Matt Reeves is still in the process of his standalone movie of the Dark Knight. The film has had plenty of issues with Ben Affleck initially directing, writing, and starring as the beloved hero. Now it is questionable whether he is in the film at all. With Reeves riding high after his Planet of the Apes trilogy and starting to do some work with the project, the future looks bright for Batman. All that we know is this will be a grounded noir styled film, so we can already make some guesses on who could be the villain. Some of these baddies on the list will be some of Batman’s more grounded villains who could be real criminals and possibly land a role in the upcoming film. However, some of these adversaries are being put on here because they have not appeared in a Batman movie or they were not done justice with their portrayal (I am looking at you Batman & Robin for that terrible Mr. Freeze and everything else about you). Some of these characters are Batman’s most iconic villains, but some will be a bit more obscure. Also, no, Joker will not be on this list since let’s all try to be more creative outside of having Joker as the main villain of every movie.
#10: Catwoman
The relationship between the Cape Crusader and Catwoman are a bit complicated. In many storylines, the two have fallen in love or merely have had sex. Instead of being a full-on antagonist, there is some sexual tension between the two. The relationship along with Catwoman’s skills and gadgets, she would be quite perfect to make for a challenging foe. Seeing a relationship like this with a central villain would make for a unique battle between the sexes. Along with her being one of the most realistic villains in Batman’s catalog of baddies, Catwoman’s chance of being in the next movie is quite high.
#9: Court of Owls
The secret crime organization Court of Owls would make for a challenging foe for Batman by their secrecy and large numbers. Our hero will not be fighting one bad guy, but a whole organization that is set out on destroying him. Besides the Court of Owls themselves, they have some deadly assassins called The Talons who are loyal enough to attempt to kill Batman. If Matt Reeves wants to shine Batman’s detective skills, this would be the perfect villain to do so.
#8: Carmine Falcone
Maybe he is not compelling enough to me since I don’t see Carmine being the main villain of the next film; however, I do think it is plausible. The crime boss is a classic gangster in the Batman universe who would make sense for the type of story that will be told. Seeing the Dark Knight against any gangster would fit perfectly, and Carmine Falcone is high on that list.
#7: Hugo Strange
A brilliant scientist and crime lord who knows Batman’s identity, what could be better? Hugo Strange is a mastermind who can take down Batman in many ways. Even if he is defeated, Hugo can easily go public about who is under the mask of Gotham’s hero. With his experience as a psychologist and his chemical knowledge, he was plenty of ways to fight off his adversary and pose as a problematic villain in the untitled Batman movie.
#6: Professor Pyg
With the rumors of an R rating, Professor Pyg would be perfect. A deranged and brilliant man who wants to make people “perfect” by subjecting them to brutal surgery and chemicals that will alter their body. Out of the many psychotic villains out there, he is one of the most sadistic. Outside of his brutal plans, he is the leader of a crime organization called Circus of Strange. The added element of Batman taking down not just one psychopath, but his whole organization would be an additional challenge for the hero.
#5: Two-Face
While it might be hard to have a better Two-Face than Aaron Eckhart from the Dark Knight, this is a classic villain that could easily make an appearance. The beloved District Attorney turned crime boss is ruthless but has a code he follows. Two-Face flipping the coin to determine someone’s fate is one of the most iconic features from any supervillain. His brilliant mind and ruthless strategy along with being one of the most popular villains in Batman’s massive onslaught of adversaries, I will bet money on this one being in either this upcoming movie or a possible sequel.
#4: Mr. Freeze
Maybe it is pushing it due to his technology and abilities, but Mr. Freeze is one of Batman’s best villains. While many are psychopaths, Mr. Freeze is a sympathetic character. He is a man who wants to find the cure for his wife but must commit crimes to fund his research. If he is done right, and nothing like Arnold’s version, then we can see the most sympathetic antagonist in a Batman movie. Sympathy aside, he is a brilliant and powerful foe with deadly technology that can freeze anyone in his path. Not only will the audience want the best for the iconic supervillain, but to worry for the life of Batman since he will be risking his life to defeat this one.
#3: Poison Ivy
Another unlikely appearance, but seeing Poison Ivy done right on the big screen would be a treat for the biggest fans of the Dark Knight. She has some incredible power due to her plants along with her skills in seduction. The toxins in her blood make her extra deadly along with immunity to many elements such as poisons and viruses. With her pheromones, Ivy is able to control men and women alike. With these abilities to control plants and people, along with her immunities, Batman will have to think hard on how to defeat this deadly foe.
#2: Penguin
If a crime boss is going to be the central villain in this noir Batman story, then who is better than this iconic criminal. Penguin has been featured across video games, movies, comics, and more. This is because Penguin is one of Batman’s most well-known and beloved villains. Just like Two-Face and Falcone, Penguin is one of the easier villains to put into a film adaptation for being one of the more grounded characters. He is a genius in the criminal world on how to manage his organization from both a business standpoint and a ruthless leader. Rumors have already been going around that he is the villain for the upcoming movie that Reeves is directing, so we just need to wait for a reveal to uncover the truth.
#1: Prometheus
Prometheus is the opposite of Bruce Wayne. He is a man whose family were criminals and ended up being killed by the police. Ever since that day he has sworn to destroy the law. What makes him a suitable enemy in a movie is his lack of screen time, but also his power over Batman. He has defeated the Dark Knight twice, something many have failed to do even once. Just like Batman, he is a man with strength, intelligence, gadgets, weapons, and other qualities similar enough to make him able to stand his ground against the Caped Crusader. Anti-Batman is what Prometheus is known as which can create a unique confrontation between our hero and his rival.
Out of the many excellent villains Batman has, these were just some guesses (some of which were somewhat improbable) on who the antagonist will be in the movie that Matt Reeves is directing. The film does not have much information as of yet, so hopefully, something comes out soon. Who are some of your dream villains for this noir-styled Batman flick? Whether it is probable or improbable, there is always a chance.
Header Image via DC Comics
Tristan Zelden 