With the upcoming release of Todd Phillips Joker which has admitted creative influences from Martin Scorsese's films Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy in its development and execution, one wonders if the rest of Batman's rogues will receive similar cinematic treatment. Hence the purpose of this article which is a humorous look into how the rest of the Batman villains could fit into the mould of a Scorsese film, why should The Joker have all the fun? Each character has been paired to a film with a brief explanation, some are serious, some are comical, the more bizarre the villain the more illogical the connection.
First, a disclaimer that I have not seen every Scorsese film listed but did initial research to understand the plot and to see whether they could fit into the mould of the character. Not every Scorsese film was chosen nor was every villain chosen but we managed to get twenty ideas so expect Comic-Con to be buzzing when our Killer Croc musical getting greenlit.
1. The Joker - The King of Comedy (1982)
Well, this one was easy because it was already done but you can't do a list about Batman villains and not mention the Clown Prince himself. With Scorsese legend himself, Robert De Niro appearing in the film and the trailers showcasing Joker featuring as a guest on the actor's fictional talk show, the comparisons to Rupert Pupkin's own rise to fame are synonymous. While Taxi Driver is also being mentioned as inspiration it appears Joker will have more in common with this disturbing tale of celebrity and psychosis about a deluded stand-up comedian who believes that fame and fortune are his for the taking and will let nothing stand in his way.
2. The Penguin - Goodfellas (1990)
This one also seems obvious but also possibly has real potential to work. The television series Gotham has already displayed the dramatic possibility of Oswald Cobblepot's rise to Gotham's top crime lord so to recontextualise it through Scorsese's gangster masterpiece would seem like a no brainer. Lesser-known DC characters like Carmine Falcone and Sal Maroni as possible mentors, The Iceberg Lounge in place of the Cococabana, and using Penguin's insecurities and eccentricities to ostracise him from his criminal partners just like Henry Hill's drug problems. Throw in a machine gun disguised as an umbrella and let the character's ruthless nature loose as Cobblepot's journey is unlikely to end with witness protection.
3. Two-Face - The Aviator (2004)
A brilliant man brought down by a burrowing mental illness, the stories of Harvey Dent and Howard Hughes may have more in common than one thought. While Dent's disfigurement is considered the catalyst for his psychotic break, some interpretations have shown him to showcase multiple personality disorder long before the acid is thrown on his face especially the seminal graphic novel The Long Halloween. Showcasing a lawyer at the height of his prowess slowly being destroyed by his own mind, similar to Scorsese's Hughes biopic would lend to a powerful character piece. The character's tragedy has always been a great source of pathos in Batman lore so to see a man of justice become a man of crime seemingly outside of his own control would offer a similar cinematic experience especially with the right actor.
4. The Riddler - Cape Fear (1991)
Obsession, revenge, intellectual superiority, Max Cady seems like an unlikely comparison for the riddlesome villain but they are bonded by a core psychosis of believing themselves to be better than their foe. Max Cady's quest of revenge sees him torment a man who has wronged him, to take the story of Cape Fear and inject Edward Nigma's talent for dangerous puzzles and mysteries could make for quite a cerebral thriller. Whether it's Nigma kidnapping his enemy's family and leaving demented clues to follow or creating anguish and torture with riddle traps and devices, the characters narcissistic ego has plenty of possibilities to terrify an audience.
5. Catwoman - The Color of Money (1986)
Anything would be better than the 2004 attempt of giving Selina Kyle her own cinematic outing but while Catwoman may be better suited for a full-blown heist film a la Ocean's 11 the closest we have with Scorses is his pool hustlin' picture. Catwoman has been known to take on young wards like the character Holly Robinson so have a similar story of how seasoned hustler Eddie Felson takes on Tom Cruise's Vincent Lauria but just replace the pool table with a museum diamond display. Color of Money also explores how an older man like Felson has to adapt to survive in the cutthroat world of crime, having a Catwoman film look at Selina in her elder years while competing against a younger thief could be an interesting framework for a film.
6. Harley Quinn - Boxcar Bertha (1972)
Disclaimer: Based on synopsis and trailer.
Harley is starring getting her own movie next year with Birds of Prey which looks to be a disco-infused riot fest but we have to stick to the formula and one of Marty's earliest Boxcar Bertha is the pick for the crazed psychiatrist. A Bonnie & Clyde-esque story, that sees a pair of train robbers on the run, the story could be applied to Joker and Harley's demented courtship as they terrorise unsuspecting victims. Alongside Bertha joining a gang of railroad workers, it could be an opportunity to showcase Harley's anti-hero capabilities as her conflict becomes seeking justice through unconventional means. Eventually, it would end with Harley breaking free from Joker's influence and how the character establishes her own agency.
7. Ra's al Ghul - Kundun (1997)
Disclaimer: Based on synopsis and trailer.
An epic biographical drama about one of the most influential individuals of the world seems like a good starting point for finding cinematic inspiration for The Demon's Head. While Ra's al Ghul and the Dalai Lama may differ on an ideological and spiritual level, Scorsese's method of chronicling the succession and exile of Tibet's spiritual leader. While al Ghul's story would show his addiction to immortality, how he built his army of assassins and created his worldwide web of influence, the sweeping scope and grandiose nature of Kundun's cinematic style would give extra credence to a story about how one man could change the world.
8. Bane - Raging Bull (1980)
While Bane's origins see him as an orphaned child imprisoned at birth in a notorious prison for his father's crimes, placing him a similar narrative to self-destructive boxer Jake LaMotta could give the character new insight. Bane has a desire to prove himself the most capable over anyone just like LaMotta's own ego, while Bane's appearance may him more suited for wrestling or UFC rather than boxing, the downfall of Raging Bull would still suit the character. Bane's career could begin inside the prison and his talent soon makes him a viable candidate for freedom and fame. Include Bane's own addiction to Venom drug that gives him enhanced strength through a steroid dosing storyline and you might have yourself a winner.
9. Poison Ivy - Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974)
Disclaimer: Based on synopsis and trailer.
This one is a long shot, the match made mostly because of the lack of female-led Scorsese films but also to create a creative challenge. Pamela Isley's eco-warrior seductresses shown through a road trip across America trying to rebuild and find a new life could be an interesting arc for the character. While lots of creative liberties would be taken as Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore's storylines wouldn't suit Poison Ivy well but the central theme of breaking free from patriarchy fits the character perfectly. The story of how Ivy's rebellious nature is born by breaking free from her abusers and those who seek to control her could be quite an exhilarating tale in our modern climate. Whether or not her sexuality is weaponised is up to the filmmaker but the potential for Poison Ivy to be more than just a standard Femme fatale.
10. Scarecrow - Shutter Island (2010)
Most of the Batman villains would probably fit into the mould of Shutter Island as the disturbing Ashecliffe Hospital bears obvious similarities to the infamous Arkham Asylum which houses the majority of the villains on the list. However, Scorsese's thriller which explores mental illness, guilt and features elaborate experiments on patients along with disturbing hallucinations, no villain is better suited than the malevolent Dr Crane. Scarecrow would likely be the villain of the piece, tormenting his patients through his fear experiments and developing the famed toxin that could drive any man mad. Shutter Island's atmosphere and tragedy that got under the audience's skin and made them fear every dark corner would be a perfect environment for the villain to shine.
11. Mr Freeze - The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
Mr Freeze is arguably the most sympathetic and tragic of all of Batman's rogues, a man destroyed in his quest to save his terminally ill wife. While Scorsese's deeply religious film puts the messiah through a journey of introspection as he questions God's plan for him, a film that has Victor Fries question his own criminal actions in the pursuit of his noble goal could yield similar results. It's about accepting who one is and to forgo temptation in the name of the greater good, while many of the villain films would have the characters embrace their darker natures Mr Freeze could be an opportunity for redemption. A spiritual journey for a man of science and to allow the grief-stricken character to perhaps finally find peace.
12. Killer Croc - New York, New York (1977)
Disclaimer: Based on synopsis and trailer.
This is probably the strongest idea on the list, I mean who doesn't think of cannibalistic crocodile men when they listen to jazz music? Rumours of alligators in the sewers of 70's New York, I mean there's a lot to work with here. While it would be easier to have Waylon Jones's monstrous alter-ego contextualised in a slasher film like Friday the 13th, taking Scorsese's musical for the creative inspiration for the villain seems far more fun. Just imagine a love story about a crocodile man who plays the saxophone why the box office may never recover.
13. Clayface - After Hours (1985)
Disclaimer: Based on synopsis and trailer.
Essentially Clayface is probably best suited for a 50's era B-movie that can play up his shapeshifting abilities or a psychological thriller but since we gave Shutter Island to Scarecrow, Clayface gets the black comedy After Hours. About a man who experiences a peculiar set of events as he tries to get home, it could be a comedy about the villain who has to taken on a series of identities to evade capture and gets involved in strange hijinks. If Basil Karlo's origins are to be explored it could be about the actor becoming the creature after a night that seems put through the wringer and leaves him as the famous villain. Placing Clayface with this film does allow for broad creative interpretation and more freedom for a filmmaker in adapting a villain known for his versatility.
14. The Mad Hatter - Taxi Driver (1976)
Even though everyone's tacked Travis Bickle's name onto Joker, this list assigns the eponymous taxi driver to the deranged Mad Hatter. Jervis Tetch is known for his mind control technology and the obsession for the Lewis Caroll novel Alice in Wonderland but more modern interpretations have explored a more disturbing nature of the character. Bickle's obsessions, delusions, and violent tendencies explored in the film would suit Tetch perfectly as he searches for his "Alice". With Taxi Driver unafraid to explore the nastier elements of society, Hatter's cinematic journey could mix reality with fantasy, as he goes down the rabbit hole into his own madness. All culminating with Mad Hatter brutally murdering sex traffickers to save a child prostitute he's obsessed with.
15. Man-Bat - Silence (2016)
We're nearing the end of the list so this one is quite the hail mary, I liked Silence even have a review for it right here so of course when thinking about which villain could benefit from a deeply religious introspection, of course, the first thought was Kirk Langstrom's monstrous alter ego. Again Man-Bat is a character probably suited for a more traditional monster movie but perhaps framed in a story of protege looking for his mentor only to discover that he is trapped in a strange land and has transformed into something unrecognizable.
16. The Ventriloquist - Hugo (2011)
The connection here is the automatons due to both Arnold Wesker and Hugo Cabaret finding companionship with the inanimate object. While a film about the Ventriloquist would be a far darker tale than Marty's family-friendly adventure they share similar themes of an individual looking for an outlet and purpose. Where Hugo's was storytelling and film by creating a friendship with filmmaker Georges Méliès, Wesker's will be his downfall into crime as his feeble personality is split by the puppet Scarface. From there it will be bank robbing and losing one's mind to the madness but essentially it will be a story of Arnold Wesker discovering who he really is through the use of the unique toy.
17. Black Mask - Casino (1995)
A man who builds himself from nothing and has to maintain a cool calculated veneer to maintain his power, Black Mask is one of the more obscure Batman villains but definitely one of the cruellest. Casino is considered thematically similar to Goodfellas so it only makes sense that Gotham's second-ranking crime boss is assigned to it. Roman Sionis running his rackets and building his wealth could be an interesting narrative while fighting off enemies on both sides of the law.
18. Hugo Strange - The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Hugo Strange is Batman's oldest foe and is one best suited for a film like Shutter Island as he is a psychologist known for cruel experiments and even running Arkham Asylum at points. The character is very egotistical, has an infamous obsession with Batman's identity, a mix of a mad scientist and master manipulator. Which is why the insanity of Jordan Belfort's rise to riches could be a more interesting interpretation for the mad doctor, especially if it includes a sequence of Strange high off quaaludes, dressed up as Batman, and screaming his head off as to why Bruce Wayne wears tights.
19. Victor Zsasz - The Irishman (2019)
Disclaimer: Based on synopsis and trailer.
We still have a while to wait until we are finally worthy to view the soon to be masterpiece that is The Irishman, it's clear to follow the life story of notorious hitman Frank Sheeran. Zsasz may be a deranged serial killer who marks his flesh with a tally with every kill but interpretations have had him as a more rational enforcer for crime bosses. Still vicious a story about a killer for decades, learning how he gained his marks, rose through the ranks of Gotham's underworld, possible cameos from other villains. It could have the potential to allow Zsasz to have more dramatic weight than just be a frightening killer but how the cycle of violence consumes America.
20. Hush - Gangs of New York (2002)
Hush is a villain of revenge with a personal connection to Batman's secret identity. Thomas Elliot, a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne seeks retribution for Wayne maintaining his wealth and stature while he lost everything. The epic revenge tale of a transforming America suits itself for Hush quite well, it even opens with a young boy watching his father die, how very Batman! While perhaps Bruce Wayne wouldn't be the best substitute for Bill the Butcher, the idea of Elliot to build himself up from nothing to face his foe matches own comic origin very closely. Perhaps the Gangs of Gotham has the potential to be a full-blown Batman film itself.
There we have it, twenty characters, twenty film pitches that are sure to anger Scorsese's lawyers but it was fun to find out that the Batman mythos appears to be perfectly suited to the styles of one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.
Tune in next week where we'll match Spider-man's bad guys to the filmography of David Cronenberg! (spoiler alert! they will all mostly be The Fly)
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