The Batman by Matt Reeves will certainly not going to be a Batman origin story. It will be more like a villain origin story. There are 2 confirmed villains other than Riddler. Director Matt Reeves at an interview of IGN explained, “The thing about the movie is that it isn’t a Batman origin story, but it is an origin story for every rogue’s gallery character that you come across,” he also revealed. “Selina Kyle is not yet Catwoman and The Penguin is not yet the kingpin.” This movie plot will help Catwoman and the Penguin to develop as future big characters for the sequels.
Batman is considered to be one of the most psychologically complex characters in Comics history and fans are intrigued by this aspect. Fans also consider that Batman’s notorious rogues’ gallery is the most appealing to them. Every antagonist from his comics represents one of the different social disorders in a chaotic manner. DC always sees Batman as one of the most important assets and WB is no exception to having this kind of feeling. That is why there will be 3 different versions of Batman played by three different characters. Nowadays, Batman’s rogues’ gallery is appearing in different DC movies as the primary villain. Killer Croc, Black Mask, Harley Quinn, Dead Shot have all appeared without fighting against Batman on the big screen. Among all these, Joker stands above all these villains. DC is always considered to be best in the case of having complex layered villains in their arsenal. This article will address the villains who have not been featured in the modern movie adaptations of Batman comics.
Killer Croc
WaylonJones was born with a rare scaly skin condition and was relentlessly abused. He ended up becoming a murdering psychopathic cannibal. He was not able to get social acceptance. By letting his condition dictate his life, Croc had transformed himself into a truly scary character with superhuman strength in Gotham City.
However, in his on-screen debut in The Suicide Squad (2016) film, Killer Croc’s origin story was missing. Some believe that his comic book origin story was the true inspiration for Tim Burton’s Penguin in Batman Returns. In the 2016 version of The Suicide Squad, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje portrayed the role of Killer Croc but he did not return in the sequel. Fans are expecting to see more of this character.
Black Mask
Ewan McGregor’s Roman Sionis has already appeared as the main antagonist in DCEU’s Birds of Prey. Black Mask’s origin is quite similar to Bruce Wayne’s origin story. Roman Sionis aka Black Mask cared more about their social standing than his well-being. He was obsessed with the idea of masks. After killing his parents, Roman Sionis inherited the family fortune. He took the opportunity to forge a new identity as a leader of Gotham’s crime world. Though Black Mask has already appeared in DCEU, he still can recast in the Matt Reeves’ Batman universe.
Clayface
For Batman, Clayface is a mud monster with the ability to reshape his body. He can turn his limbs into a menagerie of weapons, look like anyone he chooses, and render nearly all forms of physical attack useless by melting.
Clayface first appeared as a compelling enemy in the ’40s. However, the most tragic version of the character comes from the legendary series of the 90s called, Batman: The Animated Series. Clayface is the only shape-shifting villain in the Batman comics. New onscreen adaptations of Batman can introduce this character in a different way.
Poison Ivy
Uma Thurman appeared as Poison Ivy in 1997’s Batman & Robin. There are also some other actors who have played this role in other TV series. Poison Ivy is one of the most iconic Batman villains in the comics and DC’s animated movies.
After being forced to consume or was injected with (depending on the different origin stories) a poisonous plant, she grows into the ravenous Poison Ivy. She is obsessed with protecting the planet’s plant life and can manipulate anyone with her kiss.
Deathstroke
According to many fans, Deadpool of Marvel comics is actually copied from DC’s Deathstroke. But Deathstroke is not properly used yet in DC’s films. Deathstroke started his career as a Teen Titans villain. Deathstroke has now become a Batman villain after the Batman: Arkham Origins. He is one of the few fighters who can challenge Batman in combat at a similar level. He had also won against Batman multiple times.
Slade Wilson, the subject of a failed super-soldier project, turned himself into the world’s greatest assassin in the DC universe. Sometimes, Deathstroke’s tactical abilities outclass Batman’s intellectual level. Joe Manganiello portrayed Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke in the DC Extended Universe while Zack Snyder was involved in DC’s Justice League projects. Now, Snyder is gone and Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke is in jeopardy. He has the potential to become a big villain in upcoming Batman projects.
Mr. Freeze
Victor Fries aka Mr. Freeze is not a cold-blooded killer but he is always considered to be one of the most tragic Batman villains. Mr. Freeze always cared about saving his sick wife, Nora. The gifted scientist Victor Fries’s wife contracted a rare terminal illness, and he was forced to put her into cryostasis. Gotham’s corruption led Fries to be villainous Mr. Freeze. He used his own technology to punish all the people of Gotham.
Mr. Freeze is just a desperate man trying to get his wife back by any means, even if that means fighting Batman. Mr. Freeze who was portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared in the 1997 film, Batman & Robin. Matt Reeves in a recent interview expressed his eagerness to introduce Mr. Freeze in The Batman’s sequel.
Hugo Strange
One of Batman’s earliest adversaries, Hugo Strange made his debut in 1940’s Detective Comics issue no. 36. Strange’s origin story is a mystery. He just appeared on the scene and started creating problems from day one. He had become an iconic foe for his appearances in the comics, games, and even TV shows.
He is insane, but he is also incredibly smart, being one of the few to surmise Batman’s secret identity. Batman recognized Hugo Strange by calling this villain the most dangerous man in the world. Any live-action adaptation of Hugo Strange has yet not been tried by any filmmaker. DC has a perfect opportunity to introduce him to non-comic book readers.
Bane
Bane is the pinnacle of physical and mental criminality and had given Batman a hard time many times. Bane spent his youth killing people using a knife concealed in a teddy bear. He nearly died from an experimental super-soldier program that hooked him on Venom. Bane escaped from his confinements and set his sights on Gotham’s crime world.
Bane is not only a titan of a metahuman but he also is a strategic and tactical genius. This is how he was able to infamously defeat Batman and break his back in comics and Dark Knight Returns film. Bane has evolved into one of the deadliest DC villains ever created in recent years. Bane has appeared on the screen twice. Tom Hardy’s Bane is the most iconic version between them. Bane has a high probability to appear once again in any upcoming DC projects.
Two-Face
Harvey Dent was once called the White Knight of Gotham. The tragic fate of Harvey Dent becoming Two-Face was portrayed excellently in Nolan’s Dark Knight. He was once the city’s righteous crime-fighting District Attorney. He shook the foundation of Gotham’s crime world. He became horrifically disfigured after a vindictive mob boss threw acid on his face. His already split personality transformed him into Two-Face: a man obsessed with duality and chance via a coin flip.
Due to the unpredictability of his coin, Batman finds it difficult how the villain will act. Representing both the best and worst of Gotham, Two-Face and Batman are considered to be the two sides of the same coin. Billy Dee Williams played the role of Harvey Dent in Tim Burton‘s 1989 film Batman. Tommy Lee Jones portrayed the role of Two-Face in the 1995 film Batman Forever. Aaron Eckhart’s Harvey Dent version of The Dark Knight received the best character arc. Matt Reeves’ The Batman has not confirmed the character’s appearance yet. But Batman without Harvey Dent does not sound appealing to the fans.
Court of Owls
The Court of Owls is an organized crime group and secret society made up of wealthy Gotham citizens. They had secretly existed since colonial times in Gotham City. The Court kidnaps child performers from the circus to train and transform them into their assassins, known as Talons, which first appeared in Batman comics in 2011. The Court of Owls had expanded internationally and is now referred to as the Parliament of Owls. Many fans are guessing that Court of Owls will have the perfect opportunity to appear in any of Matt Reeves’ The Batman sequels.
Hush
Dr. Thomas Elliot aka Hush is a supervillain from DC Comics. Hush first appeared in Batman issue no. 609 in January 2003. He drew the fans’ attention in the 12-issue storyline “Batman: Hush“. He was created by Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee. A former friend of Bruce Wayne, the character serves as a criminal foil personality to him. Thomas Elliot is a surgeon who studied at Harvard University. He always had a jealous feeling towards Bruce. He with the help of Riddler tried to destroy the life of Bruce. He is one of the few villains who knows Batman’s true identity. Hush is one of Batman’s complex antagonists like Joker and He is a master in manipulating other characters with his no superhuman strength. Hush has not appeared in any Batman films but fans are desiring this fictional character on screen.
Ra’s Al Ghul
Ra’s Al Ghul operates his crime kingdom on a whole other level. Ra’s Al Ghul is a super-intelligent, mystical international assassin. Ra is a man with sick psychology. He respects Batman, so much so he is constantly trying to convince the Caped Crusader to succeed him as the leader of the League of Assassins and marry his daughter: Talia Al Ghul. Liam Neeson’s Ra’s Al Ghul rose in popularity due to Batman Begins.
Joker
Joker is everything Batman is and isn’t. They are both broken minds, victims of their harsh lives who see Gotham as broken. Joker sees crimes in Gotham as a hilarious joke that’s earned his chaos and destruction.
Joker and Batman have been rivals for many decades going back to the 1940s. Joaquin Phoenix and Heath Ledger both have taken Joker to a new height. Joker has a more sensitive character to play. Without Joker, Batman is nothing. DCEU has already introduced different versions of Joker through movies.
The Movie Culture Synopsis
There is no denying that Batman has the best rogues gallery in the comics books’ history. Batman has no superpower and most of his villains have the same feature too. For a long time, different directors have presented their version of Batman in many different ways.
Matt Reeves may introduce Batman with the Batman’s antagonists’ origins. Fans always welcome the positive experiments with Batman and they have faith in Matt Reeves’ vision.
