20 Greatest Movie Villains Of The 2000s

There have been multiple comic book villains on this list, and though all great, none of them changed the game like this. Heath Ledger's posthumous Academy Award win was previously unthinkable for such a role, and was a fitting accolade to go with one of the all-time greatest antagonist performances on screen, big or small.

After Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale had taken Batman to a much grittier place than before with Batman Begins, the door was opened for a darker Joker. The Dark Knight's greatest ever nemesis brought with him certain expectations, and though there were big question marks surrounding the initial casting of Heath Ledger, it's fair to say they were eclipsed and then some.

The mystery of the Joker brought a lot to the table: the inconsistent stories about how he got his scars, the manipulation, the imperfection, and the downright chaotic insanity all built up the perfect antithesis to Gotham's Caped Crusader, and it was all elevated by Ledger.

Whereas previous live-action Jokers had been corny, his was an intimidating menace, with still the ability to generate a laugh from an audience, even if it were born of nerves or discomfort. The Joker was a man sprinting along the line between being a genius and insane, never really seeming to care which side he landed on, and was the perfect villain for what is as close to a perfect comic book movie as will ever be made.