Batman is one of the most unforgettable heroes in comic book and film history, but the side characters in his movies aren’t always so memorable. Batman has been around since 1939, when he first appeared in Detective Comics. Since then, he has continued to define every era of DC movies, from the earliest black and white serials to the DCU.

However, in addition to Batman and his Rogues Gallery of villains, there are dozens of other characters who help bring Gotham to life in each new chapter. But despite occasionally having a pivotal role, these characters fade into the background, and disappear from memory when the credits roll.

10

Alexander Knox

Batman (1989)

First in the lineup, a reporter for the Gotham Globe. While the journalists over at the Daily Planet often make a splash in Superman stories, Alexander Knox, who appears in the 1989 Batman movie as a reporter, fails to leave an impression.

However, the character did actually end up returning much later in another part of the DC Universe of stories, with a cameo in Supergirl during the Crisis on Infinite Earth’s events that happened in the Arrowverse. However, how many people actually caught the reference is likely marginal.

9

Max Shreck

Batman Returns

Max Shreck is a notable figure in the comics, and he plays a pretty significant role in Batman Returns. On top of this, the actor tackling the part is the incredible Christopher Walken. But despite all of this, the character takes a backseat in the story.

As a ruthless businessman, Shreck is actually the one who attempts to kill Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman. Shreck also allies with Penguin, played by Danny DeVito, but despite this prominent part in the story, the character is rarely mentioned when discussing the film.

8

Sugar

Batman Forever

Another iconic actor appears in a terribly underrated role in Batman Forever. Drew Barrymore, famous for her roles in comedy and rom-com films, appears as a supporter of Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face, and a love interest.

While her value to Dent was likely significant, her position in the story as a supporting character to a supporting villain ended up minimizing her overall impact. Barrymore did a great job, but it gets overlooked with so many other moving parts in the film.

7

Dr. Jason Woodrue

Batman & Robin

Another film that features a variety of villains for Batman to face, Batman & Robin introduced two of arguably the most iconic villains, played by two unforgettable actors. Mr. Freeze, played y Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Poison Ivy, played by Uma Thurman.

Of course, they stole the show, but one other pivotal character often goes unsung in discussions of the film, despite being played by another exceptional actor, John Glover.

Glover plays Dr. Jason Woodrue, a mad plant scientist who is instrumental in the creation of Poison Ivy as a superpowered villain. Before Poison Ivy gained her powers and influence, she was a lowly lab ᴀssistant to Woodrue. However, when she develops her powers, Ivy gets revenge on the abusive Dr. Woodrue, apparently to the point that he disappeared from the conversation.

6

Gillian B. Loeb

Batman Begins

While Detective Jim Gordon is clearly the most well-known officer working at Gotham Police Department, he had to fight for to be taken seriously. And before he got a promotion to become commissioner of the GCPD, he worked under another officer.

Gillian B. Loeb is the commissioner of the GCPD throughout both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. And while many officers in the GCPD were corrupt, and indeed his own comic book counterpart, Loeb appears to have been a respectable and honorable officer.

Loeb worked hard to enact change, but his demise came swiftly at the hands of the Joker in The Dark Knight, and he disappeared into the list of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ.

5

Coleman Reese

The Dark Knight

Coleman Reese plays a pretty considerable role in The Dark Knight. As an employee of Wayne Enterprises who is responsible for keeping the numbers in order, he managed to figure out Bruce Wayne was the Batman.

In an effort to exploit Wayne, he demanded a fee of $10 million annually for the rest of his life for his continued silence, but when confronted with the reality of who he was dealing with, he cowered away from his desperate plea.

He eventually appears to be on the brink of revealing Bruce Wayne’s alter ego, but when the Joker puts a ransom on his head, it’s Bruce who saves him. Despite all this, Reese is extremely forgettable, with his weak character ensuring he disappears into the background.

4

John Daggett

The Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises is undeniably the weakest entry in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy, but the story still has some memorable moments. From the appearance of Bane, to the return of Talia al Ghul, and the arrival of The Cat, there is a lot to take in.

However, there are some forgettable characters who, despite playing considerable roles in the film, fade into obscurity. With one notable figure being John Daggett, the head of Daggett Industries, played by the incredible Ben Mendelsohn.

While Daggett was responsible for orchestrating much of the events in The Dark Knight Rises, and hiring Bane and a crew of mercenaries and bringing them to Gotham, and employing Selina Kyle to get Bruce Wayne’s fingerprints, he managed to disappear into the background.

3

Phillip Stryver

The Dark Knight Rises

And considering how much Daggett goes under the radar, it’s no wonder that his close ally and the Vice President of Daggett Industries, Philip Stryver, played by Burn Gorman, leaves even less of an impression.

Stryver aided Daggett in his shady dealings with Bane and Selina Kyle, and when Daggett was brutally killed by Bane, he stood by and did nothing.

Eventually, Stryver also became a target to the more hardened criminals in Gotham, judged in a mock trial, and then exiled from the city. However, he didn’t manage to survive the perilous trek across the icy river, and drowned in unfathomable anguish. All of which becomes a footnote in the film compared to the larger narrative.

2

Jack O’Dwyer

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Once again, a character who is largely forgotten in a Batman movie plays a pivotal role in the story in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. When Zod initially arrived on Earth, and began to have a conflict with Superman, the ensuing battle between the two caused unfathomable chaos and destruction.

Beyond just punching each other into buildings, Zod and his army began to try and terraform the Earth. And just a few blocks from the eye of this storm, Jack O’Dwyer, Director of Finances at Wayne Enterprises, was caught up in the chaos.

Despite getting the rest of his staff out, Jack was left in the building when Zod and Superman crashed into the collapsing structure. At this point, Zod blasted Jack with his heat vision, inadvertently causing the death of this innocent man.

All of this is revealed in Batman v Superman, and shown as a motivating factor behind Batman’s distrust of Supes.

1

Don Mitchell Jr.

The Batman

Not necessarily as important as Jack O’Dwyer, but every bit as impactful. Don Mitchell, Jr. is one of the first characters to appear on-screen in The Batman. The mayor of Gotham, and a corrupt individual whose personal gain outweighs the needs of the people he supposedly serves.

At the start of the film, the Riddler, played by Paul Dano, is seen sneaking into the home of this man, and ominously threatening his life, until he brutally unleashes his rage. The victim was indeed Don Mitchel, Jr.

Due to being killed off immediately, Don’s influence is negligible, while the actions of the Riddler resonate through every fiber of Gotham, and the rest of the movie. It’s clear that while these Batman stories relay some powerful moments, not every character manages to stick in the mind of the audience.