Over the years, plenty of supervillains have become cemented in the minds of superfans and cinephiles alike. This is typically because of an actor’s stellar portrayal of the character, or because the director’s interpretation of said character brings something fresh and new to the table.
Perfect examples of this include Danny DeVito‘s portrayal of the Penguin from the 1992 film Batman Returns, or Sir Ian McKellen‘s memorable role as Magneto in the X-Menfilm series. New superhero movies are coming out all the time nowadays, and with them come some pretty awesome new takes on villains. So awesome in fact, that it’s more than likely they’ll be remembered by many superfans in the near and distant future.
10 Thanos – ‘The Avengers’ Series (2012-)
Thanos (Josh Brolin) is an extra-terrestrial being that first appears in the post-credits scene of The Avengers (2012), where he can be found searching for the five infinity stones for the similarly named infinity gauntlet. Once he acquires them all, he will gain the power to end half of all life in the universe.
His reason for doing so is that he believes that purging the universe of 50 percent of its life will bring about a balance to all existence. Though many disagree with his point, some think he may have been right. Seriously, think about how much destruction has occurred over the course of the MCU. Regardless, his prominence in several internet meme formats makes it likely that Thanos won’t be going anywhere for a long time, and that future generations will also grow up knowing his name.
9 The Riddler – ‘The Batman’ (2022)
The Riddler (Paul Dano) has been featured a couple of times in film. First, in the 60s, and then again in the 90s, when he was played by none other than Jim Carrey. Both of these versions of the Riddler were recognizable in their own right, but shared one common trait: they were both very eccentric and “out there.”
This makes Paul Dano’s Riddler from The Batman a breath of fresh air, as this version appears more as a dark, tormented individual. It’s these unique takes on villains that help them earn their places in the history of pop culture for years to come.
8 The Joker – ‘Joker’ (2019)
Nearly any incarnation of the Joker (Joaquin Phoenix) is iconic. From Jack Nicholson‘s 80s gangster-type clown prince of crime to Heath Ledger‘s erratic mastermind, the character is a long-time favourite for Batman fans and non-fans alike. However, the 2019 film Joker delivered a new take on the legendary supervillain, this time showing his tragic life and subsequent descent into a life of crime.
Many view this version of Joker as a troubled anti-hero, who fights back against Gotham’s oppressive upper class. Though this version of Joker is still evil, it’s easier to sympathize with him now that his past has been truly explored. Just like Thanos, if the internet memes are anything to go by, Phoenix’s version of the criminal genius will be cemented in pop culture for many years to come.
7 Loki – ‘Thor’ Series (2011-)
Loki (Tom Hiddleston) first appears in the Thor series as Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) half-brother, yet the two have been facing off at a nearly-constant rate. Loki received his own spin-off show in the MCU, and for good reason. Not only does he have a sharp wit, and an even sharper tongue, but he’s also comedic, and deliciously evil–he’s everything fans look for in a villain.
Though Loki has filled screens for over a decade now, that doesn’t change the fact that he will likely be remembered for many more years to come.
6 Erik Killmonger – ‘Black Panther’ (2018)
Erik Killmonger was one of many roles that helped actor Michael B. Jordan become a household name. What makes Killmonger so interesting is that many fans believe that he was right all along. His goal is to force Wakanda to share its advanced technology with the rest of the world, especially in areas where it is desperately needed.
He views Wakanda’s intentional isolation as selfishness, which is pretty fair, honestly. Regardless of whether fans agree or disagree with his means, methods, or motives, Killmonger is a superb addition to the MCU, and Michael B. Jordan is the perfect actor to portray him. This is likely to be a role that Jordan will always be associated with.
5 Harley Quinn – ‘Suicide Squad’ Series (2016-2021)
Many people were disappointed with Jared Leto‘s portrayal of the Joker in Zack Snyder‘s Suicide Squad series. But what fans weren’t disappointed with was Margot Robbie‘s portrayal of the Joker’s love interest, Harley Quinn. The Halloween after the first movie came out, streets were riddled with young women dressing as Harley Quinn, and for good reason–Robbie’s Harley Quinn was easily the best part of the first film (which was otherwise mediocre).
Quinn is also the only major character to have appeared in all three Suicide Squad movies since she is such a fan favourite. This is likely due to her sense of humour, and for being a villainous feminine icon.
4 Black Adam – ‘Black Adam’ (2022)
Black Adam may not have been a fantastic movie, but it was highly anticipated. Mainly because the titular villain and the film’s protagonist is played by none other than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Nearly every role The Rock plays becomes instantly iconic, because, come on, it’s The Rock.
The Rock brought the somewhat-forgotten comic book villain to life in a way never seen before. It is also the first time Black Adam has ever been featured on the silver screen, making a mildly historic moment for DC Comics.
3 The Green Goblin – ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (2021)
The Green Goblin (Willem DaFoe) was already something of an icon when he first appeared in Sony’s 2002 Spider-Man movie. This is due to DaFoe’s stellar portrayal of Spidey’s (Tobey Maguire) arch-nemesis. But with the MCU’s release of Spider-Man: No Way Home just two years ago, it has been made abundantly clear that the Goblin isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
The Green Goblin has been so well-liked as a villain that fans were equally stoked upon the release of the MCU film as they were two decades ago. It’s hard to return to a role twenty years later and still create the same energy and reaction from fans, which is why the Green Goblin will be remembered for many more decades to come.
2 Venom – ‘Venom’ Series (2018-)
Venom as a character was first featured in live-action in Sony’s Spider-Man 3, which is when Sam Raimi‘s acclaimed trilogy took a turn for the worse. He was portrayed by Topher Grace, who even now, has stated he isn’t sure why Sony thought him perfect for the role. Spider-Man fans weren’t super engrossed by the interpretation of Venom either, as it wasn’t very memorable.
But what has significantly caused more buzz is Tom Hardy‘s role as the symbiotic supervillain in the Venom films. Hardy is a notoriously fantastic actor, but being the main character of the film allowed the movie to explore Venom more, and make him feel more memorable. The movies may be average, but their star actor brought Venom into the spotlight more than ever before.
1 Dr. Octopus – ‘Spider-Man 2’ (2004)
Spider-Man 2 was the first live-action film to feature the many-armed villain Dr. Octopus, which is likely because it’s going to be pretty hard Alfred Molina‘s portrayal of the troubled genius.
Molina’s acting as the scientist also known as Dr. Octavius was incredible, and the action sequences where he faces off against Spider-Man are some of the best in cinematic history. Though the movie is over 18 years old, fans still haven’t forgotten about Molina’s role as “Doc Ock.” This role was so iconic that it too made a reappearance in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.
