Replacing Deathstroke: 7 Villains Who’d Be Perfect For The Batman

Ever since Ben Affleck squeezed his huge frame into Batman's spandex, the series has hit choppy waters. Sure, there's been lots of fanfare and lots of talk, but not a tremendous amount of quality output. Outside of a fun but short stint in Suicide Squad, Affleck snarled and grimaced his way through 150 minutes of dour CGI in Batman V Superman, a film that might have sounded good scribbled on the back of a kid's comic book, but looked rather silly on the silver screen. The pressure's on now to right these wrongs. Step up The Batman. Set for a 2018 release, Affleck's standalone flick is the biggest film outside of Star Wars on the horizon. But it's in a spot of trouble. For one, Affleck has disembarked the director's chair, being replaced by Matt Reeves. Now, the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes helmer is intent on re-writing the story, and that means that Joe Manganiello' Deathstroke has reportedly been dumped from his role of principal bad guy. Word has it that he'll still be in the film, but in a supporting role. So, with no concrete story, no real film title and no concrete plot details to speak of, it's up to We Got This Covered to save the day. Here, we present to you 7 esteemed villains who are worthy of squaring off against Bats in the upcoming blockbuster should these rumors about Deathstroke being dropped prove to be true. Hugo Strange One of the earliest rogues to square off against the Caped Crusader, Strange was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger in 1940 and yet after all this time has never appeared in a live-action adaptation of Batman. Despite inspired turns in the Animated Series, the Batman: Arkham Asylum video game and even 2017’s LEGO Batman, Arkham’s nefarious doctor has been overlooked in Hollywood. Until now? There are few archetypes creepier than a doctor with a thirst for power. Strange would be the perfect vehicle for an examination of the Arkham Asylum, an area steeped in lore rarely used in the films. Strange is also one of the few characters in the Batman canon to learn Bruce Wayne’s true identity - and once armed with this knowledge, he proceeds to frame the Dark Knight. In the comics, he’s also depicted as a maniacal devil with a penchant for experimenting on people, creating “Mandroids” and “Monster Men,” horrible mutations capable of going to war. Considering that Strange is currently featured in Fox's Gotham, he’s not entirely alien to audiences, but here’s an opportunity to situate him front and center in audience's minds. So, where does this leave Deathstroke? Well, if you’ve ever played the expansion to Arkham City entitled Lockdown, you’ll know that Strange hires Deathstroke to kill Batman. Could a similar ploy be used here? There’s no reason to think otherwise, especially as Strange prefers to use his brain over his brawn and Deathstroke is ostensibly a gun-for-hire. I don't know about you, but the idea of Strange mercilessly framing Bats and using Deathstroke to corner him gets me very excited indeed. The Joker The maniacal king of crime is an obvious choice for the job of main villain in The Batman and Jared Leto has already put himself forward for the prized job. But would the actor's incarnation of the famous clown stand as a good sparring partner for grizzled Bats? Say what you want about Leto, but he’s an excellent talent with the range and energy to make a starring turn in The Batman. That said, I’m not sure I love his version of the Clown Prince of Crime. With his lime green hair and tasteless tattoos, he’s a striking cosmetic rendition, but the grills and gold-plated appendages mark him out as tacky rather than intimidating. He has none of the restraint and physical intimidation of Heath Ledger's hulking, shambling, demonic Joker. Still, Leto wil have more to add. He's criminally underused in Suicide Squad with much of his work left on the cutting room floor. The Oscar winner has a chameleon-like quality and with the right script and a proper R-rating, Leto would make a formidable adversary. Much like Strange, it would make sense if Deathstroke was hired by the king clown to take on Bats, and since the Joker is such an enduring character in DC comic book lore, we can hardly be satisfied with his paltry appearance in Suicide Squad. Zsasz I must admit that I don't know if Zsasz would be palatable to many audiences, but he would definitely fit the bill of an R-rated film and give Batman a new look at a different kind of baddie; one who's a vigilante much like Bats and who takes pleasure in the simple things in life... like sadistically murdering his victims and notching each new scalp on to his skin. The reason I include Zsasz at all is because of his role in Knightfall and later issues of the Detective Comics series. I'm particularly fond of the arc where Zsasz grows obsessed with hurting Alfred. He correctly identifies that there's a thin moral line separating Batman from sheer anarchy, and he believes the Dark Knight enjoys inflicting harm on the guilty as much as Zsasz enjoys hurting the innocent. Can he get Bats to tip over the edge by hurting his precious Alfred? Zsasz strikes at a charity event, stabbing Alfred and believing that his work is done. But Alfred survives and Bruce holds a press conference to lure the killer to the hospital where Alfred sleeps. True to form, Victor Zsasz can't let his prey escape, and heads on over to finish his work. But Bruce is lying in wait, and the cat and mouse game has a happy result, though it's not without its heart-in-mouth moments. A similar gambit could be used in The Batman proper, don't you think? The Ventriloquist And Scarface There’s something immensely frightening about a villain in the grip of a personality disorder. M Night Shamalayan’s Split showed us just how effective this corrosive disease can be on screen and Arnold Wesker and his alter ego, the ventriloquist dummy Scarface, fit the bill. On his own, Wesker is mild-mannered and weak, but under the influence of Scarface he transforms into a man capable of true terror. Their origin owes its roots to Blackgate Prison, where Wesker discovers the dummy and murders its creator to become the Ventriloquist. At the same time, the alter-ego of Scarface comes to life. Clad in pinstripe suit, teeth clamped around signature cigar, he's inspired by the crimes of Al Capone. One of the central questions at the heart of understanding Wekser is this: is he using the dummy way to absolve himself of his sins, or is he really unable to distinguish between the two personas? On another level, is it possible that Scarface has human powers? There are instances in the comics where he acts independently of his master (or his slave), but this might just be artistic liberty, and an illustration of the depths Wesker has sunk to. Either way, it's a fascinating duality and another layer on top of the usual bad guy routine. Black Mask I've always had a soft spot for Black Mask and I think of all the characters on this list, the wealthy industrialist deserves his bow most. The son of wealthy parents and notorious narcissists, Roman Sionis is born with a silver spoon rammed halfway down his throat. And despite this, he wants out. He kills his wealthy parents in a fire and pursues a career in crime, slamming those that wear fake masks in public. In a modern society obsessed with money, there's an opportunity to skewer consumer culture through the prism of this decidedly frightening mob boss, who turns to a life of crime despite the fortunes showered on him; who seeks to break free of the false masks worn in well-to-do circles. If you're anything like me, you'll be excited to see Black Mask take ownership of the Sionis crypt and begin working towards a life of crime. On another level, his relationship with Deathstroke in Batman: Arkham Origins is proof that these rogues could work together. Mask is the orchestrator, the instigator with money to burn, and Deathstroke is the elite assassin tracking Bats down. Mad Hatter When I compare Marvel and DC, DC has always struck me as the brand with a bigger appetite for delving into the nitty gritty of real human foibles, like psychosis, mental instability and personality disorder. Few characters are as psychotic as Mad Hatter, a supervillain styled in honor of Lewis Carroll's Hatter from Alice and Wonderland and a long-standing foe in the Batman universe. Hatter was first introduced in Batman #49, all the way back in 1948, and has undergone something of a transformation in that time. Like many characters in comic books, the character has become progressively darker with time and recent incarnations have seen him quite literally heading down the rabbit hole; a mind riddled by psychosis. Batman Begins was proof that audiences have the stomach for a dose of the otherworldly, and Hatter would be the perfect vehicle for a dash of color next to Batman's dark. I don't see this one happening necessarily, due in part to Hatter's lower status on the rogues ladder, as well as the fact that he's a quaint version of Scarecrow, but with the right treatment he'd be every bit the main baddie The Batman needs. The Riddler It's been twenty-two years since Jim Carrey donned the questionable green suit and squared off against the Caped Crusader in Batman Forever - a darn sight too long for my liking. History tells us that recreating characters on the silver screen is fraught with difficulty, but Ben Affleck's The Batman would be fertile ground for a new vision of Edward Nygma. Yes, Nygma is getting screen time in Fox's Gotham, but if you ask me, a Riddler origin story pre-Batman doesn't have any basis for being told. It's only when Bats is pitted against Riddler that question-mark-shaped sparks fly. Who would play the character well? Benedict Cumberbatch comes to mind, as does Michael C. Hall, whose charm would contrast well with the more unsavory aspects of the Riddler's personality. Then there's Edward Norton, who has both steel and intelligence. And let's not forget the ultimate chameleon: Johnny Depp. Would audiences respond to a return of the Riddler? I think enough time has passed to give this one a shot. Don't you?