2022 saw another reboot of the cinematic Batman franchise. With The Batman (2022), Robert Pattinson would lead Gotham’s fight against villains such as the deadly terrorist, The Riddler, and crime bosses The Penguin and Carmine Falcone. Bruce would also work alongside the anti-hero Catwoman as the odds grew increasingly worse for the city.

Here we look to the future of the franchise. Though the recent shake-up with the creative vision for all DC Comics cinematic properties leaves many questioning what the future holds, we will focus on the villains that populate Gotham City. There are many to choose from. While the Joker would be the obvious choice, we are electing to disqualify him as Barry Keoghan makes a cameo appearance in the first film, albeit only being credited as “Unseen Arkham Prisoner.”

8 Bane

     Warner Bros.

Bane has made two previous appearances in separate Batman continuities, both acting as very disparate interpretations of the character. In Batman & Robin (1997), Bane is nothing more than a hulking brute under the control of Poison Ivy. In The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Bane is a criminal mastermind raised in the League of Assassins and aims to bring Gotham to its knees with pure chaos. With the most recent film looking to pull inspiration from major comic book story arcs, we could see a more true-to-form adaptation of Batman’s “Knightfall” story arc. This would leave the door open for many more villains to be included in the story and for Bane to fully enact his plan to “break the bat.”

7 Man-Bat

     DC Comics

After witnessing some of the more violent and dark elements featured in The Batman, one would be inclined to believe that this can be the creative team to help deliver a more horrifying Batman tale. And what better monster to use for such a film than the mad science experiment gone wrong, Man-Bat? Kirk Langstrom was a scientist working on a cure for the deaf. Desperate to prove his research was working, Kirk would inject himself with bat DNA. This serum would prove to be addictive, and after having his human DNA effectively spliced with that of a Bat, Kirk would begin to uncontrollably transform into a giant bat, capable of draining animals and people alike of their blood.

6 Two-Face

     Warner Bros. Pictures

Harvey Dent is another character that has made multiple appearances in different Batman continuities. First appearing in Batman Forever (1995) and then in The Dark Knight (2008), with the former acting more as an extreme caricature of duality and the latter acting as a deeply disturbed individual who had become disillusioned with the justice system. The character of Harvey Dent is popular, though some of his more infamous story arcs in the comics have yet to be realized in film. Perhaps a film could focus on Harvey’s origins as the District Attorney who has his mental psyche shattered when the mob splashes his face with acid. Or we could see Harvey struggling with this state of mind, constantly battling his own duality, wishing to do the right thing.

5 Scarecrow

Jonathon Crane has made one previous appearance on film, acting as one of the main villains of Batman Begins (2005), though some had criticized the fact that such a rogue was relegated to the role of the B-Villain when other media have shown he is more than capable of being the primary antagonist. Suppose Warner Bros. wishes to continue the theme of widespread terror that the Riddler started. In that case, they could easily adapt the story in Batman: Arkham Knight, where Scarecrow intoxicates the city with his Fear Gas, aiming to spread as much fear as possible. Add in the trippy sequences where Batman is dosed with the gas, and plenty of fun cinematic sequences are in store.

4 Clayface

     Warner Bros. Television

With there being more of a focus placed on Batman’s detective skills, the ultimate mystery would be attempting to track down Basil Karlo. After a tragic incident with recalled performance clay, Basil Karlo was turned into the monster called Clayface. Combining his natural acting talent with his ability to morph into any form he chooses, Batman would constantly be on the hunt to figure out who the actual killer is. Clayface is a constant threat, often seen in animated series, as well as being used in video games in a variety of ways. From acting in the place of one villain to using his powers to turn into a hulking behemoth, many plot twists and intense action scenes can be born from including this villain in the next film.

3 Mr. Freeze

Likely one of the best villains to be used in the worst way on film, Mr. Freeze’s only live-action appearance would come from the heavily criticized performance of Arnold Schwarzenegger in Batman & Robin (1997). That version of the character was significantly over the top and more likely to speak in puns than to prove a formidable threat for the caped crusader. With a more serious adaptation, audiences would be treated to a tragic tale of Victor Fries succumbing to his obsession with finding a cure for his wife, Nora. It would be interesting for Batman to face an opponent with more sympathy than Riddler or Penguin. And with the intellect backing Freeze’s power, Batman would have to get creative to get the drop on his cold villain.

2 Ra’s Al Ghul

One of the most significant enemies of Batman is Ra’s Al Ghul. The master warrior who, thanks to the Lazarus pits, will never relent, has been a thorn in the dark knight’s side. Ra’s seeks to coerce Batman into joining his League of Assassins as the heir apparent. Bruce has had a tumultuous relationship with Ra’s’ daughter, Talia as well, leading to the tension between the two parties to boil even hotter.

Ra’s was featured in Batman Begins (2005), but if Warner Bros. were to adapt some of the classic storylines, we could see Ra’s and Talia leading the charge in attempting to enforce the League’s will on Gotham City. Another intriguing prospect would be the inclusion of Damian Wayne, a child that Bruce would unknowingly have with Talia. This future boy wonder would initially be instilled with the beliefs of Ra’s and the battle for the future of Damian would make for an intriguing hook.

1 Azrael

While Jean-Paul Valley is known as an anti-hero in the modern day, his origins as a sleeper agent for the Order of St. Dumas are rife with supervillain story adaptations. Although if Warner Bros. elects to have more than one villain in their film, they can use Azrael for the second chapter of Knightfall, where Jean-Paul Valley would take over the role of Batman after Bruce Wayne has his back broken.

Altering the suit into power armor, Azrael would then brutally maim criminals, even allowing murderer Abbatoir to fall to his death. Azrael would eventually defeat Bane himself, but by then, he had entirely given in to his brainwashing. Leading to the final act, Azrael would fight a recovered and stronger Batman to decide who would retain the title of the Dark Knight. An intensely personal fight that would make for a fantastic climax to the film.