When people think of Batman characters who need an origin story, Joker is one of the first names that are brought up. There are a couple of problems with that logic. First, as popular as Joker is, it’s unclear if his comic book character is enough to warrant a solo project. That includes the comics. His solo series (Joker by James Tynion) was more about Jim Gordon than Joker. Joaquin Phoenix's Joker was nothing like the comic character. That helped create a profitable movie. A new lore was designed for a different audience.
Second, Joker is far from the only Batman character deserving of an origin story. For example, characters like Clayface and Kite Man (Hell yeah!) have improved with retcons and better writing. This shows that there’s more to Batman's lore than Joker.
This article will explore five different characters that could have successful origin movies. Some of them are obvious while others will need an explanation. Let’s start with some villains.
Court of Owls
It takes a special villain to become popular with established and popular comic book heroes. Some fans want the antagonists they know and that’s it. Then there’s the Court of Owls. They're a secret society that people in Gotham thought was a myth. Readers discover that the Court of Owls has been around for decades and has strange ties to the Wayne and Grayson family.
Their rise to power and how they influenced Gotham City would bring in viewers. They’ve used underhanded tactics, intimidation, and violence to get what they want. There are also experiments to create their Talons that are disturbing and brutal. It would be like The Sopranos with a hundred times more influence.
A theatrical release may not be a good idea, but a digital or streaming service release would be perfect.
Jason Todd
For some reason, people love a trainwreck and Jason Todd’s upbringing is that. His father was an abusive loser who henched for multiple supervillains and loved bragging about his Batarang scar. His biological mother was a good person who didn’t stay in Jason’s life long and eventually caused his death (Batman: A Death in the Family). The woman who raised him meant well but had a drug addiction. Eventually, both his parents die leading to him going to an abusive foster home.
As bad as his life was, it led to the moment that changed Jason’s life. While trying to steal wheels off the Batmobile, he’s caught by Batman. Bruce laughs and invites Jason into his life and eventually becomes Robin. It’s a tragic story that leads to a semi-happy ending. Who wouldn't want to see this story?
Ra's al Ghul
How does a guy older than Wolverine become one of the most dangerous people in the world? Are Ra’s al Ghul’s extreme measures the right course of action? What are the moments that cause his way of thinking? What did his training look like? All of these questions could be answered in a cinematic masterpiece. The right creative team and actors could make Ra’s al Ghul more popular than Joker. At least Ra's stands for something.
Harleen Quinzel
We’ve seen multiple versions of Harley Quinn’s origin, but Stjepan Sejic’s Harleen is the best. He didn’t just change aspects of Harley’s life. He altered the characters that influenced it. Joker wasn’t as abusive (at least not yet), Harvey Dent was a jerk, and Harely had people who cared for her. There was also a story about her first interaction with Batman. That moment combined with insomnia furthered her descent into madness.
This would be a different story than the one where Harley goes crazy for a psychopath. What’s even better is she understands what she’s doing is wrong. However, Stjepan Sejic’s explanation helps keep Harley culpable while making people understand her logic.
Bane
This is the movie we didn’t know we needed. Batman: I am Bane showed Bane’s tragic origin of his time in the Peña Duro prison. Every day, water would rise in his cell and almost drown him. He would have to swim or die every time this happened. He ate raw fish to survive and vowed to his dead mother to avenge her death and punish criminals. Comic book fans know this isn’t what happens.
Bane’s early life would bring people to the theaters or streaming platforms. This could be an animated project or live-action. They only need to follow the source material. The source material mapped everything out perfectly. Of course, some moments would have to be altered for the movie format, but it’s still an easy win that would be better received than Joker.
What other characters deserve an origin story in a movie? Are these five worthy of a project?