Whether new to the big screen or cinematic veterans, these are the Batman villains who deserve a great movie.
CLAYFACE
Clayface is a villain who works on multiple levels. He's poses a major physical challenge, given that he's basically a super-strong mud monster. His ability to transform and shape-shift also makes him a difficult opponent to track and enables him to impersonate those closest to Batman. And Clayface is among Batman's more sympathetic villains. While there have been many incarnations of the character, all are linked by the fact that they lost their humanity once they transformed into Clayface. These qualities make for a Bat-villain with a huge amount of big screen potential.
THE COURT OF OWLS
The Court of Owls is a relatively recent addition to the Batman mythos, but one that has quickly taken on a life of its own. These shadowy villains operate in secret, quietly manipulating the course of life in Gotham City so subtly that even Batman wasn't aware of their existence for many years. We'd love to see that conspiracy play out in a movie, especially if it allows the filmmakers to explore the rich and very sinister history of Gotham City in the process.
DEATHSTROKE
Anyone who's watched DC shows like Arrow or Teen Titans knows what a great villain Slade Wilson is. It's high time this genetically engineered master assassin got his due on the big screen. For a while, it seemed as though that was in the cards, with actor Joe Manganiello slated to take on the role in The Batman. But with the ongoing turmoil on that project resulting in a new script and a new director, it's unclear whether Deathstroke or Manganiello will still be making their DCEU debuts.
DOCTOR HURT
Doctor William Hurt is one of the more surreal and unusual villains to be added to Batman's rogues gallery in recent years. He originally claimed to be Thomas Wayne himself, though it was eventually revealed that he's actually a distant ancestor of the Waynes who became possessed by a demonic creature called Barbatos. Long story. But the point is that Hurt could make for a great antagonist in a more psychedelic and horror-oriented Batman movie.
HUGO STRANGE
Twisted psychiatrist Hugo Strange is one of the few adversaries intelligent enough to match wits with the Caped Crusaders. In some incarnations, Strange is even Batman's physical peer. But for whatever reason, he's a character that's largely been ignored in Batman's multimedia adventures. But between his prominent role in the video game Arkham City and the Gotham TV series, we're hoping Strange's film debut isn't far off.
HUSH
Many of Batman's greatest villains are dark mirrors of the Dark Knight himself. Hush takes that more literally than most, as this gifted surgeon has altered his own face to resemble that of his childhood friend. Hush is driven by latent jealousy of Bruce Wayne's wealth and prestige, and he's shown an ability to manipulate both Batman and his fellow villains in order to get what he wants. We think an adaptation of the original "Hush" storyline would make for a great Batman movie.
LADY SHIVA
Sorry, Batman fans, but Lady Shiva holds claim to the title of greatest martial artist in the DC Universe. Shiva has devoted her life to travelling the world and challenging every worthy fighter whose path she crosses. Needless to say, she almost always walks away underwhelmed. We'd love to see Shiva in a Batman movie that emphasizes the Dark Knight's fighting skills for a change, especially if it also puts onetime Batgirl Cassandra Cain in the spotlight.
MR. FREEZE
Yes, Mr. Freeze already headlined a live-action Batman movie, but we'd just as soon not have flashbacks of Arnold Schwarzenegger's campy, wisecracking villain. We need a Batman movie that can tap into the tragedy and pathos of the character in the same way Batman: The Animated Series did with episodes like "Heart of Ice." The last thing Mr. Freeze should do is make people laugh.
POISON IVY
Again, Ivy may have already appeared on the big screen thanks to Batman & Robin, but the less said about that one, the better. Ivy is quite possibly Batman's most powerful foe, given her control of plant life. Yet she's also among the most sympathetic, as she's only trying to defend her precious plants from humanity's ruthless devastation. It sounds as though Ivy will soon be returning to the big screen thanks to the Gotham City Sirens movie, but we see no reason why she couldn't fly solo, too.
RED HOOD
Few villains hit Batman on a personal level as hard as Red Hood. Originally an identity used by the Joker, the Red Hood mantle was eventually taken up by Jason Todd after he was seemingly killed by the Clown Prince of Crime. While not always an enemy of the Batman family, Red Hood's existence is nonetheless a reminder of Batman's failure to protect one of his own. And with Batman v Superman hinting that the fateful Robin/Joker confrontation has already unfolded in the DCEU, a Red Hood-focused movie seems like a logical next step.
THE RIDDLER
We've seen multiple live-action, cinematic versions of Riddler already thanks to actors Frank Gorshin and Jim Carrey. And while both portrayals are iconic, they don't capture everything we love about this villain. We want to see a movie Riddler that focuses less on camp and silly puzzles and more on the villain's ruthless intelligence. Riddler is someone who can push Batman to his limits as a detective. Give us a Riddler-centric Batman movie inspired by David Fincher films like Zodiac and Seven and we'll be plenty satisfied.