10 Best Live-Action Supervillain Suits
There’s a saying that ‘a hero is only as good as their villain’. That is perhaps overstated at this point, but there may be some truth to it. A good villain pushes the hero to their limit and therefore defines why they walk the path of righteousness… and they always look amazing while doing it. The best live-action supervillains are always decked in suits that exemplify their evilness, their opposition to our hero, or the ways in which they are interesting or unique in of themselves. Their suits always do more than simply make a visual impact – they help to tell the story and always leave a lasting impression.
In this Movie List from The Film Magazine, we have analysed and evaluated all live-action superhero films to select 10 supervillain suits to defeat them all. Much like our 10 Best Live-Action Superhero Suits list, we will only be considering one super-suit per character, so some tough decisions have been made. And like that list, this one will take into consideration multiple aspects of what makes each suit successful – from comic book accuracy, to how well they translate into live-action, to how intimidating they are.
These are the 10 Best Live-Action Supervillain Suits.
10. Two Face – The Dark Knight (2008)
While Aaron Eckhart’s Harvey “Two Face” Dent lacks the theatricality of Tommy Lee Jones’s iteration, his more grounded costume works for this realistic version of the Batman story, presented by Christopher Nolan.
His costume is perhaps the most understated one on this list. For that reason it often gets overlooked. It therefore only feels right to bring some attention to it.
Of course, the selling point is Harvey Dent’s disfigured face. The effects are disturbingly realistic. The intact side of his face is stoic while the burned half appears frozen in a state of anger. The two defined halves reflect Dent’s inner turmoil. The burned skin and exposed teeth look just like a Tim Sale drawing.
The burned side of the suit looks almost grotesque, with scorched fabric and edges that are jagged and charred. The fabric appears wrinkled and misshapen, much like his disfigured face. The exposed lining beneath the suit gives the illusion of the typical Two Face half-and-half suit, a clever way for costume designer Lindy Hemming to pay homage to the comics while staying true to Christopher Nolan’s grounded vision.
9. Green Goblin – Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
While the original 2002 Green Goblin costume is great, the Power Rangers suit comparisons made online are apt. What pushes the Spider-Man: No Way Home costume above it and into our list is the combination of two distinct aspects: the addition of purple (which is a great nod to the comics and the medieval inspirations of that suit), and the removal of the mask (which allows Willem Dafoe’s terrifying performance to shine).
Without the rigid mask, actor Willem Dafoe’s facial expressions are fully visible, highlighting the actor’s intensity. The change in costume also reinforces the idea that the true danger of this character comes not from the armour or gadgets, but from the man underneath, who is completely unhinged and driven by madness.
In No Way Home, the suit looks like skin, evoking the comic book design. His aforementioned purple hood compliments this green, while the torn and tattered look gives him a more raw and chaotic appearance. These elements further push the horror motifs. Instead of abandoning what worked before, costume designer Sanja Milkovic Hays builds upon it to create something fresh and memorable.
Recommended for you: Feature Film Spider-Man Villains Ranked
Amazing picks!