9 Comic Book Characters That Deserve A Shot At Movie Redemption

The second chance saloon.

Riddler Newspaper
Warner Bros.

Bringing a beloved comic book character to the big screen is a potential minefield.

Nail it and a dedicated fanbase will hail you as deity for eternity - no matter how many Interstellars you make - but drop the ball and an unforgiving lynch mob will set up permanent residence on your doorstep.

Filmmakers don’t always get it right first time and it’s disappointing when that means an iconic hero or villain disappears into the cinematic wilderness, waiting for the time when another Hollywood creative is willing to take a punt on a tarnished brand.

For every Dark Knight there’s a Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance lurking in the shadows, but one botched outing should never spell the end for a comic book property on celluloid… unless we’re talking about Howard the Duck.

If Warner Bros had lost faith in Batman after the Joel Schumacher years, we’d never have experienced Christopher Nolan’s fan-pleasing trilogy, and Captain America: Civil War wouldn’t have been the same without Spider-Man’s homecoming.

So it's clearly worth taking second chances...

9. The Riddler

Riddler Newspaper
DC Comics

The DC Universe is full of heavy hitters capable of besting Batman in physical combat, but few villains are able to match the world’s finest detective’s intellect.

The Riddler belongs to this elite group, with his rare breed of criminal genius establishing him as one of the Dark Knight’s greatest adversaries over the years.

This being the case, Edward Nigma deserved better than the caricature of a portrayal Jim Carrey delivered in Joel Schumacher’s family-friendly Batman Forever.

Christopher Nolan once confirmed the Riddler was under consideration as a Dark Knight Rises rogue, and given that the puzzle-obsessed baddie is so ripe for reinvention, a version of him could have fitted snugly into the Batman Begins universe.

Nigma is traditionally a tongue-in-cheek villain, but a grittier take on him in a future R-rated Bat movie would surely be his big screen redemption - a big-brained nemesis who snares the Caped Crusader in Saw-style traps which test every inch of his resourcefulness.

As for who should land the role of the reinvented Riddler, Edward Norton would be a solid choice. Like Nigma, he is also seeking redemption in the world of comic book movies after his lukewarmly received stint as the Incredible Hulk.

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Contributor

Been prattling on about gaming, movies, TV, football and technology across the web for as long as I can remember. Find me on Twitter @MarkLangshaw