Without question, the DCEU is one of the most outlandish comic book universes ever committed to film. There are aliens, there are mythological warriors, and there are billionaire playboys with seriously intense ninja skills. It's ridiculous, and we completely love it. The silver screen DC universe has taken its scale to never before seen heights, and it's become one of the most fantastical, cohesive worlds that we've seen in a long time.
However, even the most outlandish superheroes cannot simply surround themselves with superpowered beings and psychotic villains. Batman has one of the most intriguing casts of supporting characters in all of comics, and the upcoming solo movie should capitalize on that by truly showing us more of Gotham City's grounded population. We've compiled a list of the eight supporting Batman characters that definitely need to show up in Ben Affleck's upcoming solo Batman movie. Check out our entries and let us know what you think. Without further ado, let's get the ball rolling with Commissioner Gordon's right hand man.
Harvey Bullock
Every great hero needs someone standing by his or her side. Batman has his many Robins, and Commissioner Gordon has Detective Harvey Bullock. A hard-boiled GCPD cop, Bullock is the definition of grizzled, but don't let that make you think he isn't committed to his work. In a police department filled with corruption, Harvey Bullock is one of the few cops to swear complete allegiance to Jim Gordon. Sure, he's a bit rough around the edges (you wouldn't want to take him to a party), and he's not particularly fond of Batman, but he's a crack shot, loyal to a fault, and he knows the streets of Gotham like the back of his hand.
Lucius Fox
Whenever somebody asks, "where does he get those wonderful toys?" the answer will invariably the same: Lucius Fox. A skilled businessman and technical genius, Lucius Fox is the gadget master responsible for the creation of Batman's arsenal of weapons, and he's also responsible for running Wayne Industries whenever its playboy CEO mysteriously disappears at night. Mr. Fox is one of the most important Batman allies that doesn't wear a mask, and his appearance in the solo Batman movie would go a long way towards filling out the ranks of Bruce Wayne's supporting cast. All that being said, the actor cast in the role will have a big task on their hands when it comes to stepping into the role recently vacated by Morgan Freeman after his tenure in the Dark Knight trilogy, as Freeman pretty much represents the gold standard for the character at this point.
Ellen Yindel
The DCEU's version of The Dark Knight has very clearly taken numerous cues from the mythos established in Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. If Ben Affleck's solo Batman movie will continue down that path, we think this is the perfect time to introduce Ellen Yindel to the DCEU. A young, ambitious cop, Yindel eventually goes on to replace an aging, retired Jim Gordon in the source material, and she subsequently issues an arrest warrant for Batman -- only to eventually realize the good he truly does for the city towards the end of the story. The Batman/Gordon dynamic has been done so thoroughly on the silver screen by now, we want to see a truly skilled cop step in to present a distinct challenge to the GCPD Commissioner. Yindel isn't a villain, she simply has a very different worldview compared to Jim Gordon, and that could offer quite a bit of nuance to The Dark Knight's upcoming movie.
Renee Montoya
If Harvey Bullock is the representation of a grizzled, hard-boiled GCPD, then Renee Montoya is the exact opposite. A young, aggressive officer among Gotham's finest, Montoya was initially created for Batman: The Animated Series (much like Harley Quinn) but she has since gone on to become a central member of the GCPD ensemble. Beyond her insight into the street level crime beat in Gotham City, Montoya also holds the distinction of being one of the most prominent LGBT characters in the entire Batman mythos, meaning that she adds an incredibly different world view to this varied cast of characters.
Leslie Thompkins
While Alfred Pennyworth took on the role of father figure in the wake of the death of Thomas Wayne, Leslie Thompkins stepped in to provide Bruce Wayne with a maternal figure following the death of his mother. A close friend to Bruce's parents, Leslie is a doctor and prominent public figure in Gotham City who has taken it upon herself to help the less fortunate by providing medical services and addiction treatment in impoverished areas like Crime Alley. The DCEU has quite obviously already placed quite a bit of weight onto the importance of parental figures in Bruce's life (particularly mothers) and Leslie Thompkins is a perfectly grounded character to help the series move away from the "Martha" controversy that plagued Dawn of Justice.
Sarah Essen Gordon
Although The Dark Knight trilogy partially delved into the home life of Gary Oldman's Jim Gordon, there's quite a bit of material left to mine from the source material. One such character that deserves to be introduced to the DCEU is none other than Sarah Essen Gordon, a talented GCPD officer, and Jim Gordon's second wife. Mrs. Essen Gordon has a long history in the comics (she was even killed by The Joker during the No Man's Land story arc) and her presence in Ben Affleck's Gotham would go a long way towards informing the motivations of Jim Gordon. After all, like he says in The Dark Knight Returns, whenever things get tough, "I think of Sarah, and the rest is easy."
Jack Ryder
Batman movies have explored The Dark Knight's relationship with the media before. Tim Burton's Batman introduced Vicki Vale as a love interest for the Caped Crusader, and The Dark Knight's Mike Engel served as a talking head to chronicle the fight between Batman and The Joker. However, a character like Jack Ryder has never been used in a solo Batman movie, and we think it's time for his silver screen debut. As a prominent Gotham City provocateur, Ryder uses his public persona to antagonize and provoke guests on his television show. He's a polarizing figure who often finds himself at odds with both Batman and Bruce Wayne. Ryder's appearance in a solo Batman movie could also pave the way for his eventual transformation into the villainous Creeper, but we will settle for Ryder for the time being.
Harvey Dent
Although the current continuity of the DCEU takes place in the twilight of Batman's vigilante career, there's still a distinct possibility that Harvey Dent a.k.a Two Face could be established as an ally for The Dark Knight. While most depictions of the character show him suffering his gruesome facial scarring early in his career as a Gotham City District Attorney, several storylines (including The Dark Knight Returns) have toyed with the idea that Harvey Dent can indeed be reformed, and even have his face repaired to a certain degree. Following the events of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, it has become increasingly obvious that Batfleck finds himself on a path to redemption, so finding another Gotham City rogue to parallel that journey would perfectly encapsulate a more hopeful and optimistic tone.
