In Batman and Robin, it's George Clooney’s turn to be scrutinised as the Caped Crusader. In Joel Schumacher’s second Batman outing, Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego have the help of Batgirl and Robin – and with the amount of villains he has to face, he needs it. With such a colourful bunch of crooks to face, we thought we'd take a closer look at Batman's nemeses.
1. The Joker
Michael Keaton and Christian Bale have both faced The Joker, one of Batman’s arch-nemeses. The villain was brought to life in two very memorable performances, namely Jack Nicholson’s in Batman and Heath Ledger’s in The Dark Knight. Facing the world with merry indifference, and driven by no apparent motive, The Joker tops our list.
More Madness: In addition to Nicholson and Ledger, the character was portrayed by Cesar Romero in the 1960s TV series; and voiced by Mark Hamill, Michael Emerson, and Troy Baker in the animated series. Jared Leto is set to take on the role in the upcoming Suicide Squad.
2. Scarecrow
Played to chilling effect by Irish actor Cillian Murphy in Batman Begins, the actor reprised the role for The Dark Knight Rises. Also known as Dr. Jonathan Crane, Scarecrow uses drugs and psychology to play on the fears and phobias of other.
More Madness: The character has also been portrayed in animated form, in Batman: The Animated Series, and was voiced by Henry Polic II.
3. The Riddler
The Riddler, or Edward Nigma, creates riddles and puzzles for Batman and the police to solve. Quirky and neurotic, his smooth talking and quick mind make him a dangerous foe.
More Madness: In Batman Forever The Riddler is portrayed by Jim Carrey, who based his depiction on Frank Gorshin’s interpretation of the role in the Batman TV series. In the animated series, he has been voiced by John Glover and Robert Englund.
4. Two-Face
He starts out as the clean-cut, do-good district attorney Harvey Dent, but after losing half his face to acid (and the death of his girlfriend, Rachel Dawes, in The Dark Knight) Dent becomes jaded by the means of justice. He starts to mete out justice in his own way, deciding on the fate of others through the flip of a coin. His chancy habit of dealing with problems makes him an unpredictable villain.
More Madness: Harvey Dent briefly appears in Batman, portrayed by Billy Dee Williams. In Batman Forever Tommy Lee Jones takes on the role of Two-Face; but, in The Dark Knight, Aaron Eckhart gets the chance to portray the character's transformation from Dent to Two-Face. In the animated series, the villain was voiced by Richard Moll.
5. Bane
While many villains try to outsmart Batman, Bane adds brute strength to the game. Sent to prison at a young age in his revolutionary father’s stead, Bane spent his time developing his body and mind. While in prison, Bane was given an experimental drug that brought him to the brink of death, but ultimately increased his strength. However, the only way Bane can stay strong, and alive, is by taking a dose every twelve hours. Haunted by a demonic bat to boot, Bane eventually leaves prison in search of Batman.
More Madness: Robert Swenson played Bane in Batman and Robin, with Tom Hardy delivering a chilling performance as the villain in The Dark Knight Rises.
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