Prometheus

Haven't done a villain in a while, so it seemed like a good time for Prometheus. Yet another of those anti-Batmen, Prometheus' criminal parents were killed by a cop when he was young. He raided their supplies of cash after their death to fund his travels around the world, training to be the best criminal he could be. He invented a device that let him download fighting styles into his brain, allowing him to defeat almost anyone hand to hand.

Prometheus carefully planned an assault on the Justice League headquarters, defeating the Flash, Martian Manhunter, Batman, and others, but ended up being defeated because he was unprepared for Catwoman, who had broken into the Justice League hoping to steal some stuff. So despite his almost Batman-like penchant for preparation, an unexpected event can really throw the guy off.

Pros: Contrasting Batman with the villain he faces is kind of nice.

Cons: Prometheus' origin is too perfectly opposite Batman, it stretches disbelief that a person would mirror Bruce's life so completely. Also, his equipment is far too science fiction-y for what we've seen in Batman movies so far.

How I'd do it: A master criminal who's as obsessive and skilled as Batman. He doesn't need to be Batman's perfect polar opposite.

Casting Guesses: I can't even remember what the guy looks like with no mask on, so I guess it doesn't matter too much as far as looks go. Maybe Jeffrey Donovan, the guy from Burn Notice?

Verdict: Nah. The character's too new, too contrived to be Batman's opposite, and too attached to his advanced technology to work in a Batman 3.

Mackenzie Bock

Mackenzie Bock -- nicknamed "Hardback" because he liked to read -- is a Gotham cop who partnered for a while with Renee Montoya. He was generally suspicious of Batman and didn't like vigilantes interfering with poice work. During No Man's Land, when Gotham is destroyed by an earthquake, evacuated, and cut off from the rest of the country, Bock stays behind with the police to try to deal with the chaos in the city, taking only a brief break to help rebuild his old neighborhood. After his stint with Montoya, he was promoted to the head of the Organized Crime department at Gotham City PD, and eventually Chief of Police, but upon receiving that job he basically disappeared from the comics.

Pros: The movie Gotham could use a tough, honest cop.

Cons: A fairly insignificant character, I'm not sure he even lasted 5 years as a regular in the comics.

How I'd do it: Have Bock be one of Gordon's Lieutenants.

Casting Guesses: Richard T. Jones? D.B. Woodside? Someone like that.

Verdict: He wouldn't be in a big role, but Bock would fit perfectly.

Bat-Mite

Bat-Mite is Batman's biggest fan, who also happens to be from another dimension. He has seemingly magical powers, much like Superman's foe Mxyzptlk, but rather than using them to create havocc like Mxyzpltk, Bat-Mite just creates scenarios where he can observe Batman's heroism.

After DC Comics rebooted their universe in the 1980s, Bat-Mite mostly disappeared until recently. In the current continuity, Bat-Mite is an element of "The Batman of Zur En Arrh," a persona Batman implanted into his subconscious that takes over if Batman loses his mind. The whole Zur En Arrh thing seems kinda dumb to me, but it's nice to see Bat-Mite back.

Pros: A little dude in an ill-fitting Batman costume with magical powers playing games with Batman? There's something pretty awesome about that.

Cons:None of that belongs in the kind of world where The Dark Knight takes place.

How I'd do it: Gotham toy makers try capitalize on the news about Batman by selling Batman toys that look like Bat-Mite?

Casting Guesses: No one? If they really want to to Bat-Mite, it should be CGI.

Verdict: I sure hope not.

Renee Montoya

Renee Montoya, like Harley Quinn, was created for the 1992 Batman Animated Series, and worked well enough to cross over into the comics. For a little bit, I thought Montoya had actually been written into The Dark Knight, since there was a hispanic woman working on Gordon's team, but it turned out to be Anna Ramirez.

For many years, Montoya was partnered with Harvey Bullock, a Gotham City PD detective who's been in the comics since the 70s. His traditional tough cop who goes by his gut played well off of her more modern, educated, analytical style (though she certainly is tough as well). They both learned from each other and seemed to become very close. Eventually, Bullock was promoted and Renee then partnered with Crispus Allen, a detective from Metropolis who isn't used to the kind of rule bending that is more common in Gotham.

Further on down the line, Two-Face becomes infatuated with her, finds out she's a lesbian, and threatens to out her. Allen ended up being killed, Renee then resigns from the force and becomes The Question (taking over from original Question, Vic Sage, on whom Rorschach from Watchmen was based), and she starts up a relationship with Kate Kane, aka BatWoman.

Pros: Other than Gordon, the Gotham cops have been pretty awful people, so it'd be nice to have another good one. And she's an interesting character in general.

Cons: Sad to say, but having another Latina on the force might get people her mixed up with Ramirez.

How I'd do it: No real secret to this, just make her one of the cops.

Casting Guesses: I hate to say it, because she doesn't seem like the greatest person in the world after her stint on Lost, but Michelle Rodriguez would make a pretty good Renee Montoya. I haven't watched much of Life, but Sarah Shahi might not be too bad either, although she almost looks too pretty or too small or something.

Verdict: Like most any cop that's been a regular in the comics, she'd be a great fit.

Sasha Bordeaux

After an incident with Dr. Hugo Strange, Lucius Fox, who in the comics has no idea that Bruce Wayne is Batman, decides that Bruce Wayne needs protection. For obvious reasons, Bruce doesn't feel he needs it, but Lucius insists. So Sasha Bordeaux is hired to become Bruce's 24-hour bodyguard.

This makes things a little tricky, since the times Bruce wants to sneak out to become Batman are the exact times Sasha wants to stick closest to him. After a number of incidents where he disappears in the middle of the night, Sasha becomes suspicious and eventually does discover his identity. Because of some kind of bodyguard code, she keeps his identity secret, but insists that she must extend her protection duties to his time as Batman. So Bruce puts her through grueling training to get her in shape to take on the dangers he faces, and she starts accompanying him as a sidekick of sorts.

It's at this point that the Bruce Wayne - Murderer? story kicks off. Batman and Sasha return to Wayne Manor after a night of crimefighting to find the body of Vesper Fairchild, Bruce's ex-girlfriend. Their only alibi is Bruce's identity as Batman, but both refuse to say anything. Lacking any other explanation, Bruce and Sasha are arrested. Sasha appears to be killed in prison, but her death was faked as part of her recruitment into the secret government organization Checkmate.

Pros: She's a strong woman who can hold her own with Batman. Her role as Bruce's bodyguard made for some fun situations where Bruce had to improvise ways to change into his costume, or stop a villain without becoming Batman.

Cons: There would have to be a whole new introduction scenario, since the movie version of Lucius knows Bruce's identity. And even though Sasha was a pretty good character, she was mostly introduced, I think, to set up the Vesper Fairchild murder story.

How I'd do it: Instead of Lucius Fox doing it, have the FBI show up and send Agent Sasha Bordeaux to provide round the clock protection for Bruce.

Casting Guesses: Jessica Biel always look like she could kick my ass without breaking a sweat, which seems bodyguard-like.

Verdict: It's highly unlikely. Sasha's a relatively recent, relatively minor character, who's probably more associated with Checkmate than with Batman. But you never know, I guess if there's a story that works with a bodyguard, she'd work well.