The Bat-Verse: The Villains Part 1

I'm sure many people are looking forward to seeing the Dark Knight appear on the big screen again soon. Here is my casting for Arkham's most evil rogues. I've tried to really be imaginative with my picks and not use some of the same old choices that many others use in their casts.

Batman- Ben Affleck

A controversial choice when it was announced, Ben Affleck has really grown on me. I have complete faith that he's going to do a great job as the Dark Knight. He's proven his talent in roles time and time again. Now that he's riding high again on a wave of recent successes, I'm certain he will silence even his harshest critics in this role.

Joker- Gabriel Mann

A bit of a left-field choice, I know, but as fans of the show "Revenge" can attest, he would do wonders in this role. Though Heath Ledger left some giant shoes to fill, Mann clearly has the talent to step up to the task. He's got the slender frame and psych killer smile to pull it off.

Catwoman- Gemma Arterton

Now this seems to be quite a popular choice for this role, it really is a good one. Arterton has the goods to portray both the slinkiness and the sexiness, as well as the streetwise toughness required to play Selina Kyle. And really, who wouldn't want to see her in a skin tight outfit?

Twoface- Timothy Olyphant

A true journeyman actor, Olyphant's appeared in dozens of different movies and films. But it was his work in "Justified" and "Deadwood" that convinced me he is a great choice to portray the twisted sense of justice of poor Harvey Dent.

The Penguin- Michael Stuhlbarg

As real life gangster Arnold Rothstein on "Boardwalk Empire", Stuhlbarg as already playing a version of how I envision the Penguin, running Gotham's underground from behind the scenes. Give the man a monocle, a top hat and an umbrella, and I believe we have our Cobblepot.

Riddler- Jack Huston

Another "Boardwalk" alum, Huston certainly has the ability to portray the cunning and deviousness required for the Riddler. No wacky Jim Carrey style hijinks here, this version of Edward Nygma is obsessed with proving that he's truly smarter than the Batman.

Poison Ivy- Evan Rachel Wood

This actresses talents have been on display ever since she was young. It would be well within her ability to showcase both the sultriness and ruthlessness of Ivy. Here she could vamp it up, while losing all of the campiness.

Bane- Edgar Ramirez

He really won me over with his brilliant acting job in the miniseries "Carlos". He'd surely be superb as the fearsome and brutal South American villain, as well as being able to pose a real physical threat. While I did enjoy Tom Hardy's version of the character, I'd like to see something closer to the source material.

Mr Freeze- Ralph Fiennes

Oh, if ever there were a Bat-villain in need of cinematic redemption, surely it's Victor Fries. And only an actor of such top tier caliber as Ralph Fiennes could ever properly bring the sense of tragedy and loss of this character to life.

Scarecrow- Jeremy Davies

With his gaunt feature and innate creepiness, Davies is a perfect match for Dr Crane. And as he's proved on "Lost" and "Saving Private Ryan", he's got the goods to play whatever he wants, even if it's a sadistic freak like the Scarecrow.

Harley Quinn- Allison Brie

Cute. Funny. Sexy. and CRAZY! All of these describe Harley, and as she's shown on both "Community" and "Mad Men", Brie can do all of these. All she'd have to do is crank her natural quirkiness up to full blown insanity, and she'd do wonders as the Joker's girl.

Ra's Al Ghul- James Purefoy

As an immortal world conqueror, a character as regal as Ra's requires a certain gravitas. Only an actor with such classically trained, Shakespearean credentials as Purefoy would be right for him. While they could use makeup to age him up pre-Lazarus Pit, he's still young enough to portray a reinvigorated Ra's post-rejuvenation.

Talia- Oona Chaplin

Much more than just a ravishing, exotic beauty, Chaplin's proven that she's capable of showing the conflict of a woman caught up between honor and love in "Game of Thrones". And while clearly talent runs in her family, this a an actress that can truly hold her own.

Killer Croc- Bokeem Woodbine

I'd much prefer to see a Croc much closer to his initial appearance, as a wrestler turned criminal with a degenerative skin disease, rather than the mindless alligator-man of late. Woodbine's been honing his acting skills since the early 90's. He'd go a great job as Croc and can be an imposing physical opponent, as seen recently in "Riddick".

Clayface- Jason Clarke

Known for his intense and gripping roles in films such as "Zero Dark Thirty" and "Public Enemies", Clarke would really get to stretch his acting muscles as the shape-shifting Clayface. No matter which version of the character they go with, he would surely infuse the character with a sense of both rage and tragedy.

Well that's it for now. I hope you enjoyed this. As always, these are merely my choices and preferences. I welcome discussion and constructive criticisms. Please let me know what you think.