All 8 Batman Movies, Ranked by the Villains
When it comes to beloved superheros, Batman always finds himself towards the top of the list. But behind every great hero are a series of villains to make the action better. In the eight Batman-centric films, many of Batman’s greatest foes were lifted from the page and onto the screen. Some have been so great, like Batman, multiple actors have taken on the part. Some were so iconic, no one could do justice after. And then there’s that one who made Hollywood history with an Academy Award.
From The Joker to The Riddler and Catwoman in between, these villains were so good at being bad. Based on the villains alone, it’s time to rank the Batman films. The criteria here are their impact on the film, their iconic status, and just how evil they may have been. The list may look quite different if we took the entire film into consideration, but for this one, it’s villains only.
8
‘Batman Begins’ (2005)
When Christopher Nolan took charge of the Batman franchise, it was certain that the cartoon feel of the past would be traded out for something darker. Much darker. Starring Christian Bale in the title role, the first installment in this trilogy began with Bruce Wayne’s origin story. From a traumatized orphan into a masked vigilante on a mission to stop the corruption and crime of Gotham City, perhaps the mission of the first Nolan film was to keep the focus on Bale and his interpretation of Batman through mentorship rather than dropping in one of his iconic baddies from the jump.
In this film, Batman uncovers a plot by the film’s antagonists, Ra’s al Ghul (Liam Neeson) and Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy), to contaminate Gotham City’s water supply with a fear toxin, which would plunge the city into utter chaos. Batman Begins isn’t remembered for the villains — it’s all about the atmosphere Nolan implemented and Bale’s emotionally dark approach. Neeson does an extraordinary job at establishing himself as an underrated villain, but even he couldn’t get out of the shadow of Murphy’s Scarecrow. Outside the main antagonists, Batman Begins introduces some other minor villains, including mafia boss Carmine Falcone (Tom Wilkinson), but again, this film focuses on the origin story and world-building atmosphere rather than hero versus villain.
7
‘The Dark Knight Rises’ (2012)
I promise I appreciate the Nolan films! Just wait until the end. Superhero movies thrive best with the hero versus villain dynamic, which isn’t what two-thirds of Nolan’s trilogy does best. These films would snag top spots on a very different list. Nevertheless, the final chapter of The Dark Knight trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises, is set eight years after the events of the previous film. A retired Bruce Wayne is forced to return to his role as Batman as Gotham City is threatened with complete and total destruction at the hands of terrorist Bane (Tom Hardy).
Although this isn’t the first film adaptation of Bane, it’s the most faithful to the comics. Hardy gives a dynamic performance as an intellectual and tactical threat rather than just another strong guy. Nolan’s decision to add such depth to Bane made him one of Batman’s most dangerous and formidable threats. Hardy’s Bane is a terrifying presence, and his voice is what nightmares are made of. On the outskirts, The Dark Knight Rises brings in Talia al Ghul (Marion Cotillard), the daughter of the first film’s central villain, but as great as Cotillard is as a performer, there’s a lack of emotional connection. Perhaps the more topical and controversial terrorist plotline makes the villains a bit too real for those eager for blockbuster escapism.
6
‘Batman & Robin’ (1997)
As a millennial who was big into superheroes (though more Team Marvel), there was something perfect about Batman & Robin. The more colorful interpretation with the film’s central villains set against the darker tones of our hero was a stark and welcome contrast. Plus, many of us found awakenings thanks to Chris O’Donnell‘s Robin and Alicia Silverstone‘s Batgirl. Anyway, the final installment of the original Batman film series, the George Clooney-led film, is remembered for everything except Clooney, one of the most controversial casting decisions for the Batman role. This film was the comics come to life. As the dynamic duo attempt to keep Gotham safe, they face off against a very different dynamic duo, Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman). Both actors dive deep into their roles, giving them a chance to shine on film. They epitomize Batman villains in a way that was accessible. But if you’re looking for depth, it’s probably not here.
Though there are other villains in the film, including the one-dimensional version of Bane (Robert Swenson) as Poison Ivy’s bodyguard, the Rolodex of bad guys overstuffs the film a tad too much. Had they stuck solely on Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy, perhaps this film would have worked better, but the secondary antagonists sadly don’t have enough screen time to make as much of an impact. Even with so much star power, the film was a blockbuster bust, and it took a considerable amount of time for Batman to return to the screen with a completely new direction. Depending on when Batman & Robin entered your life likely indicates your fondness for the film.
5
‘The Batman’ (2022)
There was a major drought of time between the end of the Nolan trilogy and the second reboot of the franchise. While Batman, as a character, did appear in Zack Snyder‘s DC Extended Universe, with Ben Affleck donning the Caped Crusader, Matt Reeves‘ first Batman film is severely underrated. The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson in the leading role, takes a neo-noir crime thriller approach as Bruce Wayne, only two years on the job, investigates a sadistic serial killer known as The Riddler (Paul Dano) who targets Gotham’s corrupt elite. Gotham City’s deep-seated corrupt underworld is exposed as the secrets of the Wayne family come to light.
Rather than a superhero, this interpretation of the character focuses further on the World’s Greatest Detective. And such, the villains had to stray away from cartoonish and become realistic. It was a hard feat, given that the villains included had previously been known for larger-than-life caricatures. Aside from Dano’s terrifying take on an often colorful Riddler, the other big change sees Zoë Kravitz‘s Catwoman play ally to Batman rather than foe, opening up the lane for other villains to emerge. Perhaps the biggest victory from The Batman was Colin Farrell‘s portrayal of Oswald “Oz” Cobb, aka The Penguin. Completely different from the Penguin we’ll talk about soon, Farrell’s portrayal as the mob boss who operated inside Carmine Falcone’s (John Turturro) was so strong that an Emmy Award-winning series was born. The Penguin helped open up this new universe, which has made many devoted fans eager to see where the future leads.
4
‘Batman Forever’ (1995)
Batman Forever became a standalone sequel almost by design. What was hoped to be a flourishing relationship between director Joel Schumacher and Val Kilmer, as Batman, ended up being a one-and-done situation. Keeping in line with some of the comic’s favorite elements, Batman Forever finds Batman hoping to keep his identity a secret while preventing two of Gotham City’s evildoers, The Riddler (Jim Carrey) and Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones), from extracting information from the minds of Gotham City’s residents. And, since we need a romantic subplot, Bruce Wayne has to navigate his feelings for psychologist Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman).
Casting comedian Carrey as the comics’ biggest puzzle-making mastermind inevitably led to an over-the-top performance. Then, plastering Jones’ face in purple prosthetics caused him to match that same energy. It was a far cry from the previous two Tim Burton-influenced films. For those who are loyal to the comics, Carrey and Jones are phenomenal. They play off one another brilliantly while also maintaining that energy of knowing they will be defeated eventually. Perhaps because Two-Face and The Riddler are so iconic, this film is playful and colorful in all the right ways, compared to the slightly deflated sequel.
3
‘Batman’ (1989)
It’s hard to imagine a time when superhero blockbusters weren’t part of the pop culture lexicon. There was certainly a litany of Superman films, but as far as Gotham City’s Cape Crusader, it had been more than three decades since the Adam West film and TV series entertained audiences. Created for a new generation, Batman, the Tim Burton-directed film pits Batman (Michael Keaton) against the greatest villains in Gotham. Hoping to seize control of Gotham’s underworld, The Joker (Jack Nicholson), Batman faces off against his most ruthless nemesis ever. Without Batman, the rest of the films on this list likely would have never been made.
This is where it all began, and it’s quite spectacular. The Joker had always been one of the most iconic antagonists in the DC universe, but Nicholson’s approach as the Clown Prince of Crime was legendary. The good versus evil rivalry between Batman and The Joker has always been instilled as the central storyline, so it was apropos to see them face off in the first film. Keeping the villain-focus set solely on The Joker was a very smart and important decision. Perhaps the most “evil” part about the film is that Nicholson demanded top billing over the actor playing the titular character, but alas, it is Jack Nicholson after all.
2
‘Batman Returns’ (1992)
Thanks to the success of Batman, Tim Burton returned with a sequel that surpassed the original. With the ability to go bigger and bolder, Batman Returns follows Batman into the sewers of the city as he confronts wicked businessman Max Schreck (Christopher Walken) and malformed crime boss The Penguin (Danny DeVito) as they seek to control Gotham City. To complicate the situation, Schreck’s timid assistant Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer) is transformed into Catwoman, teaming up with the bad guys, until the kitten becomes smitten with the bat.
Batman Returns perfectly balances the hero and villain by making them diametrically opposed. In the first film, it was a one-on-one battle. The sequel had to be bigger. The ability to give Walken, DeVito, and Pfeiffer enough room to establish their characters and intertwine in a manner that doesn’t overshadow the other is what many of the other multi-antagonist films lack. DeVito is in his prime as Oswald Cobblepot. His stature may seem like a hindrance, but his delightfully menacing presence is haunting. Walken ends up being a puppet through blackmail, but his overall villainous ambition roots him in reality. Then there is Pfeiffer’s Catwoman, who may have given the best portrayal of the character ever. She’s unpredictable, yet effortlessly mysterious. The trio makes the film one of the best ever.
1
‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
Shall we get it out of the way from the top? Heath Ledger won the Academy Award for his portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight. If that’s not enough of a reason to put The Dark Knight at the top of the list, I don’t know what is! The second in the Nolan trilogy, the film follows Batman as he forms an alliance with police lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) as they seek to dismantle the organized crime plaguing Gotham City. Their mission is swiftly derailed at the end of the anarchist mastermind, The Joker. This film is truly a masterpiece.
The gripping and riveting performance by Ledger gave the character depth that had never been explored before. The closest we’ve ever been to it was through Joaquin Phoenix‘s take on the character, but those films live in their own universe. Ledger gives a highly nuanced performance that made heads turn. The boy-next-door image that made his career was completely shed, opening up what could have been a world of potential to make him one of the greatest actors of his generation. The legacy of the film and Ledger’s performance became the blueprint of future superhero blockbusters. It all gets compared back to The Dark Knight. Films don’t need to focus solely on big, explosive action —audiences do care about depth, character, and plot.
