbing villains, Pyg is a madman dressed in a pig mask who enjoys performing horrific surgeries on his victims, transforming them into mindless, deformed zombies who then become part of his criminal gang, The Circus of Strange. If The Batman sequel wants to continue to push the boundaries of grim and gritty, it doesn’t get much darker than Professor Pyg.

8. The Court Of Owls

Introduced in the comics in 2011, the concept behind the Court of Owls stretches back centuries. A secret society of Gotham’s elite, clad in white masks, the Owls have secretly been pulling the strings in Gotham since before there was even a Gotham. A perfect fit with everything we know about Thomas and Martha Wayne’s secret history in The Batman, there’s no better direction to go than the Court of Owls if Matt Reeves wants to continue exploring the sins of Bruce Wayne’s father.

7. Mad Hatter

Deeply enamored with the writings of Lewis Carroll, neuroscientist Jervis Tetch decides to become a character straight from the page. Using mind control technology, Tetch is often found orchestrating crimes that replicate events from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Appropriately, it’s Hatter’s madness that makes him stand out, meaning that the crimes he commits are among the most visually interesting in all of Gotham.

6. Clock King

There have been several different iterations of the time-obsessed villain since the Clock King made his first comic book appearance as a Green Arrow foe in 1960. It’s the sci-fi version introduced on Batman: The Animated Series, however, that would be the most fun to see on the big screen. Able to manipulate the flow of time, Temple Fugate instantly has a power that is not only a lot of fun, but one that Batman simply cannot directly match. It’s enemies like this that force Batman to use his brain and come up with clever ways to stop their seemingly godlike abilities.

5. Killer Croc and Baby Doll

A bizarrely sweet pairing developed for Batman: The Animated Series, Killer Croc and Baby Doll are Bonnie and Clyde by way of Gotham City. Growing up with a medical condition that makes him look like a human crocodile, Waylon Jones (who was played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje in David Ayer’s 2016 Suicide Squad) turns to a life of crime after growing up on the wrong side of the tracks. Television actress Mary Louise Dahl, meanwhile, has a disorder that stops her from physically aging, forever giving her the appearance of a little girl. Although either character can work solo, there’s something special about seeing these two outcasts find one another and work together despite their criminality.

4. Gentleman Ghost

Originally a criminal who pretended to be a decidedly dapper ghost, the modern version of Gentleman Ghost is an actual supernatural spirit capable of moving through solid objects, teleportation and even a “death touch.” Originally introduced as a Flash villain in 1947, the ethereal foe has had his fair share of encounters with the dark knight, including one instance where he actually defeated Batman in battle and then buried him alive. While it’s hard to imagine the more fantastic iteration of Gentleman Ghost in Reeves’ Gotham, having him as an antagonist would be the perfect opportunity to team Batman up with a costar we haven’t yet seen on the big screen, fellow Justice Leaguer and sometimes romantic interest, the magician Zatanna.

3. Lex Luthor

Although he’s forever going to be Superman’s ultimate archnemesis, Lex Luthor has also proven himself a wonderful foil for Batman and, perhaps more importantly, for Bruce Wayne. Luthor is one of the few bad guys who can match both Batman’s wealth and intellect (according to the comics, Bruce is richer, but Lex is smarter). In fact, the only trouble with making Luthor a big screen antagonist for Batman is that it’s impossible to do so without audiences wondering where Superman is while he’s making trouble.

2. Hugo Strange

If nothing else, Professor Hugo Strange deserves a spot on this list just for being Batman’s oldest foe, predating even the Joker. A mad scientist, Strange becomes obsessed with Batman, particularly regarding the hero’s secret identity. In the world of The Batman, it would make perfect sense to introduce Strange through Arkham Asylum, potentially even using him to have Batman committed there alongside all the villains that he has put away.

1. The Red Hood

Who is that masked man? It all depends. Originally introduced in 1951 as a costumed criminal who would go on to become the Joker, Red Hood’s recent iteration is more of an antihero with Jason Todd, the second Robin, taking up the mantle. Ultimately, though, Red Hood works best when you have no idea who it is under the mask, letting the mystery take center stage. The same approach has been used for villains like Phantasm and Hush, but Red Hood certainly has the most comic book history. What’s more, with Barry Keoghan’s Joker seemingly on the way, the timing may be perfect to introduce a big screen version that connects to the Red Hood’s first comic book appearance, but offers totally a new identity to figure out.