Prime’s New Batman Show Includes 10 DC Villains Never Used By Movies

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Batman has been brought to the big screen many times, and it’s not surprising given how popular he is, especially now that comic book movies are so successful. While each movie version of Batman has something going for it – even the one with George Clooney shows a charming side to Bruce Wayne – the villains often fall short. Because Batman is such a central figure, movies struggle to give his enemies enough development, leading filmmakers to stick with well-known villains who don’t need a lot of backstory.

Characters like The Joker, The Riddler, Two-Face, and Bane have appeared in Batman films many times. While some portrayals, like Heath Ledger’s Joker and Paul Dano’s Riddler, have been excellent, constantly revisiting the same villains can become repetitive. A new Batman project recognizes this and is introducing ten villains who haven’t been featured in the movies before.

Prime Video’s Batman TV Show Is Traveling Into Uncharted Territory

Fans can find many classic Batman adventures on HBO Max, including shows like Batman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond. Now, Amazon Prime Video is offering a fresh take with Bat-Fam, a sequel to the 2023 animated film Merry Little Batman. That movie featured Batman and his son, Damian Wayne, battling villains like The Joker, Mr. Freeze, and The Penguin. Bat-Fam is different, however, as it focuses on lesser-known characters from the Batman universe, giving them a chance to shine outside of the comic books.

Man-Bat is the most memorable villain in this group, taking residence at Wayne Manor and seemingly just wanting to cause trouble. However, Gotham is overrun with enemies that only the Bat-Family can fight. Besides Man-Bat, the team faces villains like Livewire, Killer Moth, Copperhead, Giganta, King Tut, Solomon Grundy, the Mad Hatter, Killer Frost, and Toyman. By the end of the first season of Bat-Fam, each villain gets a chance to be the focus, but not all of them prove to be truly major threats.

Bat-Fam May Give a Few Villains the Boost That They Need

As a huge Batman fan, I have to say I’m really impressed with how the creators are handling Man-Bat. They’ve made him a genuinely engaging character – he’s funny, surprisingly useful when the team needs it, and a really fresh take on the comic book version. It’s easy for characters like Man-Bat to fall into the tired ‘mad scientist’ trope, but they’ve avoided that. I think it’s a smart move to portray him more as an ally to Batman, and it could be a really compelling storyline in a movie. While I doubt Matt Reeves would go for something that out-there, given his preference for realism, I think James Gunn’s DC Universe is the perfect place for this version of Man-Bat to shine – it feels like they’re open to all the stranger, more unique corners of DC Comics.

Now that Man-Bat is confirmed, The Mad Hatter and Toyman should be next in line for consideration. Both villains are human and rely on clever gadgets and schemes to challenge Batman. Like The Riddler and The Joker, they aren’t physically imposing, but they’re incredibly intelligent and can create dangerous situations. A good villain needs to be adaptable, and Toyman and The Mad Hatter prove that versatility. As long as the filmmakers follow the direction provided by the creative team, these villains could be a great fit. Prime Video understands that audiences have seen the same Batman villains repeatedly, and it’s time for the movies to catch up and explore some fresh options.

Bat-Fam Season 1 is streaming on Prime Video.

Which of Batman’s villains from his extended family (the “Bat-Fam”) would you like to see appear in a movie? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-11-11 21:41