The Batman: These 5 actors would be perfect villains for Robert Pattinson
Commentary: Current rumors have Colin Farrell in the villain role for The Batman, but I have some better ideas.
In Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Colin Farrell plays right-hand-man to MACUSA President Picquery, and heads up the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
The Batman movie directed by Matt Reeves already has its lead in Robert Pattinson but rumors suggest it may soon have another villain or two.
Actor Jonah Hill (The Wolf of Wall Street) was rumored as a possible DC Comics villain but passed on being in the movie, and now the focus seems to be on actor Colin Farrell to play the Penguin, or perhaps another villain.
Warner Bros. didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Currently, actor Zoe Kravitz has been confirmed to be playing Batman's enemy (and occasional love interest) Selina Kyle/Catwoman, while Paul Dano has been added to the cast as Batman villain Edward Nashton/The Riddler in The Batman.
I have my own list of actors who I think would make (perhaps more) interesting Batman villains.
Zachary Quinto
Actor Zachary Quinto as Dr. Thredson in American Horror Story.
Most of us know Zachary Quinto from his portrayal of Spock in the recently rebooted Star Trek movies, but Quinto is very good at playing creepy characters. He portrays former horror house owner Chad Warwick in the first season of American Horror Story and psychologist/serial killer Dr. Thredson in the second season. If that's not creepy enough, Quinto also plays the very creepy character Charlie Manx in the current series NOS4A2 on AMC. I could see Quinto as a very creepy version of Scarecrow or even Joker.
Crispin Glover
Actor Crispin Glover plays Mr. World in the TV series American Gods.
Glover has already proven himself as a formidable villain in Charlie's Angels (2000), Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003), and Lucky Day (2019). He more recently played the character Mr. World -- the New God of globalization and the leader of the New Gods -- in the Starz TV series American Gods. His unusual mannerisms and eccentric looks would make him the perfect choice to play Scarecrow. Glover is already lanky and kind of eerie-looking to begin with.
Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi as kidnapper Carl Showalter in the 1996 movie Fargo.
Buscemi is best known for his characters in dark comedies and indie movies like Barton Fink (1991), Trees Lounge (1996), The Big Lebowski (1998), and Ghost World (2001). But his real talent lies in playing criminals who also have a quirky side. Look at the resume: movies like Miller's Crossing (1990), Reservoir Dogs (1992), Fargo (1996), Con Air (1997), and TV shows like The Sopranos (2004) and Boardwalk Empire (2014). He would make an interesting casting choice to play Two-Face or perhaps Scarecrow.
Bill Skarsgard
Hemlock Grove stars Bill Skarsgard.
No one can play creepy like Skarsgard. He's played Pennywise the clown in both Stephen King's It (2017) and It 2 (2019). He may or may not be the devil in the horror TV series Castle Rock (2018). And he's quite the monster in the Netflix series Hemlock Grove (2013). He could do any Batman villain justice, but it would be thrilling to see his take on Two-Face or even the Joker.
Michael B. Jordan
Michael B. Jordan plays villain Erik Killmonger in Marvel's Black Panther.
Michael B. Jordan would be an interesting casting choice for a villain in The Batman. He's already proven himself as the complex criminal type when he played the villain Erik Killmonger in Marvel's Black Panther. He's also no stranger to playing the good guy as he did as Johnny Storm in 2015's Fantastic Four. I could see Jordan playing Deadshot or maybe even Killer Croc.
The Batman is set to hit theaters on June 25, 2021.
Originally published Sept. 23.
Update. Nov. 13: Adds Colin Farrell as a leading contender to play a villain.