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Every actor who’s played the Joker in a live-action movie has added something that makes their version terrifying, whether it’s Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger or Cesar Romero.
Some Batman villains, like the Riddler and the Penguin, are more hilarious than scary with their iconic costumes and goofy antics.
The most terrifying Batman movie villain of all time is the Joker in The Dark Knight, played by Heath Ledger, who creates anarchy and plunges Gotham into madness.
Batman has a ton of extraordinary villains that have been adapted into live-action movies, but some are scarier than others. The Caped Crusader is a fascinating DC hero in his own right, but his villains make his story even more compelling. From the Joker to the Riddler to Two-Face, each villain has a unique way of bringing destruction and mayhem to Gotham while posing a real challenge for Batman. Since Batman hit the silver screen, villains have been adapted numerous times, either increasing their threat or diminishing their greatness.
For example, the Joker remains Batman’s most popular villain, but every actor who’s played the character has added something to make their version more fearsome, whether it’s Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger Still Mark Hamill. Not every Batman villain succeeds, and some are more interesting than scary. Despite this, Bruce Wayne still fought many formidable foes during his time as Batman, some of which even terrified audiences. Here’s how every villain in the live-action Batman movies is ranked, from least scary to most scary.
22 Talia Al Ghul (The Dark Knight Rises)
Talia al Ghul is a surprising villain The Dark Knight Rises, but she didn’t have enough time to prove that she was Ra’s al Ghul’s heir. She was initially seen as Bruce Wayne’s love interest until her true identity was revealed after she stabbed him. Although he was temporarily injured by the stabbing, he quickly recovered and Thalia was quickly defeated before she made herself appear formidable.
21 The Riddler (Batman: The Movie)
Villains in 1966 were hard to scare Batman: The Movie Because it has a cartoony tone as opposed to a dark, gritty Batman movie. Of the many villains in this movie, the Riddler is the least scary, looking hysterical today in his green costume with a question mark on it. He’s more of an annoyance to Batman and Robin as they solve his puzzle before he can do too much damage.
20 Penguin (Batman: The Movie)
Similar to The Riddler, the Penguin in this movie looks so ridiculous that it’s hard to take him seriously. His take on early comics is accurate, but not everything translates well to the screen. Still, he has an advantage over the Riddler simply because Burgess Meredith’s performance makes him more threatening.
19 Bane (Batman and Robin)
Joel Schumacher’s Batman movie has a rich cartoon tone batman and robin. Bane falls victim to this over-the-top tone, as he transforms into a super-powerful behemoth who has difficulty speaking and wears what looks like a Mexican wrestling uniform. While he’s a formidable foe in this movie, he’s ultimately the worst villain in the Burton/Schumacher Batman films.
18 Catwoman (Batman: The Movie)
Catwoman did go from villain to antihero, but here she’s completely a villain. While Lee Meriwether isn’t overly strong, her performance does make this version of Catwoman a forgettable, conniving villain despite the film’s goofy tone. Her transformation from the seemingly innocent Miss Kitka to the clever cat burglar proves just how clever she can be at swiping people off her tail.
17 Max Shrek (Batman Returns)
Max Shrek is a character that Christopher Walken poured everything into. He is a threatening businessman willing to kill anyone he sees as an obstacle, including Selina Kyle. While he poses a threat to Gotham City, Batman easily defeats him, even though he controls much of the city’s territory.
16 Joker (Batman: The Movie)
Cesar Romero’s Joker portrays the Joker as the prince of crime. He uses a large number of props and jokes to disrupt others, and also has a trademark laugh. However, he’s not as intimidating as other versions of the character, coming across more as a dangerous prankster than a terrifying villain. Still, considering the tone of the film, Romero does a great job in the role.
15 Two-Face (Batman Forever)
Tommy Lee Jones plays the completely unhinged “Two-Face,” a former lawyer who begins to unleash his own version of violent justice after being disfigured. Unfortunately, the decision to portray the character as a demented fool robs Two-Face of the complexity that makes it so interesting. His design isn’t scary either, as he looks like he’s been attacked by a gum ball.In addition, in batman foreverTwo-Face was overshadowed by The Riddler, who took over the film as the main villain.
14 Poison Ivy (Batman and Robin)
Poison Ivy is one of Batman’s most terrifying villains, as she can control plants to her will and send out poisonous kisses to make someone become her slave.Although these powers are batman and robinUma Thurman doesn’t come off as threatening as the femme fatale should. Schumacher may also be responsible for how he adapted the character, as her dialogue and delivery were more awkward than disturbing.
13 The Riddler (Batman Forever)
Similar to other Schumacher villains, this is a hilariously exaggerated version of the Riddler, which is only emphasized by Jim Carrey’s performance. Edward Nygma is often shown as a chaotic man determined to outwit Batman, but Carrey takes it to another level. Besides, it’s hard to take him seriously when he’s wearing a skin-tight bodysuit filled with question marks.
12 Mr. Freeze (Batman and Robin)
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze is another villain who’s hard to scare, especially when he’s constantly shouting ice-cold puns. However, Mr. Freeze’s suit does look cool, even if it’s a bit over the top, and he’s a legitimate threat to Batman and the people of Gotham. Other versions of the character were more haunting and sinister, but Schwarzenegger did the best he could with the role he was given.
11 Penguin (Batman)
Colin Farrell’s portrayal of Oswald Cobblepot is unrecognizable and somewhat creepy, but he doesn’t quite reach his full potential.exist batmanPenguin is still working for Carmine Falcone, the true king of Gotham’s underworld. However, with Falcone out, a new battle for supremacy is about to begin, and the Penguin could become a chilling foe for Batman. penguin Largest streaming series.
10 Carmine Falcone (Batman)
Carmine Falcone is often seen as a classic gangster who controls Gotham City and its many corrupt police and political leaders.exist batmanMatt Reeves made his character even more terrifying by connecting him to Batman and Catwoman, showing how his violent and manipulative behavior impacted many lives. Falcone is also willing to kill anyone to stay ahead of the curve, including those close to him. He may not be physically powerful, but his intelligence and lack of morality make him extremely dangerous.
9 Catwoman (Batman Returns)
Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman is iconic and has yet to be surpassed. While she might be forgettable in her leather suit, she’s not too scary as she’s more of an antihero than an outright villain. Still, viewers can’t decide whether they fear her or love her.
8 Scarecrow (Batman Begins)
Dr. Jonathan Crane isn’t exactly scary, but when he puts on the Scarecrow mask, he’s an entirely different monster. His toxin causes people to experience their worst nightmares, a terrifying dilemma that can manipulate even the most powerful heroes. However, after he was defeated by Batman, he became more of a pest for the rest of the trilogy than a true villain.
7 Ra’s al Ghul (Batman Begins)
Ra’s al Ghul isn’t creepy, but he wields immense power as leader of the League of Shadows. He trained Bruce Wayne to become Batman, an enemy on par with the Caped Crusader.Even though Batman defeated him Batman Beginshis legacy lives on and returns in the form of Thalia and Bane The Dark Knight Rises.
6 Penguin (Batman Returns)
Danny DeVito’s Penguin is a laughable villain. He commands an army of penguins and is even disfigured to look like one. However, Tim Burton brought plenty of creepy moments to the character, whose sharp teeth and crooked nose gave anyone who saw him a living nightmare. batman returns. It’s easy to laugh at him, but that might lead to him biting someone’s nose off in a gruesome, bloody way.
5 Two-Face (The Dark Knight)
Aaron Eckhart’s Two-Face is often an underrated villain. His design is incredible, and his half-burnt face not only looks authentic, but also creepy. Furthermore, Dent is a more tragic character. A once respected lawyer turns to some form of corrupt justice after losing everything. Christopher Nolan’s version of Harvey Dent/Two-Face is visually terrifying, but also an eerie reflection of what people can do when they have nothing to lose.
4 Bane (The Dark Knight Rises)
While villains like the Joker can attack Batman mentally, Bane is terrifying because he is one of the few villains who can fight Batman on a physical level. He defeated Batman in their first battle and delivered a shocking final blow that left the hero immobile. Once he learns that Bane works for Thalia, his fear factor disappears, but he’s still a threatening foe, especially with his mask and booming voice.
3 Joker (Batman)
Jack Nicholson is scary enough when he plays a villain, but it’s even scarier when he plays the Joker with a smile on his face. Sometimes he acts goofy, like in the art museum scene and his laugh. However, he still brings terror to the screen, especially with his poisonous gas that makes you laugh to death, a fate that looks as gruesome as it sounds.