Every DC movie and TV show is about Batman’s villains

Batman is one of the few superheroes whose roster of villains is strong enough for many of them to have their own dedicated movies and TV shows. The best cinematic Batman villains have all certainly left a big impression on general audiences and DC fans alike, presenting. Some of the most compelling characters under the DC umbrella. Given this, it’s no wonder that the company has capitalized on the Dark Knight’s rogues gallery with various films and series putting them on center stage, with even more to come in the near future.

The different projects focusing on Batman villains do this in several different ways. Some are intense live-action films that can stand with the best Batman solo movies, while others are lighthearted cartoons with an emphasis on comedy above all else. No matter the medium, Batman’s enemies provide no end of entertaining melodramaHelping fuel rumors of more Batman villain solo movies blossoming under James Gunn in the upcoming DCU.

10

Catwoman

A feline disaster of a film

The first dedicated feature film to revolve around a Batman villain is also by far the most infamous villainWith Halle Berry’s wasted talents as the titular Catwoman. Completely scrapping every aspect of Catwoman’s pre-existing comic book origins in favor of brash original ideas, Catwoman Reworks Selina Kyle the Cat Burglar into Patience Phillips, a sensitive artist who is killed in a criminal conspiracy, only to be magically resurrected by a cat goddess to channel various feline powers and personality traits, becoming a completely original version of​​​​ Catwoman.

Catwoman has nothing to do with Batman, but using the famous villain’s title, her solo film technically qualifies as one that revolves around one of Bruce Wayne’s nemesis. Just like Catwoman in the comics and many other Batman films, Patience Phillips is more of an anti-heroDefinitely acting as a protagonist. With painfully unfunny cat puns, a brilliant costume, his utter contempt for the source material and the infamous basketball scene, Catwoman has earned its reputation as one of the worst comic book movies of all time.

9

Joker

A notable Academy Award winner for DC

On the polar opposite side of the spectrum of critical quality for a Batman villain movie opposite Catwoman Sits 2019s Joker. A clear love letter to the great dramas of Martin Scorsese vi Taxi driver And the king of comedy Joker is an atmospheric character study after the life of Arthur Fleck.

A lonely failed comedian with a debilitating psychological condition that often erupts in bouts of uncontrollable laughter, Fleck gradually morphs into the figurehead of an anarchist movement as his frustrations with society slowly mount and boil over.

Joaquin Phoenix’s incredible performance as Joker took home one of DC’s few Academy Awards, Winning the Oscar for Best Actor in 2020. While some criticized Joker For being a step too derivative of its prestige cinema inspiration, for a movie based on a comic book villain, the level of craft that went into it is truly exceptional. Interestingly, as Catwoman, Joker Largely relies on an original origin for its titular villain, with only a few sprinklings of comic nods throughout its runtime.

8

Joker: Folie à Deux

The musical sequel

The critical and commercial success of Joker Made a sequel a certain prospect. Enter Joker: Folie à DeuxA continuation of Arthur Fleck’s story that seemingly begins with his incarceration at Arkham Asylum, where He meets none other than Lady Gaga’s Lee Quinzel, who goes on to become Harley Quinn.

Niha, Joker: Folie à Deux will have a strong musical element, turning Joker and Harley’s chaotic romance into a circus of sight and sound with stageplay aesthetics. Harley Quinn is not only one of the most popular Batman villains ever created, but one of the most popular DC flagship characters in general, having already been the main star of several live-action movies.

However, it seems like ​​Lady Gaga’s version of Harley Quinn will cause you a disturbing truth in the same way that Joaquin Phoenix did for the Joker himself in the previous film, presenting a completely unique iteration of the love interest From the Clown Prince of Crime. It will be fascinating to see how Joker: Folie à Deux Develops the grounded lore of Jokers vision of Gotham.

7

Suicide Squad

One of the worst failures of the DCEU

While Joker: Folie à Deux will be the last live action incarnation of Harley Quinn, the first being Margot Robbie’s performance in 2016 Suicide Squad. The film follows the exploits of the eponymous team of state-mandated villains-turned-heroesSprung into action as Task Force X thanks to compliance-assuring bombs planted in their heads that keep them on-mission.

Aside from Harley Quinn, the film featured an entire team composed of DC’s worst villains, including fellow Batman villains like the sniper assassin Deadshot and the ferocious killer Croc. sad, Suicide Squad It was one of the worst films of the DCEU, arguably the first nail in the coffin of the cinematic DC continuity.

With haphazard cinematography, hasty last-minute editing, awkward cliché-ridden dialogue and hammy performances, There is a lot to dislike about Suicide Squad. If nothing else, the film at least featured Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, who does a good job of embodying the character despite the mess of a story she finds herself in.

6

The Suicide Squad

James Gunn’s redemption for the failure of the DCEU

Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn was good enough to feature even more prominently in James Gunn’s second attempt at the Suicide Squad concept. This time around, Amanda Waller deploys Task Force X once again to tackle a covert operation on an island nation harboring a terrible secret from the United States government.

Robbie’s Harley Quinn is one of the few returning characters from the 2016 filmMarking her third movie appearance alongside the debut of other villains who have tangled with Batman in the comics such as Polka Dot Man, Ratcatcher and King Shark. The Suicide Squad Redeem the concept by living up to the promise of a quirky ensemble cast of villainous misfits who come together to do something good.

The film’s success was something of a trial run for James Gunnwho went on to become the creative lead for the upcoming DCU continuity that will begin with Superman: Legacy. Hopefully, the quality of The Suicide Squad Will be a harbinger of good things to come.

5

Birds of Prey (and the Fantastic Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)

An underrated victim of Covid-era movie releases

After seeing how well Margot Robbie could do as Harley Quinn despite the other failures of 2016 suicide squad, The DCEU sought to give her a more focused solo film of her own. Despite the job title of bird of prey, And the presence of other DC heroines like Huntress and Black Canary, the movie is largely played as such, being a Harley Quinn story first and foremost.

here, Harley comes up against fellow Batman villain Black Mask after her traumatic breakup with the Joker. generally, Birds of Prey (and the Fantastic Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is something of an underrated DC movie, largely under the radar thanks to its poor theatrical release coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s rare to see a female-led superhero movieLet alone an all-female crew, and the spectacular action choreography of the film alone makes it worth seeing. that is, Birds of prey was a downer in its depiction of certain DC characters, most notably the reduction of comic Batgirl Cassandra Kane into a ragamuffin pickpocket.

4

Harley Quinn

DC’s premier animated comedy series

Harley Quinn’s popularity does not stop at the live action movies or comics, as proven by the success of HBO Harley Quinn Animated series. Also taking place right after Harley Quinn’s split with the Joker, Harley Quinn Follows Harley’s misadventures in life, villainy and heroism Along with her best friend (and later romantic interest), the plant-based supervillain Poison Ivy.

The cartoon quickly rose through the ranks of HBO’s most on-demand comedy series on the platform, skyrocketing thanks to Harley Quinn’s popularity as a character. Harley Quinn Takes place in a hilarious pastiche of the DC universe, with many characters having their personalities altered in pursuit of laughs.

To that end, the show’s unfettered violence and Impressive cast of vocal performers works to its advantageDealing out no end of comedy between moments of genuine emotional drama. already four years strong, Harley Quinn is set to revive for a fifth season, premiering in November.

3

Kite Man: Hell yes!

Harley Quinn’s charming spin-off

One-off seasons like that of Kite Man: Hell yes! Proving that even the most thick and stupid of Batman’s villains are still compelling enough to be able to run their own show. A spin-off set in the same universe as Harley Quinn, Kite Man: Hell yes! Follows the campy flying supervillain in his quest to secure the success of his favorite local bar, a pub called Noonan’s.

At the same time, Darkseid’s arrival on Earth and subsequent interest in the bar create some wacky hiccups in Kite Man’s plans. Kate Man was something of a fan favorite after his introduction in Harley Quinn As Poison Ivy’s ex-fiance, and seeing him get a dedicated series was an unexpected, but welcome gift from DC.

So far, the one season of Kite Man: Hell yes! has managed to dispense the same black comedy and morbid laughs as its predecessor series, even if it relies on less iconic DC characters. The version of​​​​Bane in Kite Man: Hell yes! Also gets some surprisingly hilarious screen time, adding another Batman villain to the series’ roster.

2

The penguin

A promising deeper look at Matt Reeves’ Gotham

Not all series that center on Batman villains are necessarily animated, as demonstrated by HBO’s other Shining Batman villain project, The penguin. took place In the same Gotham just a week after Matt Reeves The BatmanThe penguin Brings back Collin Farrell in his heavily disguised role as Oz Cobb, aka the Penguin.

While Cobb was somewhat of a minor antagonist in the film, The penguin Examines his rise to power amidst the crumbling infrastructure of Gotham following the Riddler’s devastating terror attack and the death of mafia giant Carmine Falcone. At the time of writing, The penguin is two episodes in, setting a mostly promising precedent for the future legacy of the series.

While the second episode, in a person Has hit a small stumbling block with pacing, the gripping story and continued character study of Both the penguin himself and the terrifying Sophia Falcone kept the series enthralling. More than anything else, getting another glimpse into Matt Reeves’ unique vision for a grounded, true-to-life Gotham is worth the price of admission.

1

The upcoming Bane & Deathstroke movie

A rare dual-lead film with Batman villains

The latest development in Batman villain media has been the confirmation of a Bane and Deathstroke team-up movie brewing in the DCU. With two live-action movie appearances before, Bane is perhaps the better known of the two supervillainsA mastermind criminal with powers of super strength stemming from his use of a dangerous chemical compound known as Venom.

Meanwhile, the masterclass mercenary Deathstroke only has a single brief teaser appearance Justice LeagueBut is also known by his real name, Slade, as the classic antagonist of the 2003 Teen Titans Series. Details about Bane and Deathstroke’s team-up (if indeed there is a team-up) are still very sparseWith little being confirmed about the film except for its two main characters.

It is worth noting that the film could be formulated in the wake of the success of Deadpool & Wolverine In the MCU, prompting a DC response with a similar anti-hero cast. That being said, the potential for a Bane and Deathstroke movie is endless, and could easily become the best Batman Villain movie around.

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