2. Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Warner Bros.Putting aside the fact that The Dark Knight got an added boost both amongst critics and audiences alike precisely because of Heath Ledger's untimely death, it's undeniable that he creates one of the most well-developed super villains in comic book movie history. Met with some skepticism from Batman fans after being cast, he quickly proved them wrong with his interpretation of the Joker. Where Jack Nicholson made the Joker into a campy, over the top villain to match the tone of the Tim Burton films, Ledger plays him as much more grounded and menacing. Despite his name, his jokes are less funny than terrifying, and take on a darker edge that pairs perfectly with Bale's gritty Batman. His character veered less towards evil and more towards chaos, which is a unique approach and one that's far more frightening than your run-of-the-mill villain. Unfortunately, Ledger never got to see one of his greatest performances. Two months after filming wrapped, the 28-year-old actor was found dead in his New York City apartment, of an accidental drug overdose. He was given the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award posthumously (something that has only happened a couple times in history), which his family accepted on his behalf.