Batman is arguably the most popular and enduring comic book character ever. Logically, the Caped Crusader has starred in multiple live-action and animated movies over the years. Each cinematic effort takes various spins on the titular character's story; some adopt a more kid-friendly energy, while others opt for a more dignified and solemn approach. Especially in the 21st century, Batman's movies have been definitely geared more towards adults.

A good superhero movie needs a great villain; arguably, no other cinematic genre relies as heavily on a compelling antagonist. Luckily, Batman has no shortage of those; in fact, his rogue's gallery includes some of the most iconic villains in the medium. The Dark Knight's movies in the 21st century have used some of his most enduring foes quite effectively. Whether directed by Christopher Nolan or Matt Reeves, Batman's villains are always undeniable stars, and some have even successfully stolen the hero's thunder.

10 Carmine Falcone (John Turturro)

'The Batman' (2022)

Carmine Falcone, played by John Turturro, is an organized crime boss in 2022’s The Batman. While he remains a prominent presence in the film, he certainly isn’t the most interesting character in the movie, largely because the story spends little time developing him beyond his status as Gotham's leading criminal. Sure, he’s cool and gives fans of gangster movies that nice little mafioso touch, but that’s about it.

Throughout his appearances in various Batman media, Falcone has never been anything more than a mob boss. He’s a far cry from the likes of Penguin or Riddler, who have some sort of shtick about them that makes them stand out. Falcone may be a good criminal, but he certainly isn’t a supervillain. Still, Turturro’s performance as the Falcone family patriarch certainly makes it a lot better, even if the character isn’t the most fascinating enemy in the Batman universe.

9 Talia Al-Ghul (Marion Cotillard)

'The Dark Knight Rises' (2012)

Talia (Marion Cotillard) really doesn't have a huge chance to shine as a villain until the very end, when it's already too late. The daughter of Ra's Al-Ghul, Talia is the sleeper agent planted by the League of Assassins that holds the detonator to destroy Gotham. For the majority of The Dark Knight Rises, Talia is nothing more than a supposed businesswoman working under the alias of Miranda Tate.

She doesn't have much individual flair, as she's not that different from her father. Her only motive, in fact, is to follow in the footsteps of her father and finish his work. While her story in the film isn't all that interesting, Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard does deliver a good performance—with the exception of her now-infamous death scene. Having her revealed as a villain after becoming intimate with Bruce Wayne was a decent plot twist, albeit one many already saw coming.

8 Catwoman (Anne Hathaway)

'The Dark Knight Rises' (2012)

Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway as Catwoman is a really underrated representation of the character. First of all, many portrayals of Catwoman can be very sexual, to the point that it sometimes feels like a caricature. Sexuality isn't really what Catwoman is all about—there's much more to her than that. So it's nice to see Hathaway's Catwoman focus on practicality and being morally grey, which is more true to Catwoman's inner persona.

The reason Catwoman doesn't stand out as one of the better villains, though, is the simple fact that she's hardly a villain in The Dark Knight Rises. Sure, she starts out burgling like she typically does, but beyond that, Catwoman eventually becomes allies with Batman; if anything, she's an antagonist more than a villain. Also, her outfit, while sleek and cool-looking, doesn't really scream "cat." That aside, Anne Hathaway made the role her own, easily becoming one of the standout parts of the movie.

7 Bane (Tom Hardy)

'The Dark Knight Rises' (2012)

Bane (Tom Hardy) was easily the most hyped-up part of The Dark Knight Rises shortly after its release. The mask he wears is wicked, and Tom Hardy's gentlemanly brute attitude is unlike any role he had ever played before. However, Bane still isn't the best modern Batman movie villain because his design is just too far removed from what the original character is.

Originally, Bane is made freakishly strong by conduits of a chemical called venom being pumped into his veins at all times. Heck, even Batman & Robin (1997), widely considered to be one of the worst movies of all time, got their portrayal of Bane mostly right. While Tom Hardy makes an excellent Bane for Nolan's universe, comic fans just found him too alien to consider him the same villain as the comic book version. Erasing Bane's Latino background was also a huge misfire on Nolan's part.

6 Ra's al-Ghul (Liam Neeson)

'Batman Begins' (2005)

Ra's al Ghul (Liam Neeson) is such a great villain because he's actually kind of got a point. However, like Catwoman, Nolan's Ra's al Ghul is not so much of a villain as much as he is a morally grey character. In Batman Begins, there's no question about his villain status, but after he returns in The Dark Knight Rises, he actually helps Bruce Wayne get out of the pit that he has become imprisoned in. He also serves as Wayne's mentor, teaching him the necessary skills to become the Bat.

While his reveal as a villain at the end of the first film is decent enough, it's Neeson's acting that really sells this version of Ra's al Ghul. The Oscar nominee perfectly embodies the mystery surrounding the immortal character. He's not just the leader of the League of Assassins but a force to be reckoned with, and Wayne should be glad that the Demon's Head is seemingly on his side in the final film. Still, not choosing an actor of Middle Eastern descent to portray such an iconic figure was a huge mistake and one of the many flaws in Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy.

5 The Penguin (Colin Farrell)

'The Batman' (2022)

Colin Farrell's role as Oswald Cobblepot, AKA The Penguin, really gave adult fans what they wanted to see. When it comes to younger audiences, the Penguin is ordinarily portrayed as a short, heavyset character that carries guns disguised as umbrellas and spends a lot of time around the eponymous birds. Adult fans, however, liked seeing how Farrell played Penguin: as a gangster or organized crime leader, who is called the Penguin mostly just because he wears a tuxedo all the time.

This version of the Penguin was so popular that it warranted a spin-off television series set to be released later in 2024. This Penguin is the classic mob boss persona that adult Batman fans love seeing and a perfect fit with the neo-noir approach taken by Matt Reeves in The Batman. Ever the reliable actor, Farrell shines in the role, which is why many have been eagerly anticipating seeing Farrell return to the role in the upcoming series.

4 Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy)

'Batman Begins' (2005)

Recent Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy has played some decent villains in his time, but by far, the best is his take on Scarecrow in Batman Begins. Not only is his signature mask the stuff of nightmares, but the hallucinogenic gas he uses is pretty terrifying, too—once you see things through the victim's eyes, that is.

While his design could perhaps have profited from a more elaborate costume than just a mask and a regular suit, Murphy perfectly encapsulates everything that Scarecrow is supposed to be. He brings an exceptional blend of psychiatric professionalism mixed with the horrifying lust for chaos present in all the best depictions of the psychopathic villain. Murphy's Scarecrow is the best part of the first movie, no question about it, as he got a lot of things right in bringing Scarecrow to live-action for the first time since his inception.

3 Two-Face (Aaron Eckhart)

'The Dark Knight' (2008)

Aaron Eckhart isn't typically known for playing villains, but maybe he should do it more often, considering how well he did as Two-Face in The Dark Knight. Nolan's second Batman movie really shows a former lawyer's descent into lawlessness, proving how easy it is to fall from grace. Two-Face's burn scars, added by the makeup and CGI departments, are also much more visceral and real compared to other versions of the dual villain.

Above all, Eckhart's Two-Face had the perfect thuggish attitude that was the polar opposite of his former put-together and idealistic self. This actually works considering the concept for the character is that every coin has two sides: good and evil, light and dark, et cetera. Eckhart's Two-Face is brutal, unforgiving, and outstanding, a complex and tragic figure and easily one of the best villains modern Batman movies have seen thus far.

2 The Riddler (Paul Dano)

'The Batman' (2022)

Paul Dano is basically a master at playing creepy villains at this point. He's done it several times, to the point where he's mastered the art of it, which is why he made such a perfect fit for The Batman's Riddler. Normally, Riddler can be a bit of a wacky villain, which makes sense given his equally wacky concept. A guy who commits crimes while telling riddles? It's a little ridiculous.

Enter Dano and Matt Reeves, who made Riddler more than just a guy with a proclivity for word games; they turned him into a truly malevolent force. Dano brings his usual flair to create a new version of Riddler that's just faithful enough to its source material but with enough personality added to it that it settles in nicely to the movie's noir world. It's the darkest version of Riddler yet, but that makes it so much better.

1 The Joker (Heath Ledger)

'The Dark Knight' (2008)

Heath Ledger may have been young, but his performance of Joker rocked the world like no other. DC fans often debate about which portrayal of Joker was the best, and Ledger almost always comes out on top. He brought something scarier and more disturbing to his depiction of the Clown Prince of Crime. Normally, the Joker uses deadly little toys that can hurt people; however, this Joker prefers to get his entertainment from watching people give in to their primal instincts and do anything they can in order to survive.

Throughout The Dark Knight, Joker is constantly two steps ahead of Batman, even when supposedly imprisoned. His web of connections is wider than anyone at the GCPD realizes, and he's constantly telling lies. Joker claims not to be much of a planner, but it's pretty obvious that he's as Machiavellian as they come. It's hard to really know what he's thinking, which, along with his unpredictable violence, makes him not only horrifying but incredibly engaging to watch.

NEXT: The 10 Scariest Batman Villains, Ranked