Batman films and comics have some of the best villains in the comic world, be it DC or Marvel. Batman villains are the most iconic as people who don't consider themselves DC fans can't keep themselves rooting for these villains. The Joker is the best example of everyone loving the Batman villains.

These villains undoubtedly carried the Batman franchise for the longest time and kept things interesting. Some of the biggest industry names have been Batman villains over the years, a few more enigmatic than others. If you want to know more about them, check out this infographic about the Batman villains and their disguises. In this article, we will talk about the top Batman villains that wreaked havoc on the big screen and became household names.

Photo by Ronê Ferreira from Pixels

1. Heath Ledger's Joker
There is no doubt in anyone's mind that Heath Ledger was the best Joker ever and the best villain to have ever existed in the Batman movies. Ledger dived deep into his character and left no stones unturned to make it his very own.

We have seen many versions of Jokers in the past, but no one has come close to the insanity Heath Ledger brought out in character. His creepy behavior and the skills to kill someone with a bare pencil made their way into people's hearts. Christian Bale as Batman did a splendid job, but it is safe to say that people enjoyed Heath Ledger's Joker more than anything in the movie.

2. Tom Hardy as Bane
Bane, played by Tom Hardy, was a formidable adversary in both tactical and physical warfare. He effortlessly overpowered Batman in action and then used his expert oratorical skills to manipulate the residents of Gotham until Batman's healing and eventual return. Tom Hardy performed Bane with the greatest sincerity, and his character was mostly portrayed via the emotions in his eyes. Bane's visual characteristics were determined by his mask, which reduced the horrific agony that tormented his body to tolerable levels.

3. Michelle Pfeiffer's Feisty Catwoman
Although Zoe Kravitz's portrayal of the Catwoman is an evident delight in the new Batman movie, she doesn't even come anywhere close to matching the batshit lunacy of Pfieffer's portrayal of Gotham's favorite burglar in the original. One of the most memorable scenes in cinema history is her transformation from the gawky Selina Kyle to the beautiful whip-wielding Catwoman. All of the elements of her portrayal are cranked up to an insane level, but in Tim Burton's quirky, sinister Gotham, it all fits together perfectly.

4. Penguin, Played by Danny DeVito
Danny DeVito's interpretation of Oswald Cobblepot is more akin to something that appears out of your nightmares than anything else. Onesie-clad, a chubby spiteful creature with lines of razor-sharp fangs that is prone to extreme anger at any given point.

It is not an accurate representation of the character portrayed in the comic books, but it is difficult to complain about adherence to the original source when Danny is offering an insane portrayal of this corrosive magnitude to the audience.

DeVito enters the chaos with confidence, and the physical fury that characterizes so much of his acting is Goosebumps-inducing, making him one of the most memorable Batman villains.

5. Aaron Eckhart's Two-Face
Instead of a deformed clown who required a fine outfit to go along with the damaged side of his face, this depiction of Two-Face was far more realistic and depicted him as somebody who understood he was a lawyer in his previous life.

When it comes to The Two-Face, Eckhart's rendition goes against the typical flow of acid in the court. With the transformation of the White Knight's District Attorney into a criminal genius out for vengeance, The Joker certainly triumphed, and Batman lost. Even though Two-Face was the last antagonist, it did not seem like a disappointment after Batman fought with The Joker.

6. Riddler, Played by Jim Carrey
When someone speaks of The Riddler from Batman Forever, the very first thing that comes to mind is "gimmicky." On the other hand, Jim Carrey accomplished this goal in a huge manner, and without him, Batman Forever may have been a flop with the public.

He portrayed a flamboyant entertainer who transforms into someone different when he hides behind his stage character. Carrey's Riddler adopts bizarre postures and exudes self-assurance in his fashion choices, challenging Batman, the investigator, to figure out who he is.