Villains who could feature in 'The Batman' sequel

Batman has become almost synonymous with DC Comics.

And while the Caped Crusader is plenty impressive, he brings with him an equally memorable gallery of rogues. These include villains such as Penguin, Riddler, Bane and Joker, who have all clinched a permanent spot in public discourse, owing to their numerous appearances over the years.

Joker has appeared in almost every Batman series, including The Dark Knight, Batman and The Batman. Many villains have also appeared in Batman: The Animated Series, which aired during the 1990s. Robert Pattinson-starrer The Batman, which was released in March this year, featured villains such as Riddler and Penguin, among others.

As per Collider, director Matt Reeves, who helmed The Batman, has now expressed interest in working with a litany of villains in the sequel for the film. These villains could include Mr. Freeze, Hush, the Court of Owls, and possibly even Two-Face.

While nothing has been confirmed yet, one can expect that the sequel will feature a different villain, who has not already been covered. Here, we take a look at some of the villains who might make an appearance in the sequel to The Batman.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the views of the author.

From Mad Hatter to Mr. Freeze: Some of the villains who might go up against Batman in the sequel

The Mad Hatter

The comic and the animated series Mad Hatter (Image via Warner Bros.)

This giddy trickster is yet to make his silver screen debut.

The character initially went by the name of Jervis Tetch, who grew up very awkward and lonely as a child. He eventually becomes a scientist and invents mind-control technology to take down Batman.

His unique look could elevate the sequel to new heights and reinvent a villain that has been inside of comic obscurity for too long.

Two-Face

This villain came into being when District Attorney Harvey Dent had acid thrown in his face by a gangster. As a result, he spirals into madness and renames himself Two-Face.

The character could serve as an acolyte of Gotham’s higher classes only to be turned into evil when he is deformed. It could mirror Eckhart’s turn as the villain where he could begin as an ally to the vigilante and quickly go up against the Dark Knight.

To be fair, Tommy Lee Jones and Aaron Eckhart have already made appearances as the villain. However, seeing the character in the Reeves sequel might heighten the anticipation surrounding it.

Mr. Freeze

Victor Fries was a cryogenics expert, who attempted to find a cure for his dying wife Nora.

While Arnold Schwarzenegger probably ruined this villain’s reputation in Batman & Robin, Mr. Freeze might just be salvaged with a feature in the Batman sequel, if filmmakers chose to take this relatively sillier villain and give him a dark, sinister turn.

Victor Zsasz

This psychotic villain is known for killing his victims and then cutting himself with a tally mark for every victim killed.

Yet another villain that fans have rarely seen, Victor Zsasz is never really accorded his due credit in the comics or films, and has instead only been used as a henchman or a smaller baddie.

Bearing that in mind, it would be great to see the villain come into his own light in the sequel. His presence could appear in the capacity of another Arkham prisoner that breaks out and goes on a killing spree, thereby alerting the Caped Crusader to the psychopath.

Man-Bat

Much like Spider-Man’s Doctor Curt Connors (aka Lizard), Dr. Kirk Langstrom was a scientist who experimented with bats. After an experiment went awry, he inadvertently turned himself into a giant bat.

Although Langstrom appears to be a scientist attempting to help Wayne, things go south when he is poisoned by the elixir that he concocted.

This is a character that has appeared in multiple television shows and appearances but has yet to be in a feature-length film. Seeing Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader battle a bigger bat could be a macabre turn for the sequel.

Jason Todd

Of course, Robin is not as ubiquitous as the Dark Knight and has not gotten the best screen time for his legacy. An iteration of Robin that truly needs to be brought to the light is that of Jason Todd.

He became the second protege of Batman after Dick Grayson, and was brutally beaten and killed by Joker. In a later version, he was revived using the Lazarus Pit and became the Red Hood. That would explain why the Joker was in prison in the previous film.

The Red Hood storyline could be a contributing factor for the sequel's success. It could show a past life where the Caped Crusader failed with his protege and recounted the incident.

Clayface

Obviously, there have been many iterations of this character in the comics but none have made it to any of the live-action DC films. He was portrayed as an actor who donned the mantle of Clayface and wore it as a costume. Later versions of the character show him as a man who actually turns into clay.

In the sequel, Batman could possibly face off against this character in an ultimate brawl, where the villain’s strength and formidable frame could make him something of a challenge. However, he might also appear as a lackey or an assistant to a bigger baddie in the film.

Joker

Ledger and Phoenix as the clown prince of crime (Image via Warner Bros.)

If there is a villain that needs no introduction, it is the Joker.

The character is so synonymous with Batman that he has appeared in nearly every live-action iteration to some capacity. He has been portrayed as an agent of chaos, a gangster and even as a deranged psychopath.

In The Batman, audiences saw Barry Keoghan's Joker right at the end of the film, where he was seen giving Paul Dano’s Riddler a few words of encouragement. Owing to this brief appearance as the clown prince of crime, it would be interesting to see him once more in the sequel.

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Could these be potential foes in Reeves' upcoming sequel? One will only know after the film finally releases in theaters.