The Top 5 Batman Villains

In the more than 80 years since the first Batman comic was published, the public has been told countless versions of the superhero’s story in graphic novels, TV shows, and multimillion-dollar film franchises. The latest of those franchises is set to kick off in March 2022, with Matt Reeves directing Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader in The Batman. But as exciting as the decision to cast Pattinson as the hero may be, the most memorable part of any Batman movie is arguably the villain (or group of villains) the dark knight faces off against.

As we approach the release of The Batman, which will feature Catwoman, the Penguin, and the Riddler, we’re taking a look at Ranker’s list of The Best Batman Villains Ever (185K votes) to see how this movie’s bad guys and gal compare to those featured in other movies. Take a look to see which antagonists are most popular, how fans of different villains differ from one another, and how the release of different Batman movies over the years has affected fans’ opinions of each of them.

#1: Joker

As one of the most infamous antagonists in pop culture, it’s no surprise that the Joker would top a Ranker list specific to Batman villains. The Clown Prince of Crime has charmed film audiences time and time again, with fans loving portrayals of the character by Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Joaquin Phoenix, and Zach Galifianakis, to name a few (though they aren’t necessarily beloved in that order). Because the character is so well-known to so many people, his fan base is more eclectic and unpredictable than many of the other baddies on this list.

According to Insights, fans of the character are more drawn to The Dark Knight than they are to any other Batman movie, with 2019’s Joker following close behind. They’re not particularly fond of Nicholson’s portrayal in 1989’s Batman, preferring animated adaptations of graphic novels like 2016’s The Killing Joke, 2010’s Under the Red Hood, and 2014’s Assault on Arkham.

Interestingly, the Joker has a strong appeal with audiences who are interested in the military or media depictions of the military; they have a stronger affinity for the Joker than fans of superhero or action/adventure movies do..

#2: Scarecrow

This character’s first appearance on the big screen was Batman Begins, the first film in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. This movie seems to be the source of Scarecrow’s popularity on Ranker, since voters are more likely to love Batman Begins than any other movie. What’s more, they’re more likely to think positively about the actor who portrayed him, Cillian Murphy, than any other actor, celebrity, or public figure.

But fans of Scarecrow have some more surprising preferences: Insights says they’re fans of 2000s kids’ comedies like The Emperor’s New Groove, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and School of Rock. When it comes to TV, their favorite choice is The Batman, a kids’ animated series that premiered in 2004 and at no point features Scarecrow. Finally, while the character is well-liked all over the U.S., a whopping 70% of those living in the Northeast like Scarecrow, and are 2X more likely to vote him up on this list in particular.

#3: Two-Face

While Two-Face has been portrayed several times on TV and film over the last three decades, Christopher Nolan’s work again takes precedence in the minds of Batman fans. Those who count themselves fans of Two-Face are 4X more likely to be fans of Aaron Eckhart, who played Harvey Dent in Nolan’s The Dark Knight. By contrast, fans of Two-Face aren’t particularly likely to feel positively about Tommy Lee Jones, who played the supervillain in 1997’s Batman Forever. With Two-Face, as with many other Batman villains, today’s comic book fans generally prefer the dark, gritty versions of the character from Chris Nolan’s movies over the campier ones from the ‘90s.

Given that the character used to be Gotham’s district attorney, it’s interesting that Two-Face appeals to audiences who are interested in politics. What’s more, he’s also the only Batman villain in this Top 5 who appeals to audiences engaged by LGBTQ+ issues.

Finally, the TV show that fans of the character are most likely to love isn’t a Batman series, but Superman: The Animated Series. Living up to the villain’s name, fans of Two-Face are less than loyal to their superhero fandom.

#4: Riddler

Unlike with other villains on this list, people who like the Riddler are more into the comics than the movies. Animated adaptations of graphic novels like Year One and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies are far more appealing to them than Nolan’s Batman films, let alone Batman Forever, the only live-action movie to depict the Riddler so far. The character doesn’t appear to appeal to any niche audiences beyond those dedicated to comics and graphic novels. But that may change with the release of The Batman next month.

When it was first announced that Paul Dano had been cast as the Riddler in October 2019, voter sentiment of the character across all lists on Ranker began gradually tipping downward. Most of the negative votes that contributed to this trend, which reached its nadir in December 2020 with a 29% approval rating for the Riddler, came from our Best Superhero Evolution On Film list. While the timing suggests a possible backlash to the casting choice similar to the one against the decision to cast Pattinson, the source of these votes indicates that fans are being reminded of Jim Carey’s less-than-fondly remembered depiction in Batman Forever. It will be interesting to see what Dano’s performance does for the Riddler, both on this list and on Ranker in general.

#5: Mr. Freeze

Like the Riddler, Mr. Freeze doesn’t have the same appeal beyond the comic book world enjoyed by other villains on this list because of the sour taste left in viewers’ mouths by Joel Schumacher’s films (Mr. Freeze’s fans are also more likely to prefer Tim Burton’s Batman movies to Christopher Nolan’s and Schumacher’s). That said, if there’s one audience that tends to be drawn to this ice-cold bad guy, it’s gamers.

Fans of Mr. Freeze, like those of many other villains on this list, tend to be drawn to the Arkham series of Batman video games. But unlike the others, Mr. Freeze’s fan base is also drawn to classic arcade games like Space Invaders and Duck Hunt, vintage platformers like Donkey Kong Country, and more recent shooters like BioShock, Left 4 Dead, and the Uncharted series.

These stories are crafted using Ranker Insights, which takes over one billion votes cast on Ranker.com and converts them into actionable psychographics about pop culture fans across the world. To learn more about how our Ranker Insights can be customized to serve your business needs, visit insights.ranker.com, or email us at insights@ranker.com.

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