For many years, DC led the way when it came to live-action adaptations, with some of the most titillating and terrifying villains on the big and small screen. There has always been a rivalry between the big two when it comes to comics and superheroes. And that was only amplified when both organizations went all in on their respective film and TV universes. But, while the MCU now holds the top spot in terms of profitability and popularity, DC has managed to bring in some exciting villains both within the DCEU and earlier.
When it comes to live-action storytelling, there is a lot riding on the actors who are cast in the roles. With the right actor in a role, the character can come to life in a way that has so much more depth and intensity compared to animation. But, it needs to be the right person, with a clear vision of the villain they are playing. Despite whatever faults or flaws the DC movies and shows may possess, one of the things that they tend to frequently get right, is their villains.
10 Sofia Falcone
Cristin Milioti In The Penguin
One of the most recent examples is also one of the most compelling, with Cristin Milioti’s take on Sofia Falcone. The Penguin is the first spin-off in the Matt Reeves Batverse, which explores a fractured Gotham city after the Riddler and his followers caused citywide destruction. One of the victims of this conflict was also Carmine Falcone, the former father of crime in Gotham. With Carmine dead, mobs are running riot, and there is a gap waiting to be filled to take charge.
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One of the people who is ready to step into that role is Sofia Falcone, Carmine’s daughter. Sofia was previously held at Arkham Asylum, and deemed to be mentally unstable, which means that, despite her pedigree, her father’s men are less than thrilled to be taking orders from her. Despite this, Sofia proves to be a formidable criminal mastermind, with the guts and the brain to take charge. However, she does have an unstable streak that also makes her unpredictable and incredibly dangerous.
9 The Riddler
Cory Michael Smith In Gotham
The Riddler in 2022s The Batman, played by Paul Dano, was a very different take on the character from the comics, with Dano’s version going for a much darker, more violent approach. And in an earlier version, played by Jim Carrey in 1995s Batman Forever, the character was significantly more colorful, playful, and ultimately, kind of ridiculous. While both actors brought something to the character, the best live-action version today has to be Cory Michael Smith’s version in the TV series, Gotham.
Smith does an excellent job at playing both the dark and twisted side of the character, and the goofy, puzzle-loving aspect. Of course, since the TV show ran for five years, and Smith was present in every episode, it gave him considerably longer for the character to be developed. But regardless, this version of Edward Nygma is mysterious, conflicted, occasionally ruthless, and always ready to solve a puzzle.
8 Lex Luthor
Gene Hackman In Superman: The Movie
In 1978, comic book movies still leaned more into bright, campy, and playful motifs. With the Batman series starring Adam West creating a foundation for how superhero stories were told, it was natural that Superman: The Movie would follow a similar pattern. And facing off against the spectacular Christopher Reeve as Superman, Gene Hackman, a highly regarded Oscar winning actor, was cast as the ultimate rival for Superman, Lex Luthor.
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Hackman’s version of the villain was a notable departure from the super genius inventor and engineer who appeared in the comics, instead becoming more comical, more megalomaniacal, and more melodramatic. This still required significant effort from Hackman to create an identity and personality that made the character distinct, but recognizable. However, he proved his talents and delivered an incredible performance that really helped to shape the future of the villain.
7 Lex Luthor
Michael Rosenbaum In Smallville
Another rendition of the same character came decades later and with a younger, less experienced actor in Smallville. This coming of age superhero story saw a young Clark Kent deal with the normal growing pains of being a kid in high school, but dealing with the added pressure of being an alien with extraordinary superpowers. This version of the character may have been played by the younger Michael Rosenbaum, but he proved that he was absolutely worthy of the role as he brought the menacing and secretive Lex to life.
Initially, Rosenbaum’s Luthor befriends Clark Kent, and most of his anger and frustrations are aimed at his father, Lionel, who constantly puts him down and does not see him as being capable, responsible, or in any real way, worthy. Lex may have a chip on his shoulder, but it doesn’t make him any less capable of seeing things that most others miss, as he puts his extraordinary intellect into uncovering the secrets that appear to plague Smallville, and constantly seem to bring him back to young Clark.
6 Two-Face
Aaron Eckhart In The Dark Knight
Getting into some of the darker and more tragic villains of DC who have helped to shape the films in the past couple of decades, few are as tragic as former District Attorney, Harvey Dent. In Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy, the legendary director redefined comic book movies, creating a much darker tone with villains who were more fully developed than in potentially any other comic book movie. Dent arrived in the second movie, The Dark Knight, and he became the White Knight of Gotham, who helped to clean up crime in the city.
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However, thanks to the interference of another great villain, the Joker, Dent became the target of a disturbing attack where either his life, or the life of his beloved Rachel Dawes could be saved, but not both. While Batman thought he was racing to save Rachel, he found out at the last moment that the Joker had double-crossed him, leading him to Harvey instead. Batman was in time to save Dent’s life, but not before he suffered terrible scarring injuries to one side of his body. This tragic incident was enough to turn Gotham’s White Knight into yet another menacing villain as Two-Face.
5 Penguin
Colin Farrell In The Penguin
Next up is another villain from the Matt Reeves Batverse, Penguin. While Colin Farrell debuted in this role in 2022s The Batman, the character didn’t come into his own until the spin-off series, The Penguin. In this role, Farrell shows off his incredible ability to transform, physically, and in terms of personality, as he plays Oz Cobb, a dirty, double-crossing villain who will do anything to achieve his own goals. Cobb plays everyone against each other, and displays a spectacularly quick wit, as he is able to redirect others’ anger and frustration away from himself and towards whatever scapegoat he chooses.
Cobb is slimy, he’s dasterdly, and he has an extraordinary gift for playing people. However, while most people end up mistaking him for a weak and spineless henchman, he plots and makes his play for power under the radar. It may not be fair, but when it comes to criminals, no one is to be trusted. Cobb proves that lesson to be true, as he constantly uses people, like Sofia Falcone, to achieve whatever he sets his mind to.
4 The Joker
Joaquin Phoenix In Joker
When it comes to the best villains of any DC property, the joker is one of the very top. He may not be the most powerful, considering his general lack of powers, but his complete unpredictability makes him a real contender for the top spot. However, the Joker has always been a character shrouded in mystery, with much of his origin story obscured. Todd Phillips set out to change that with his movie, Joker, in 2019.
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Joaquin Phoenix was cast as Arthur Fleck, an unassuming and frail man who struggles in his social interactions. Due to a history of abuse, and several mental health issues, Fleck is unstable, and tends to live somewhere between reality and fantasy. Joker pulled back the curtain on the psyche and origin of the Joker, and Phoenix absolutely killed it in the role. It may be just one interpretation of the character, but the character has almost never been as intimidating and terrifying as when Phoenix took on the role.
3 Catwoman
Michelle Pfeiffer In Batman Returns
Going back to some of the more camp and absurd DC projects, one of the standout characters in those films has to be Catwoman. Michelle Pfeiffer was cast as the downtrodden Selina Kyle, a woman whose luck runs out, but also triggers the next of her nine lives as the Catwoman. Pfeiffer plays the character as dangerous, but also incredibly alluring. Flirtatious when she sees Bruce, but ready to strike at any moment. This contrary personality made her an incredibly well-matched villain for Batman Returns, alongside Danny DeVito’s disturbing Penguin.
By the time the early Batman movies moved on to Batman Returns, they began to get more dark, and introduce a sense of constant trouble in Gotham. Selina Kyle was a victim of the city, and like many of the others on this list, it transformed her into something far more threatening. From the costume, to the multiple lives, and the seductive danger that Pfeiffer brought to the role, it remains one of the best DC live action villains of all time.
2 Harley Quinn
Margot Robbie In DCEU
Yet another dangerous diva from the DC movies, Harley Quinn, stands out as one of the best modern additions to the comics and screen. The character first appeared in comics in 1992, but her live-action theatrical debut wasn’t until 2016 in The Suicide Squad. Bringing the character to life, the Australian actress, Margot Robbie, perfectly captured the wild and dangerous Quinn.
The very first live action version of Harley Quinn to appear on-screen was played by Mia Sara in a 2002 TV show,
Birds of Prey
. The show only ran for one season.
Margot Robbie has played the character in three separate films; The Suicide Squad, directed by David Ayers, Birds of Prey, and James Gunn’s semi-reboot, Suicide Squad. Each time, she has been perfect. From the high-pitched, nasally New York accent, the luck-based fighting style, and the clear madness that leads her to love hard, dance often, and murder brutally. Robbie is a perfect fit as Harley Quinn, and if she isn’t used in the future of the DCU, it would be a tragic shame.
1 The Joker
Heath Ledger In The Dark Knight
Finally, topping off the list is an actor who tragically passed away shortly after appearing in this role, Heath Ledger as the Joker. Ledger was cast to play the archnemesis of Batman in Nolan’s trilogy, and upon seeing his performance in that movie, it’s clear that he was the perfect fit for the mad Clown King of Gotham. While the script and direction in the movie certainly created a shape for the character, Ledger filled it perfectly and created one of the most haunting and dangerous villains in any DC project.
While he only appeared in one movie, having passed away before The Dark Knight Rises, Ledger’s performance lives on as the gold standard for both playing the Joker, but also simply playing a supervillain. From the first moment he appears on-screen, to his insane stories, and the brutal challenges and tests that they present to Gotham and Batman, this Joker is the best DC villain ever to appear in a live action project.
Upcoming DC Movie Releases
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Superman (2025)
Release Date July 11, 2025
- Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Release Date June 26, 2026
- The Batman Part II
Release Date October 2, 2026
Superman (2025)
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
The Batman Part II