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Joker is currently breaking all sorts of records at the box office, and most critics agree that the film and Phoenix’s performance are some of the best of the year.
This has gotten people talking about what other DC or Marvel villains could be adapted to the screen this way. And by people, that includes Seinfeld star Jason Alexander who tweeted:
Haven’t seen Joker yet but it’s clearly a hit. So, in anticipation of films featuring other Batman villains, who would be better than me to play Egghead? Go ahead, throw out some names.
— jason alexander (@IJasonAlexander) October 9, 2019
The odds of an Egghead solo film are pretty slim, but there are numerous villains that are worthy of a solo film. We already know that Noah Hawley has a Doctor Doom script for Marvel. It seems to be the closest thing Marvel would have to something along the lines of Joker, but the verdict is still out on if Marvel will get it made.
There’s a million villains out, so the question I ask today is: which villain should get a Joker-inspired solo film next?
Batman definitely has the best rogue gallery when it comes to harvesting villains for a solo film. Cobblepot for instance could be a film inspired by The Godfather. It could detail the rise and fall of Oswald Cobblepot, a gangster who worked for the Falcone Crime Family. Cobblepot ends up starting a turf war between the Falcone and Maroni Crime Families.
There could also be Riddle Me This?, a horror film that pits Edward Nygma as a mastermind that has beat cop James Gordon racing around a Batman-less Gotham City trying to solve the riddles, and save his daughter.
However, the one villain I think that could lead one hell of a solo film, and I know I’m not alone in this answer, is Lex Luthor. I envision Luthor as being centered around Lex’s presidential campaign. He’s won the hearts of millions. He’s practically untouchable. Superman can’t reach him without looking like the villain. So Lois Lane tells Superman that a superhero isn’t the right man for the job, but a journalist is.
Taking inspiration from The Post and Spotlight, the film would follow Clark Kent as he attempts to uncover Luthor’s ulterior motive for running for President, before it’s too late and he’s elected. This wouldn’t necessarily be just Luthor’s film, as Clark Kent would get significant screentime, but Superman would only show up for about fifteen minutes.
Who would I cast as Lex Luthor? Bryan Cranston would be a great choice, but I also know that fans have been wanting Billy Zane to play this character for years. So let’s give it to Zane and see what he can do with the material.
So what about you, folks? Which villain do you want to see get a Joker-inspired solo film next?
I’ll see you in the trenches.
