Jonah Hill and Emma Stone in the sci-fi Netflix series Maniac.
Netflix
The Batman movie directed by Matt Reeves already has its lead in Robert Pattinson but rumors suggest it may soon have its villain. Jeffrey Wright (The Goldfinch) is rumored to be in talks to play Batman ally Commissioner Gordon, and actor Jonah Hill (The Wolf of Wall Street) is also rumored as a possible DC Comics villain.
It’s not clear from the casting rumor reported by Deadline on Monday which villain Hill is being considered for in the upcoming Warner Bros. movie, but he would be a compelling choice to portray Penguin or Riddler.
Warner Bros. didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
But aside from Hill, I have my own list of actors who I think would make (perhaps more) interesting Batman villains.
Actor Zachary Quinto as Dr. Thredson in American Horror Story.
FX Networks
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.
Actor Crispin Glover plays Mr. World in the TV series American Gods.
Starz
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 as kidnapper Carl Showalter in the 1996 movie Fargo.
Gramercy Pictures
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 Riddler. If anything, it might be one of the first Riddler characters who seems genuinely funny.
Hemlock Grove stars Bill Skarsgard.
Netflix
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 Scarecrow or even the Joker.
Peaky Blinders stars Cillian Murphy as gang leader Tommy Shelby.
Weinstein Company
Murphy has already played the Batman villain Scarecrow in 2005’s Batman Begins, so why not cast him again as another Batman baddie? Plus he’s shown his range at playing another bad guy — gang leader Thomas “Tommy” Shelby in the TV series Peaky Blinders (2013). His expressive eyes would make him my first choice to be cast as the character who “always speaks using questions” — none other than Riddler.
The Batman is set to hit theaters on June 25, 2021.