Batman's Onscreen Villains: 10 Greats From the Joker to Bane

Bane

Bane literally “broke the Bat” in the classic 1990s Knightfall comic book storyline, when he broke Batman’s back and took over the Gotham underworld. The character is enhanced with a super-steroid and gifted with a brilliant mind, and he knows Batman's secret identity to boot. Tom Hardy brings the brutal villain to life in The Dark Knight Rises.

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Catwoman

Is Catwoman friend or foe? That depends on what suits her interests. Anne Hathaway dons the suit for Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. The actress described the suit as a “psychological terrorist" because of the extreme physical regimen she had to maintain to fit into the costume.

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The Joker

No matter the media, the Joker remains Batman’s greatest nemesis. On film, Jack Nicholson’s Joker set the bar for villainy in Batman. Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning turn as the Joker saw the character orchestrate the shocking murder of Bruce Wayne’s love, Rachel Dawes.

In comics, the psychotic clown killed Batman sidekick Robin by beating him with a crowbar and blowing him up. Both deaths hit Batman harder than anything since his parents were gunned down. 

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Mr. Freeze

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s turn as Mr. Freeze is still alive and well on YouTube, where countless videos mock his pun-filled performance in Batman & Robin. But despite the villain’s lackluster big-screen treatment, comic book fans regard Mr. Freeze as an essential baddie in Batman’s rogues gallery.

An expert in all things cold, Mr. Freeze went a little nuts after his wife, Nora, became terminally ill. He responded by unleashing his freeze gun on Gotham. 

The Penguin

Played by Burgess Meredith in the 1960s TV series and Danny DeVito in Batman Returns, the Penguin’s love of birds defines the villain, who at first glance is far from intimidating. But add in his high-tech umbrellas and love of schemes, and you’ve got a bona fide match for the Dark Knight.

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Poison Ivy

Seductively played by Uma Thurman in Batman & Robin, Poison Ivy’s blood is as toxic as her scent is enticing. She is obsessed with plants and a militant environmentalist who uses plant toxins to further her cause.

Scarecrow

In the comics, creepily thin Jonathan Crane once managed to pump Batman full of fear gas, rendering him helpless with crippling paranoia. In Batman Begins, Cillian Murphy puts a much more handsome face on the classic villain and did the character proud by striking fear into the hearts of Batman and mob bosses alike.

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Two-Face

First played by Tommy Lee Jones (Batman Forever) and more recently by Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight), Two-Face is former Gotham District Attorney Harvey Dent. Once among Batman’s friends, Dent becomes twisted after an accident mangles the left side of his face. He's also got a thing for coin tosses (don't ask).

Ra's Al Ghul

Long a staple of the comic books, Ra's Al Ghul was introduced to a wide audience with Liam Neeson’s take on the character in Batman Begins. Ra’s hobbies include immortality, thanks to help from his Lazarus Pit, which can resurrect people from the dead. The villain routinely threatens the global population as part of his belief that large numbers of people need to die to restore the Earth’s natural order.

Riddler

Edward Nigma likes riddles to an unhealthy degree, which is why there’s no one better suited for testing Batman’s detective skills. Played by Jim Carrey in Batman Forever, fans speculated the colorful villain would get new life in The Dark Knight Rises. It wasn’t true. It appears Christopher Nolan’s casting process remains one riddle fans can’t crack.