Which Bat-villain should star in a “Dark Knight” sequel?
Posted on July 22, 2008 @ 5:38 pm
As we all know, the success of any superhero flick has as much to do with the villains as the good guys. So, with The Dark Knight setting box office records around the world, which of his many foes should Batman face off against in the inevitable follow-up? Let’s take a look at the Caped Crusader’s rogues gallery and get an idea of which characters might work in a Dark Knight sequel…and which characters might not. Feel free to offer your picks (as well as casting ideas) in the comments section.
Warning: Minor spoilers for The Dark Knight ahead!
Catwoman
Why she’s the right choice: After seeing The Dark Knight, I can only assume that any sequel will need a new female lead. Who better than Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman, to fill that role? She’s one of Batman’s oldest and most established foes — not to mention a potential love interest for the Caped Crusader.
Except: Scriptwriter David Goyer expressed a lack of enthusiasm about Catwoman in some pre-Dark Knight interviews. Plus, with Halle Berry’s Catwoman debacle still fresh in moviegoers’ minds, will Warner Bros. be interested in going down that road again so soon?
Hugo Strange
Why he’s the right choice: In the comics, Hugo Strange was one of Batman’s first recurring villains (predating, in fact, every other character on this list). I’d argue there’s potential in a movie version of Strange based on his portrayal as Arkham Asylum’s Batman-obsessed Chief Psychologist in The Batman. In past stories, Hugo Strange has used his training as a psychologist to deduce Batman’s secret identity, which would certainly raise the stakes in a Dark Knight sequel.
Except: Compared to many characters on this list, Hugo Strange is perhaps too unfamiliar to casual fans. That being said, Ra’s al Ghul was fairly obscure, too — until he appeared in Batman Begins.
The Riddler
Why he’s the right choice: As one of the more prominent members of Batman’s rogues gallery, Riddler’s convoluted crime sprees put the Dark Knight’s intellect — as opposed to his physical prowess or high-tech gadgetry — to the test. Featuring the Riddler as the next film’s villain would give Batman a chance to live up to his reputation as the World’s Greatest Detective.
Except: While Riddler is certainly a more cerebral foe than most other Bat-villains, his traditional portrayal as a giggling madman in a question-mark suit (favored by Frank Gorshin in 1960s television series and Jim Carrey in Batman Forever) might not fit with the more serious tone set by Nolan’s Bat-films. That being said, I could see the Riddler “reimagined” as a Se7en-esque serial killer with a deep-seated compulsion to leave behind clues that ultimately lead to his own capture.
Harley Quinn
Why she’s the right choice: First introduced in Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn is the Joker’s much put-upon Girl Friday. A film version of Harley — perhaps a psychiatrist driven mad by her obsession with the Joker after his chaotic appearance in Gotham — could seek revenge against the Batman for incarcerating her beloved “Mister J.” Harley Quinn would not only add a much-needed female presence to the Dark Knight sequel, but also inject a little madcap humor into the franchise.
Except: Unfortunately, Harley Quinn’s presence in there Dark Knight sequel would only underscore the absence of Heath Ledger as the Joker.
The Ventriloquist
Why she’s the right choice: You want twisted? How about a seemingly mild-mannered guy who plans and commits crimes through his domineering ventriloquist dummy, a self-styled 1920s gangster nicknamed Scarface? The whole “multiple personality” angle could make for a fascinating storyline as we witness Scarface moving up through the ranks to become the new boss of Gotham City’s criminal underworld.
Except: The Ventriloquist is a character who worked incredibly well on Batman: The Animated Series, but I have a feeling that any live-action version of the character would come across as totally corny.
The Penguin
Why he’s the right choice: Forget the bizarre sewer mutant portrayed by Danny DeVito in Batman Returns. The Penguin is a high-society criminal — a mobster with a penchant for trick umbrellas. In recent years, he has been portrayed in the comics as the owner of a nightclub (the Iceberg Lounge) and a source of information on the Gotham City underworld.
Except: Like Catwoman, scriptwriter David Goyer has also expressed reluctance to include the Penguin in the Dark Knight sequel. If an appearance as the villain in the Dark Knight sequel is out of the question, perhaps a small role as an informant could work.
Talia al Ghul
Why she’s the right choice: Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter Talia has long been a fixture in the comics — typically portrayed as a love interest for Batman, torn between her attraction to the Caped Crusader and her devotion to her father. Again, the next film needs a female presence , and a “Batman falls in love with the daughter of one of his greatest enemies” subplot certainly opens up intriguing storytelling possibilities.
Except: It could prove difficult to incorporate Talia al Ghul into a Dark Knight sequel without resurrecting her father, as well. Of course, this is a good time to remember the cardinal rule of comic book deaths: if we didn’t see the corpse, Ra’s al Ghul probably isn’t dead.
Mr. Freeze
Why he’s the right choice: With his terminally-ill wife trapped in a cryogenic deep-freeze while he searches for a cure for her condition, Mr. Freeze could certain bring pathos to a Dark Knight sequel. Furthermore, Mr. Freeze’s ice gun presents an excellent opportunity to run wild with special effects as he battles Batman.
Except: A dude with a freeze ray and a refrigeration suit? That’s a little hard to swallow in the context of Nolan’s more down-to-earth interpretation of the Batman mythos. Besides, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s performance in Batman & Robin still hangs around the character’s neck like a frozen albatross. “Ice to see you!”
Poison Ivy
Why she’s the right choice: As noted, the Batman films are in need of more female characters, and Poison Ivy could certainly fill that void. I’d love to see Tilda Swinton step into the role, discarding the bad Mae West impression Uma Thurman adopted for the character in Batman & Robin and instead playing Ivy as a truly sinister foe for the Batman.
Except: She appeared in Batman & Robin (never a good thing). Furthermore, her ability to telepathically control plants stretches a bit beyond the realm of believability. That being said, a more realistic turn as a plant-loving eco-terrorist could strike the right tone for a Dark Knight sequel.
Killer Croc
Why he’s the right choice: He’s big. He’s strong. He’s certainly a physical threat to Batman.
Except: He’s a crocodile/human hybrid. That’s a bit of a stretch for the more realistic vibe Nolan has pursued in the first two Nolan films. It would take a serious revamping to make Croc work in a Dark Knight sequel. Maybe a low-level thug with filed-down teeth and a bad skin condition?
Hush
Why he’s the right choice: A relatively new addition to the Batman mythos, Hush is Dr. Thomas Elliot — once Bruce Wayne’s childhood friend, now his bitter enemy. Unlike most other villains included in this list, Hush is dedicated not to defeating the Batman, but rather to destroying Bruce Wayne’s life. It’s a unique twist that, coupled with Hush’s striking visuals (the character is portrayed in the comics with a trenchcoat and bandaged face), could translate quite well to a Dark Knight sequel.
Except: He’s a rather obscure character who’s never been adapted to any medium outside of the Batman comics. That being said, the audience’s lack of familiarity with Hush gives the filmmakers a blank slate to tweak the character as they sees fit.
Bane
Why he’s the right choice: Batman & Robin dropped the ball in its portrayal of the muscle-bound Bane. Big surprise, right? Not only is Bane Batman’s physical superior, he’s also a cunning, intelligent foe — not some lumbering oaf that can barely string together a sentence. His strength enhanced by the drug Venom, Bane even managed to break Batman’s back during the “Knightfall” storyline of the early 1990s. Playing up the Venom angle, a reimagined film version of Bane could be responsible for spreading a dangerous new drug to Gotham City…requiring Batman to intercede.
Except: Visually, Bane would need to be toned down somewhat to fit into a Dark Knight sequel. Muscles on top of muscles, squeezed into singlet, and topped off with a mask that’s one part luchador and one fetish gear might be a little hard to reconcile. Also, like Poison Ivy and Mr. Freeze, the Batman & Robin taint still lingers on Bane eleven years later.
The Mad Hatter
Why he’s the right choice: Batman: The Animated Series worked wonders with its dark portrayal of this second-tier Bat-villain. Jervis Tetch is a brilliant neural engineer who develops sophisticated mind-control technology and puts it to use for his own gain. Taking a cue from Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland novels, he dubs himself the Mad Hatter and embarks on a life of crime.
Except: While there’s an inherent creepiness to a guy with mind control powers and an obsession with Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter would likely feel out of place in Nolan’s grittier Gotham City. I suspect he’s the kind of character who just wouldn’t work in live action. Then again, is he really any sillier than the Scarecrow?
Man-Bat
Why he’s the right choice: In terms of action-packed setpieces, what could top seeing Batman locked in aerial combat with Dr. Kirk Langstrom, the monstrous Man-Bat, high above the streets of Gotham City?
Except: Same deal as Killer Croc — how do you work a bat/human hybrid into what’s been a somewhat realistic crime drama to this point?
Clayface
Why he’s the right choice: With his shapeshifting powers, Clayface is one of Batman’s most visually-compelling foes.
Except: Clayface is also one of Batman’s most far-fetched foes. Based on the tone set by Nolan in his first two Batman films, I can’t imagine Clayface fitting into the franchise (unless he’s revamped virtually beyond recognition).
Holiday
Why he’s the right choice: Considering the focus on Gotham City’s organized crime families thus far in Nolan’s Batman films, a mysterious figure who murders a series of mafiosi over the course of a year — striking each time on a different holiday — could fit right in with the franchise’s tone. Moreover, Holiday would present an opportunity for Batman to play detective as he attempts to deduce the killer’s identity.
Except: Having appeared only in the Jeph Loeb’s Batman: The Long Halloween, Holiday is another low-profile Bat-villain, unfamiliar to most moviegoers. Plus, it would be difficult to build and maintain suspense in a narrative stretched out over the course of an entire year.
Lex Luthor
Why he’s the right choice: In the comics these days, Lex Luthor is no longer portrayed as a mad scientist intent on taking over the world. Instead, he’s one of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful men. In turn, Luthor in a position to serve as a worthy adversary to both Batman and Bruce Wayne.
Except: He’s Superman’s archenemy. As much fun as it might be watching LexCorp and Wayne Enterprises face off on the big screen, inserting Luthor into the Batman franchise also risks contamination via a possible Brandon Routh cameo. And that’s the last thing we want, right?
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I was thinking along similar lines after seeing The Dark Knight, but alas my relative unfamiliarity with Batman villains left me a few examples short of a blog post.
There are a dozen reasons not to make one, but I’d totally watch a World’s Finest movie.
I’ve never even heard of Holiday. Is he the new Calendar Man? Heyyy, now there’s an idea. Calendar Man and Signalman! That is, if Crazy-Quilt and the Ten-Eyed Man are too busy.
But really, it may be high time for yet another take on Catwoman — and maybe mix Talia in there as well. Who cares if her parents are dead? Bruce can relate.
am I the only one who feels harvey dent got cheated a bit? that just seems like an awfully quick way to be done with this villain.
http://www.afterellen.com/blog/stuntdouble/supervillainesses-wed-like-to-see-on-screen
Here are some more suggestions for female villains… they’d be pretty kick ass I think.
Tilda Swinton as Poison Ivy? Hadn’t considered it, but I’d be much more *interested* in seeing Christina Hendricks (Firefly, Mad Men) *fill* the role.
My vote goes to the Riddler. It’d be great to see Talia as well. No Catwoman, though.
The Batman animated movie that just came out ties together some of the events between “Batman Begins” and “Dark Knight”, and it has Killer Croc in it…so technically he’s there if they want to use him.
Though strangely I can’t remember if they killed him off in that or not. Oh yeah, and I agree that they killed off Dent WAY too fast.
You know, I’d actually like to see _Batman: The Dark Knight Returns_ made into a movie. We’d see Superman, then, as a “Bat-villain” of sorts. The Joker also plays a prominent role, but with the story taking place during Bruce Wayne’s golden years, Heath Ledger’s death wouldn’t be a factor at least in terms of the “Darrin Syndrome.” TDK actually sets up this conflict by establishing Batman as Gotham’s main outlaw at the end of the movie. Still, the problem would be when to release the movie–after Bale and Nolan lose interest in the franchise, or when Batman’s fresh in everyone’s minds?
@Mokalus: For what it’s worth, Wikipedia offers an exhaustive list of Batman’s foes. It was a handy to resource to go back and see who I missed after my first draft (somehow, I totally blanked on Bane).
@buttler: Holiday (a.k.a. the Holiday Killer) shares his M.O. with the Calendar Man, but they’re separate characters. So far, Holiday has only appeared in Jeph Loeb’s The Long Halloween miniseries. Crazy Quilt is my all-time favorite; I remember seeing him in an issue of DC’s Who’s Who as a kid and thinking, “This character can’t be for real, can he?”
@Patricia: I agree on Two-Face. The Dark Knight did an excellent job setting up Harvey Dent, but his time as Two-Face felt a bit rushed. I was going into the film assuming they were going to save Two-Face for the sequel. Oh, well…
@Geoff: I haven’t been watching Mad Men, but it wasn’t until I read your post that I realized the woman I’d been seeing in all the ads was Saffron from Firefly.
@Sean: Speaking of the Gotham Knight animated film, I guess I should have included Deadshot in the list…
@Babs: I’d love to see a film adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns as well. Part of me thinks it’s only a matter of time before Hollywood decides to go down that road; the storyline of an aged Batman coming out of retirement is just too good to pass up. Whether it’s five years from now or twenty is the big question. Speaking of aged Batman, I’d even be cool with a Batman Beyond film once Bale and Nolan move on to greener pastures. Could be fun…
the main villain should be the riddler, re-imagined into a mob hired hitman with a penchance for leaving twisted clues behind for his own amusement. also to infuse more estrogen place both selina kyle and talia al ghul. while selina falls for bruce wayne talia could fall for batman. with selina’s night prowler at odds with batman, and talia’s revenge on bruce wayne as her focus. that would be quite love triangle. they should also incorporate background foes such as the penguin as a foreign mafioso in gotham and harlene quinzele(aka harley quinn) as the new head of staff at arkham.
I’m with Babs. Dark Knight Returns would be so badass. I’d think that with the success of Sin City and 300, Hollywood would be all over another Frank Miller script. I don’t think the Dolan/Bale combo would work so well for that though. I could see Robert Rodriguez directing and shooting entirely in greenscreen and perhaps Mickey Roarke as the aged and grizzled Batman.
I’m going to have to go re-read that now.
A little further thought brings me to William H. Macy as the Riddler and Brent Spiner as the Penguin (look at a recent white-haired Spiner photo).
My vote is for Catwoman as a side plot/possible love interest, and the Black Mask being the main villain, with perhaps a David Tennant (the current Doctor Who) as his #2 man.
I think the next villains are going to be either Black Mask or Bane. Black Mask and Bane can step in from the power vacuum the Joker created. Those are the likely choices.
As for Penguin, Chris Nolan said that character does not interest him, and would be difficult to bring to the big screen.
Nolan also said, he wants to ground his version of batman in the real world–so, no new supernatural/fantastical villains for awhile. Sorry, no mr.freeze, clayface, etc.
As for Robin/Batgirl….NO! As soon as they introduce kids/teen sidekicks the movie franchise will inevitably become cheesy. The only reason why Robin/Batgirl even existed was for corporations to get kids to buy comic-related merchandise.
Now, you see, you’re forgetting some of the most jawdroppingly dramatic villains in the Batman universe. Egghead, for instance, however, as Vincent Price is no longer with us, we’d probably have to cast someone new. Vin Diesel perhaps. And who could forget the Puzzler or King Tut?
I agree that The Hatter would be spiffy, as To Dream in Darkness and Mad as a Hatter were two of the best animated series episodes. I’d probably cast Laurence Fishburn in that role.
If Bane were to grace the re-imagined Gotham, my vote goes to Steve Buscemi. “I’ve *&^$@! beaten you. Now I will *&^%#@ BREAK you!”
Bringing in Poison Ivy? You’d need someone with the acting prowess to match previous villains in the films played by Neeson and Ledger. My vote goes to Dame Judie Dench. Why not Maggie Smith, you ask? Simple: She’ll be playing Catwoman.
I think everyone is too harsh on Batgirl and Robin. Now, if the next flick had Batman injured (by Steve Buscemi’s Bane, perhaps?) then we’d need someone to step in and fill the role. Yeah, you could bring in Jean Paul Valley and do the whole Azrael thing, (played with all the necessary gravitas by Jack Black) but what would be cooler would be having Robin (Dane Cook) competing with Batgirl (Alexis Bledel) to see who could fill the role! As a Dark Knight sequel, it could be the “Second Summer of the Traveling Batsuit!”
Other casting ideas:
Harvey Keitel - Killer Croc
Larry the Cable Guy - Clayface
And Will Smith as…well, Will Smith as anyone, because, he makes movies golden! Will Smith as Harley Quinn? Why the heck not? It’s like printing money!
I’d pick Riddler, but have him re-invented as a special detective who uses questionable techniques to help the police catch Batman. Eventually, he’d cross the line, but that’s all the more fun.
My other pick was the Ventriloquist too, if only for a small role. At the very least, I want to see some guy in Arkham talking through a sock puppet.
The Riddler,by far.
So far we’ve seen the origin story develop his intense passion,, his devotion to staying in peak physical shape and his penchance for gadgetry…but not his detective skills. The Riddler provides the perfect opportunity force this incarnation of Batman to hone those detective skills, rounding out the skill set that makes Batman Batman.
And with your worries about his “classic” look…In Nolan you should trust. Look at what he did with The Joker.
I vote strongly, very strongly, for the Riddler.
I’d love to see Poison Ivy or The Riddler.
Mr. Freeze would also be amazing, but only if they stretched out the episode Heart of Ice from the animated series into a 2 1/2 hour movie.
Harley Quinn would be ideal, but sadly they can’t do that now because Heath’s death. Personally I just wanted to see Zooey Deschanel in the Harley Quinn costume.
As a Batman and Lost fan, though, I’d love to see Michael Emerson take on the role of The Riddler.
@Evil Doug: Best comment ever.
@Daniel Louden: Outstanding casting ideas! I could totally see both Zooey Deschanel as Harley and Michael Emerson as the Riddler.
You know, the more I think about it, the more I’m starting to believe that Hugo Strange could actually work in a Dark Knight sequel. Perhaps Strange could be a criminal psychologist brought in by the Gotham City PD to help capture Batman. Along the way, he deduces Batman’s secret identity…
That pic from your “Wanted” review a little further down the page had me thinking…how about Angelina Jolie as Catwoman?
So have you heard the rumors Coleman Reese (the guy who threatened to blackmail Bruce Wayne in the Dark Knight) might show up in the sequel as the Riddler?
Mr. Reese = “Mister-ees” = Mysteries = the Riddler?
And do you think there’s any chance Two-Face’s death was a swerve and he might be back for the sequel?
Great list man.
By the by, has anyone sent you this link yet? Great minds thinking alike and all that.
http://www.hobotrashcan.com/murphyslaw/
@Stephen - I missed that connection in the movies. That’s a great posibility, but wouldn’t it be a big faux pas to change Riddler’s name from Edward Nigma?
My vote goes strongly to Riddler as well. As for who plays him I think Johnny Depp would do an amazing job he has that kind of twisted sense of humor. What do you all think?
@Stephen
That would be awesome–and it would explain Reese surviving and not giving away Batmans identity, since The Riddler actually figured out his identity, but refuses to share it with anyone, believing himself to be tres cool as one of 4 people on the planet who know it’s Bruce Wayne.
Plus, I’m a huge fan of giving unknown actors big breaks like that–a huge faux pas in the third X-Men movie to give Beast to Kelsey Grammer instead of that guy who was on the TV for 2 seconds in X Men 2.
No mention of a villain like Deadshot? He could be a pretty decent choice for a sequel to dark knight. He’s very realistic to begin with, using sophisticated firearms as a hitman for the mob.
What about a Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Talia al Ghul, team up?
That would give Batman a lot more than he can handle!
I know you’ve stated that Nolan has consistently taken a more realistic approach to his villains, Man-Bat would be cool and give the movies a chance for C-G-I in the movie. Downside is that he’s just too unrealistic for the Nolan interpretations. Hugo Strange for me would be really fulfilling as a villain to test his detective skills. Unfortunately, the possibility of a person discovering his identity was discredited by Freeman in the line “and your plan is to blackmail this person?” so the idea of Hugo would be killed but for Reese to come back as the Riddler would fit well already knowing who Batman was, although E. Nygma was a great name for him but I guess Reese could don the persona. I guess any villain would be cool as long as Nolan continues to cast fantastic actors for the characters and keep them as wonderfully interpreted as he has.
These are lesser known villains but what about Lew Moxon and The Wrath?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lew_Moxon
Moxon is most famous for hiring Joe Chill to murder young Bruce Wayne’s parents (in early versions of Batman’s origin story), thus making him indirectly responsible for Batman’s existence.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrath_(comics)
The Wrath served as a sort of anti-Batman. The Wrath’s appearance and motivation are reminiscent of Batman’s, but with notable differences. The Wrath (like Batman) is distinguished by perfectionism and obsession in what he does. His costume is also very similar to Batman’s (though colored in crimson and purple with a W-insignia on the chest and cowl). The Wrath’s parents were a couple of burglars, similar to Joe Chill. They were shot by a young policeman who mistook them for committing a robbery. Due to this, the Wrath dedicated his life to a campaign of revenge against law and law-enforcers. When the Wrath finally returns to Gotham City, he comes to kill the man who had shot his parents. The Wrath’s target turns out to be James Gordon, commissioner of the Gotham City Police and an ally of Batman.
If Batman is ever to escape the label of being a murderer in the Nolan Universe, then the character of The Wrath can assist in the police believing that it was The Wrath who committed the murders in “The Dark Knight”
I think having these two characters, along with the return of Joker or Two-face could definitly form a great script based around the theme of “revenge”.