Batman is one of the most recognizable and iconic comic book characters of all time. Since 1939, Batman has been entertaining the world with his gritty, realistic crusade against crime in the terrifying and gothic city of Gotham, drawing a dark contrast to Superman in the process.
That being said, while Batman is undoubtedly a fantastic character, one of the main reasons he is so popular is the vast and impressive rogues gallery that Batman must contend with. Villains such as The Joker, Riddler, and Penguin always make for compelling stories; however, while several villains have made their big-screen debut, there are still countless others that have yet to appear on the big screen.
This article will list 10 Batman villains that deserve to make their big-screen debut.
Hush
Hush is one of the most popular Batman villains of the last two decades, with the villain debuting in the series written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Jim Lee. Along with featuring iconic DC characters such as Joker, Poison Ivy, and Superman, The Hush graphic novel also explores Batman's own past.
While the graphic novel has had an animated adaptation, the movie was not widely enjoyed by fans, so a live-action version of the character would certainly be welcome.
Blight
While this might be a controversial inclusion as Blight is a villain to Batman Beyond and not Bruce Wayne, there is no denying that Terry McGinnis' Batman is still Batman, so Blight should qualify as a Batman villain. Blight, or Derek Powers, is a greedy CEO of the Wayne-Powers company who is changed into a radioactive being after an accident involving Batman and Powers' own nerve gas.
Introducing Blight in a live-action Batman movie would be good for two reasons. Firstly, it would mean a Batman Beyond movie has finally been created. And secondly, Blight is simply a compelling villain.
Talon (Court of Owls)
"The Court of Owls" by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo was one of the best Batman stories of the past several years. Taking place after the New 52 reboot of the DC continuity, "Court of Owls" followed Batman as he delved into the mysteries of Gotham's past, showing that there was a lot Batman had to learn about the city.
Since the villainous organization's debut, fans have been clamoring for the Court of Owls and its assassin, Talon, to appear in a live-action Batman story. With rumors that the upcoming Arkham game will feature the Court of Owls, it's only a matter of time before they have their own movie.
Hugo Strange
Hugo Strange is one of the most underused Batman villains of all time. With his expertise in psychiatry, Hugo Strange is able to deduce the identity of Batman, using his knowledge as a weapon against the Dark Knight. Stories with Hugo Strange usually present a different challenge for the Caped Crusader, with Batman having to engage in a battle of the minds with Strange.
Strange has appeared in both Batman: The Animated Series and the Arkham City game, proving that he is a popular character who could easily serve as a primary antagonist.
Red Claw
Red Claw may be one of the most underrated villains in Batman: The Animated Series. The character, much in the same vein as Ra's Al Ghul, is the leader of a terrorist organization and thus her plans are always incredibly far-reaching and challenging for the Dynamic Duo to handle.
As interest in the seminal Batman: The Animated Series has been rising recently, it would make sense to include this underrated villain in a live-action movie.
The Ventriloquist
The Ventriloquist is another member of Batman's rogues gallery that is more than deserving of a cell in the infamous Arkham Asylum. The Ventriloquist, Arnold Wesker, claims to commit crimes under the orders of his dummy, Scarface. While some comics flirt with the idea of Scarface being a cursed doll, the best ones focus on the psychology of Wesker.
While the character may not be suited to the role of a central antagonist, Wesker's appearances in other media throughout the years have shown that he would make a fantastic supporting villain.
Man-Bat
Man-Bat is one of many Batman villains who lean heavily into the gothic horror genre. Taking inspiration from classic works of gothic horror including Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and various Werewolf stories, Man-Bat pits Batman against the result of a scientific experiment gone wrong, presenting the hero a dark mirror of himself in the process.
While it is up for debate whether or not Man-Bat could act as the primary antagonist in a live-action Batman movie, there is no doubt that he would make a compelling villain that would allow the film to delve into horror territory.
Red Hood
This could be slightly controversial entry due to the fact that Red Hood, aka Jason Todd, would go on to become an ally of the Caped Crusader. That being said, Red Hood was very much an antagonist when he first re-appeared in DC canon.
After his murder at the hands of the Joker, Jason Todd is resurrected and becomes a mercenary before eventually returning to Gotham to exact revenge on the Clown Prince of Crime and Batman. A movie following Red Hood would also set up a wider Bat-Family, setting the stage for a redemption arc for the character.
Mad Hatter
The Mad Hatter is a villain that takes inspiration from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland stories. However, unlike the character in the children's story, DC's Mad Hatter is a creepy scientist who uses mind-control technology embedded in hats to force his victims to carry out his whim.
The character has appeared in Batman: The Animated Series as well as the Arkham series of video games, so the Mad Hatter is popular among fans of the Dark Knight.
Clock King
While the Clock King may not be the most memorable or intimidating villains, he is certainly one of the most interesting due to his backstory as presented in Batman: The Animated Series. The character is, essentially, an incredibly well-prepared villain who uses his knowledge of train time tables and so on to fend of Batman while he enacts his personal revenge against Mayor Hill.
Again, while this character may not work well as a primary antagonist, the Clock King is more than capable of being a secondary villain in a larger narrative.