Ever since Superman: The Movie hit theaters in 1978, the characters of DC Comics have been a staple of the live-action superhero genre. As James Gunn's DC Universe begins to take shape over the next several years, the current landscape of DC cinema is about to enter an entirely new—and hopefully bright—age.
DC movies have always been known for their memorable villains, many of whom have become iconic characters of cinema since their live-action debut. While many of DC's antagonists have been well-received, some stand out as the very best the studio has to offer.
10 Bane
The Dark Knight Rises
Bane is a major villain in The Dark Knight Rises, the final film in Christopher Nolan's iconic Dark Knight Trilogy. Played by Tom Hardy, Bane sports incredible strength and fighting prowess, as well as a peculiar voice that viewers won't soon forget.
Although Bane's voice has been subject to jokes for over a decade, the fact remains that he is a villain that sticks with audiences long after their first viewing. He is one of the few villains to physically overcome Christian Bale's Batman, earning him a spot among the best of DC's live-action supervillains.
9 General Zod
Man Of Steel
Michael Shannon brings one of Superman's most brutal comic villains, General Zod, to life in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, a film that kicked off the DC Extended Universe. A Kryptonian extremist, Zod comes to Earth in order to wipe out its population and found a new Krypton, forcing Superman to stop him.
While Man of Steel proved to be controversial upon its release, Shannon's Zod was a surprising highlight of the film. The actor leans into Zod's over-the-top energy, producing one of the most memorable supervillains of the DCEU. The character is also set to return in The Flash, giving audiences one last experience with Shannon's scenery-chewing villain.
8 The Riddler
The Batman
Matt Reeves's The Batman rebooted the eponymous superhero with Robert Pattinson in the lead role. Coming to challenge Pattinson's Batman was Paul Dano's Riddler, who leads the Caped Crusader on a mysterious hunt through Gotham City as he attempts to weed out the corruption that has run rampant therein for far too long.
There is no better way to establish a new iteration of a popular superhero than by pitting him against a worthy adversary—and Dano's Riddler did precisely that. The Riddler brings out the best qualities of Pattinson's Batman, while also allowing the film itself to lean into the character's detective roots. When all is said and done, the Riddler helped establish a fan-favorite new Batman franchise.
7 The Joker
Joker
2019's Joker saw Joaquin Phoenix step into the role of the eponymous supervillain. The film was a stark departure from other DC properties, however, leaning away from the superhero genre and instead choosing to focus on the psychological and societal issues that could create a figure as heinous as the Joker.
To this day, the Joker remains the only DC villain to get his own solo movie, proving just how popular the character is. Phoenix certainly lives up to the villain's legacy, delivering an unhinged performance that would win him an Academy Award the following year. While this version of the Joker may not be the most comics-accurate, it is a truly unforgettable iteration of an iconic character.
6 Harley Quinn
DC Extended Universe
Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn, first introduced in the 2016 film Suicide Squad (and later in much better films), is the henchwoman of Jared Leto's Joker who eventually goes out on her own. Harley Quinn goes on to become an antihero of sorts, even going on to join the vigilante team known as the Birds of Prey for a short time.
Few characters from the DCEU have been nearly as memorable as Robbie's Harley Quinn, who immediately kicked off a cultural phenomenon regarding her character. Robbie's rendition of the villain led Harley Quinn to become one of DC's most popular characters of all time, defining the role and leaving behind a tough legacy for future actresses to live up to.
5 Two-Face
The Dark Knight
Aaron Eckhart portrays Harvey Dent in Christopher Nolan's seminal Batman film, The Dark Knight. A district attorney who wants to rid Gotham City of its growing crime problems, Dent is slowly corrupted by the Joker, leading him to become the very thing he had sworn to destroy, adopting the moniker of Two-Face.
The Dark Knight's Two-Face is one of DC's most underrated live-action villains, whose story is so richly sown into the theme of the movie. Once seen as the man who could finally make Batman's crusade unnecessary, Harvey Dent was the symbol of hope that Gotham so desperately needed--until he nearly became its doom, showing just how thin the line between villains and heroes truly is.
4 Catwoman
Batman Returns
Batman Returns features the most iconic rendition of Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman, of all time, portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer. This version of the character is given cat-like abilities after a near-death experience, leading her to swear revenge on the people who had wronged her.
While many iterations of Catwoman have come and gone over the years, none have come close to reaching the same level of cultural transcendence as Pfieffer's version. Sporting an iconic look and responsible for several of the most memorable lines in Batman Returns, this version of Catwoman may never be topped.
3 Lex Luthor
Superman: The Movie
In 1978, Gene Hackman became the first of many actors to play the supervillain Lex Luthor in a big-budget live-action feature. Appearing in Superman: The Movie, Luthor uses shady business tactics to consolidate power for himself, only to fun afoul of the Kryptonian superhero who had recently made himself known on Earth.
While Hackman has been followed in the role of Lex Luthor by talented actors like Michael Rosenbaum, Jesse Eisenberg, Michael Cudlitz, and more, it is difficult to top his version of the character. Hackman's Luthor truly established himself as a worthy villain to Christopher Reeves's Superman, despite possessing no superpowers of his own.
2 The Joker
Batman
Jack Nicholson was the first of many actors to make the role of the Joker iconic, appearing in 1989's live-action Batman movie. After falling into a vat of acid, Nicholson's character adopted the moniker of the Joker and vowed revenge on Michael Keaton's Batman.
Endlessly deranged and thrilling to watch, Jack Nicholson's Joker helped make Batman the worldwide phenomenon that it was. Future films would try to set up a character as worthy of an adversary for Batman as the Joker, only to fail in the end, proving the notion that Nicholson's Joker was killed off too soon.
1 The Joker
The Dark Knight
In a surprise casting twist, Heath Ledger became the Joker in Christopher Nolan's Batman universe, making his first and only appearance in 2008's The Dark Knight. Fostering a twisted fascination with Batman, Ledger's Joker pulls out all the stops to challenge the vigilante's precious moral code while holding Gotham City captive to his cruel tricks.
There is no live-action DC villain more iconic or more renowned than Ledger's Joker, a role which won the actor a posthumous Academy Award. The villain challenges Batman not only physically, but on a moral level, questioning whether he can truly be called a hero or not. Ledger's Joker is memorable and an absolute delight to watch onscreen, making him not only one of the greatest DC villains but also one of the greatest villains of all time.