DC’s live-action villain movies have had mixed fortunes, from box-office disappointments and critical failures to acclaimed hits. The ranking spans eight films, including the recent Clayface, the first villain-centered movie in the rebooted DC Universe.
Catwoman sits at the bottom. Halle Berry’s 2004 film replaced the familiar Selina Kyle with Patience Phillips, a graphic designer who gains cat-like abilities. The movie was criticized for its muddled story, visual effects and editing, and earned $82.4 million against a $100 million budget. Its Rotten Tomatoes approval rating is 8%.
Suicide Squad (2016) ranks just above it. David Ayer’s film featured a high-profile cast but was hampered, according to the article, by studio interference, an uneven narrative and underdeveloped characters. It earned 26% on Rotten Tomatoes, despite performing well at the box office and winning an Academy Award. Margot Robbie and Will Smith are singled out as strengths.
Black Adam, released in 2022, also failed to meet expectations, with a generic story, weak character development and heavy use of CGI. It received a 39% Rotten Tomatoes approval rating and failed to break even at the box office. Dwayne Johnson’s performance and the Justice Society of America’s debut are noted as positives.
Joker: Folie à Deux is described as one of the most divisive entries. The 2024 sequel earned less at the box office than Black Adam and has a 31% Rotten Tomatoes score. Its psychological, musical approach moved away from a conventional superhero blockbuster, while Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga’s performances and the film’s creative risks give it a place above the lower-ranked titles.
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) follows Harley Quinn after her breakup with the Joker, as she teams up with other villains and antiheroes. The 2020 film is praised for its vivid visual style, comic-book aesthetic, action and Ewan McGregor’s villainous performance. Its pacing and narrative structure drew some criticism, but it holds a 79% Rotten Tomatoes approval rating.
Clayface is presented as a strong addition to the list. The James Watkins film follows actor Matt Hagen, who undergoes experimentation after an attack leaves him severely disfigured. Its body-horror approach earned a 71% Rotten Tomatoes approval rating and a 94% audience score. The article also reports $84 million at the box office after less than a month, noting that the result was impressive for a film about a relatively obscure character.
The original Joker, released in 2019, is ranked among DC’s best villain films. Joaquin Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck, an aspiring comedian whose life takes a dark turn after a series of tragedies. The film earned more than $1 billion worldwide, the only villain-focused DC movie to do so, and Phoenix won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Its audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is 89%.
At the top is The Suicide Squad (2021), James Gunn’s DC debut. The film earned $168.7 million at the box office and was also released simultaneously on HBO Max, where it became the service’s second most-streamed DCEU film. It received a 90% Rotten Tomatoes approval rating. Its R-rated mix of violent action, dark humor and comic-book style is presented as a better fit for the team’s chaotic and tragic nature than the 2016 film.
Sources: Comic Book Resources.