The supporting cast of characters in the Batman mythos is about as diverse as they come. From sidekicks to love interests and old favorites like Alfred and Lucius Fox, Batman's circle of friends, foes, and family extends the length of Gotham and beyond.
And with buzz growing about Matt Reeves' upcoming The Batman movie in 2021, starring Robert Pattinson, the internet is bustling with conjecture and hype about who fans want to see in the DCEU's reimagined Batman universe. Here are a few characters that may not be that well-received.
10 Vicki Vale
Kim Basinger played her in Tim Burton's 1989 Batman movie and she didn't return (except in a passing comment) in the sequel, Batman Returns. She also appeared in the animated The Batman vs Dracula, and has been making scattered appearances in the comic books since the 1940s. Vicki is a reporter with an alliterated name and a penchant for getting herself into trouble.
She has a great nose for stories about a certain superhero, which sometimes lands her in hot water, too. But inevitably, the aforementioned superhero rescues her in the nick of time. Now, why does that sound familiar? With Superman's popularity at a high in the 1940s, it's pretty obvious that Vicki Vale was created as an analogue of Lois Lane. And having seen her in one great Batman movie already, perhaps it's time for other Batman love interests to shine.
9 Azrael
Jean Paul Valley (Azrael) was a major player in the 1990's Knightfall story arc, even taking over as Batman while Bruce Wayne recovered from a broken back. More recently, he appeared in DC Comics' Tales From the Dark Multiverse: Batman, Knightfall, a one-shot comic portraying an alternate reality that sees Azrael defeating Batman when he returns to reclaim the cowl. Azrael is a complicated character that is a confusing mix of good intentions and dark urges.
He has now been adopted as part of the extended Batman Family in Detective Comics, and has made an appearance on the CW's Gotham (though with a different alter ego). There is certainly more on-screen potential to be explored. But the character has remained divisive, ever since the Azrael version of Batman made his debut in the 90s. The current confirmed cast of characters is solid enough without him.
8 Batwoman
Batwoman is in the process of establishing Kate Kane as an important character in the CW's Arrowverse mythology. And Ruby Rose has stepped comfortably into the role of Gotham's red and black-clad protector. So, the dilemma here is similar to what's being debated about the the upcoming The Flash movie: Do we really need another incarnation of the character on screen when the TV version is already working? Barry Allen is doing just fine in the Arrowverse, and so is Kate Kane. There's really no need to bring another version of either character to the big screen at the moment -- unless they're much better than the current versions.
7 Bat-Robot Gordon
It's probably unlikely that this incarnation of Commissioner Gordon will appear on screen. Still, stranger things have appeared in Batman movies before (Bat Credit Card, anyone?). The idea of Gordon filling in for Batman is quite a strange concept at its core. Though, somehow, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo made a good go of it during their run on the Batman comics. Jeffrey Wright is perfectly poised to deliver an excellent portrayal of Batman's closest ally in the GCPD. Throwing armor on him and making him Batman's second would take away from both characters. So, it's probably best that James Gordon stays in his suit and trench coat for the duration of this movie.
6 Talia al Ghul
Portrayed by Lexa Doig in the Arrowverse and Marion Cotillard in the Nolanverse, Talia al Ghul, daughter of the "Demon", Ra's al Ghul, is a powerful woman, and mother to Batman's son and heir, Damian Wayne (Robin), outside of those on-screen incarnations. But with Zoë Kravitz confirmed as Catwoman for The Batman, the love-triangle dynamic that has occurred between Batman, Talia, and Catwoman in the past may be a little too much for this particular on-screen outing.
Carmine Falcone, Riddler, Penguin, and Catwoman are already confirmed for The Batman, and adding another formidable player like Talia to the mix could easily result in a watering down of her, or at least one other character. Another convoluted DCEU plot is the last thing we need right now.
5 Robin
Whether it's Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Damian Wayne, Carrie Kelly, or even Stephanie Brown that is your Robin of choice, Robin has evolved into a strong presence in his/her own right since the character's first appearance in 1940. Most recently, DC's series, Titans, has brought both Dick Grayson and Jason Todd to life as multi-dimensional characters who inhabit a universe of their own, which is infinitely better than Chris O'Donnell's reviled portrayal in 1997's Batman and Robin. The Batman is Robert Pattinson's first outing as the Dark Knight and the perfect opportunity to establish his own unique take on the character. While there may be space for a Robin in a sequel, the current Robin we have on screen is good enough for now. Let Batman go it alone on this one.
4 Superman
In 2016, the World's Finest heroes made their first big-screen appearance together in the same movie, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The result was not the resounding success the studio had hoped for. And the follow-up, Justice League, was met with an even poorer reception. The mistake that the DCEU made in many fans' opinion was that, unlike the Marvel Universe -- which allowed ample time for character development through other movies before Avengers was released -- Batman v Superman and Justice League had not spent enough time developing their characters independently before they appeared on screen together. It would be nice if The Batman did things the Marvel way -- at least as far character-building is concerned.
3 Joe Chill
He's Batman's reason for being; the man who, with two shots in an alleyway, scarred a young Bruce Wayne for life by killing his parents. The events of that dark and painful night are what prompted Bruce Wayne to create the Batman persona and launch his obsessive war on crime. The thing is, everybody knows that already. The incident has been seen in just about every incarnation of Batman on screen, and the villain made an extended appearance in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins. Chill is bound to come up in The Batman, but perhaps this time, he could be glossed over as common knowledge so that fans can move on to something new and exciting.
2 Thomas Wayne
Thomas Wayne has generally been portrayed as a virtual saint. That concept was turned on its head in a handful of comic book stories, and ultimately for cinemagoers, when he became Arthur Fleck's antagonist in Joker; among other things, by unceremoniously punching Fleck in the face.
With this incarnation of Batman's dad still quite fresh in the minds of fans and a hung jury on whether Todd Phillips' Joker character should make an appearance in the new The Batman cinematic world or not, Thomas Wayne could be a slightly uncomfortable and confusing presence in the new movie; not to mention that, as per the previous entry on this list, fans have "been there, done that" with Batman's origin story enough already.
1 Martha Wayne
Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice soured the word "Martha" for many people, with its ham-fisted crowbarring of the name shared by Superman and Batman's mothers into the climax of the eponymous battle scene. And perhaps that negative sentiment has lingered in the wake of the lusterless theatrical release of Snyder's Justice League (barring the release of the mythical Snyder cut anytime soon). Even the improved and extended Director's Cut of Batman v Superman retained the cringeworthy "Martha Moment," so its unfortunate notoriety lives on. There's no denying that both of the "Batfolks" are extremely important parts of the very soul of the Batman character. But giving them a little rest couldn't hurt.
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