The Batman Sequel: 10 Possible Villains (And Who Should Play Them)

Matt Reeves’ The Batman depicted a Gotham unlike anything seen before. It’s bleak, corrupted, and vulnerable with an inexperienced yet equally rageful Batman struggling to hold it together as others try to break the city down to rubble.

The film has already introduced an abundance of criminals and delinquents for the Caped Crusader to tussle with, and with a sequel already confirmed by this point, plus the likelihood of even further movies, there is still a huge catalogue of villains for Reeves to pick and choose from to introduce within his world.

Said world is built on the foundations of grounded and gritty realism, similar to what Christopher Nolan depicted within his Dark Knight trilogy, and although Batman’s comic book foes come in all manner of shapes and sizes, ten notable entries come to mind who could slot into Reeves’ realism well and create catastrophic carnage for Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight to face off against.

There really is an abundance to choose from in regards to Gotham's rogues' gallery, but the following actors have what it takes to bring their on-screen adversaries to the big screen, and with devastating consequences.

Dave Bautista’s transition from the canvas to the red carpet has been seamless considering his roots. Wrestling is high-octane, where performance is derived from emotion and expression, and there is more to the sport than simply one performer body-slamming another. Dave brings an emotional vulnerability and depth to his on-screen roles that align with storylines he formerly brought to WWE. The 53-year-old owns not only an incredible physique but also an impressive resume of performances and projects to match it, solidifying his status in Hollywood as a capable and committed actor.

Bautista boasts brains and brawn, so it should come as no real surprise that a character with a physical and psychological profile such as Bane’s appeals to someone with his know-how. The bulked-up bruiser is not your typical henchman, as Bane offers a multi-faceted skillset that many of Batman’s famous foes lack.

The multiple-time World Champion has every asset at his disposal to harness Bane, and has previously expressed his own personal interest in playing the part, stating that “I’d just love a crack at it. I think I could bring an interesting twist to it, and I think I could do the character justice. Not only in performance, but also in physicality.”

Bautista’s predecessor Tom Hardy reinvigorated the role and brought a real believability to Bane's origins, and despite the British actor’s popular portrayal of the character, BigDave will be keen to stamp his authority on the role should Matt Reeves’ look to incorporate the venom-infused villain into his world.