The rogues' gallery that belongs to the Batman universe is arguably the best of any film franchise, any TV show, or any comic publisher. Cinematically, it is only the second franchise to see two different actors win an Academy Award for portraying the same character, compliments of Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker. (Here’s some trivia answer for you: the first character portrayal to see two different actors win an Academy Award was Vito Corleone by both Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro in The Godfather trilogy.)
The film villains of Batman have many times overshadowed the titular character in their own way, stealing the spotlight and becoming iconic in and of themselves. But, the cinematic saga of Batman is longer than the James Bond franchise, if you include the initial serial productions of Batman (1943). Continuing into this year with the release of The Batman (2022), we’re talking about 79 years of cinematic history, which includes multiple animated movies, collaborative movies (Justice League), and cameo appearances (2016's Suicide Squad).
Thanks to a self-imposed limited scope, there are villains who won’t make the cut, so, before beginning, here are the honorable mentions. Jack Nicholson’s performance as the Joker in Batman (1989) is a classic. It feels almost nothing like Batman fans had seen before, and yet, unlike the comic classic that decades of writers had slowly crafted from a caricature into the maniacal iconic symbol of chaos we know today. This Joker isn’t the best version of the Joker, because Jack Nicholson is really playing Jack Napier, who plays the Joker. This Joker barely has time to establish himself as an archetypal villain before he’s falling to his death. Jack is great, the Joker is not.
Another honorable mention is The Phantasm from the animated Mask of the Phantasm (1993). This murderous villain fits in well within the canon of anti-heroes, doing things in the name of revenge and self-preservation, but ultimately, serving as the anthesis to Batman and Bruce Wayne. The Phantasm, and the person behind the mask, are a catalyst for Bruce to eternally wear the cowl.
The final honorable mention is Ra's al Ghul from Batman Begins (2005), a character who is less intentionally evil, and more methodically and philosophically manipulative. Without Ra's al Ghul, we have no Batman in the Christopher Nolan series.
And so, with those honorable mentions in place, these are the top seven major cinematic Batman villains.
7 Scarecrow - Batman Begins (2005)
If Ra's al Ghul is the spark to create the Batman, then Scarecrow is the introduction of the true evil roots of a classic Batman villain. Portrayed playfully by Cillian Murphy in Batman Begins, Dr. Jonathan Crane/ Scarecrow relishes the villainy of his role within the Falcone crime organization, Arkham Asylum, and the blossoming relationship with Ra's al Ghul, who provides a path to greater aspirations. This version was so delightfully cartoonish in a grounded world, he would return in both sequels in minor roles to show his consistent presence as a rogue in the gallery of Gotham.
6 Joker - The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)
On the surface, it seems easy to dismiss a LEGO version of the Joker, or frankly, any character. But, the team behind The LEGO Batman Movie not only understood what they were doing with the story, but how to use the roads paved before them to build (pun intended) a LEGO movie that was a culmination of stories. Zach Galifianakis works expertly as a mash-up of all previous Joker portrayals. One could make the argument that it is the most faithful to the playful nature of the comics' character. It is equally zany as it is dastardly, in only a way the Joker could be.
5 Catwoman - Batman Returns (1992)
Much like the Phantasm that would come just one year after Batman Returns, this version of Catwoman is more of a femme fatale than just a villain. Michelle Pfeiffer drips charisma as Selina Kyle, and her version of Catwoman is not only successful at what she does (cat burgling, kidnapping, and eventually, murder), but lives to tell another tale, unlike most villains in Batman films.
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4 The Riddler - The Batman (2022)
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No doubt inspired by Heath Ledger’s remarkable performance in The Dark Knight, Paul Dano’s performance of the Riddler in 2022’s The Batman is equally terrifying as it is plausible. It is nearly impossible to differentiate between the authentic real world villainy and the approach, the plan, and the execution of the murderous Riddler. He’s a broken person, deeply disturbed and motivated for his own revenge for a plot only he fully understands. Batman has to use his detective skills to solve the mysteries of the Riddler, only to capture him and entertain a glimpse into his madness. It is the most mentally disturbing Batman villain to grace the big screen.
3 Max Shreck - Batman Returns (1992)
Enter the most controversial take on this list. Max Shreck is the architect behind the villains in Batman Returns. He manipulates the tangible turn on Danny DeVito’s Penguin to villainy (whose campy performance is delightful), and he’s responsible for creating Catwoman, when he attempts to murder Selina Kyle. It's impossible to not enjoy the ride that Christopher Walken takes the audience on, because he is the real villain of the movie. He isn’t psychotic; he’s just a villain with malicious intent. He’s a one-off comic storyline and villain of the week, but one whose actions far outlive his life, and for that, he earns a spot in the top three.
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2 Bane - The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
There has been plenty of discourse over Tom Hardy’s portrayal of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, particularly that of the voice, but that isn’t for debate here. What is up for discussion is how effectively bad Bane is. Let’s do a quick recap. He and his team dramatically destroyed a CIA plane to capture a nuclear technician. They meticulously sabotage a city, spending an unknown amount of time to not only destabilize it metaphorically, but literally, much as he does to Batman himself. He lays siege to the city for five months; destroys infrastructure, the organization of the city and its leaders; readies a neutron bomb to destroy Gotham, and finally induces a riot that kills countless Gothamites, before finally being killed by Catwoman. That’s a successful villain.
1 Joker - The Dark Knight (2008)
The quintessential and obvious choice for the best villain is Heath Ledger’s Joker from The Dark Knight. This version of the Joker may play at him not having a plan, but he does. He is as intelligent as any villain Batman faces, carefully planning each phase of his plan even though he proclaims to operate as chaos. He’s not the dog chasing the car he says he is; he’s the man in the car, speeding dangerously down a street intentionally. He robs a bank, leaving all his accomplices dead. He infiltrates, eliminates, and overtakes the mob, leveraging the power it holds to further accomplish his agenda. He kills Rachel; he destroys Harvey Dent and creates Two-Face. He sets up a classically overcomplicated plan, that Batman foils, and lives to menace another day. His big scheme may have failed, but in a world where Batman and the Nolan version of Gotham exist, he would have persisted as a constant thorn in Batman’s side. He was and is the ultimate villain.