Riddler in other media

The Riddler, portrayed by Frank Gorshin in the 1960s Batman TV series (left) and Cory Michael Smith on the TV series Gotham (right).

• The Riddler appears in Batman (1966), portrayed by Frank Gorshin in the first and third seasons and John Astin in the second season. This version was inspired by the Riddler's first Silver Age appearance, with the premiere episode being an adaptation of Batman #171. Gorshin would be nominated for an Emmy Award for his performance, which elevated the character's popularity and turned him into a major member of Batman's rogues gallery.
• The Riddler appears in Legends of the Superheroes, portrayed again by Frank Gorshin. This version is a member of the Legion of Doom.
• A young Edward Nygma appears in Gotham, portrayed by Cory Michael Smith.[1][2][3] This version is a forensic scientist working for the Gotham City Police Department who has a fondness for expressing his findings in the form of riddles before eventually turning to crime and terrorizing Gotham as the Riddler. The series traces his evolution into a master criminal as well as his complicated, love–hate relationship with fellow criminal Oswald Cobblepot.

The Riddler as he appeared in Batman: The Animated Series (left) and The New Batman Adventures (right)

Edward Nygma / The Riddler appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), voiced by John Glover. To avoid confusion with the Joker, the producers of Batman: The Animated Series chose not to portray this version as Frank Gorshin's cackling trickster from Batman (1966); instead portraying Riddler as a smooth intellectual who presents genuinely challenging puzzles and dresses in a sedated version of Gorshin's preferred costume for the character. The series creators also admit they did not use him often because his character often made story plots too long, complex, or bizarre and they found it difficult to devise the villain's riddles.[4]

• The Riddler first appears in Batman: The Animated Series (1992), with his design consisting of a green suit, purple mask, and a staff that lacks the usual question mark-shaped design. Introduced in the episode "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?", Nygma was once a video game developer before he was unjustly fired by his greedy boss, Daniel Mockridge. Following a failed attempt on his life, the Riddler faces Batman on several occasions.
• The Riddler makes cameo appearances in The New Batman Adventures, now sporting a unitard with a large question mark and no hair and mask.
• The Riddler makes a minor appearance in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Knight Time".
• An android drone of the Riddler makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Batman Beyond episode "Terry's Friend Dates a Robot". When asked about the Riddler's fate, series creator Paul Dini jokingly stated that he retired and started running a men's clothing store with the Mad Hatter.[5]
• The Riddler was originally planned to appear in the third season of Justice League Unlimited as a member of Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society as a tribute to his appearance in Challenge of the Superfriends (see below). However, due to rights issues caused by the "Bat-embargo", this was not possible.

The Riddler as he appears in Challenge of the Superfriends

The Riddler as he appears in The Batman (2004)

• The Riddler appears in The Batman/Superman Hour, voiced by Ted Knight.
• The Riddler appears in the opening of The New Adventures of Batman, sporting a red costume instead of the traditional green.
• The Riddler appears in Challenge of the Superfriends, voiced by Michael Bell. This version is a member of the Legion of Doom.
• The Riddler appears in Super Friends, voiced again by Michael Bell.
• The Riddler appears in The Batman (2004), voiced by Robert Englund. This version sports a Gothic appearance and is served by henchmen called Riddlemen. In the past, he and his partner Julie (voiced by Brooke Shields) worked on a device capable of enhancing the human brain when he was approached by a man named Gorman, who wanted to purchase the rights to the device, though Nygma refused. When the device malfunctioned at a demonstration, Nygma accused Gorman of sabotaging it and attempted to kill him, only to be foiled by Batman. In the present, Nygma becomes the Riddler to make another attempt on Gorman's life, only to learn Julie was the one who sabotaged their device out of greed, breaking Nygma's heart.
• The Riddler appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by John Michael Higgins.[6] In his most notable appearance in the episode "The Criss Cross Conspiracy!", he is targeted by Batwoman, whom he had publicly unmasked and humiliated ten years prior.
• The Riddler appears in Young Justice, voiced by Dave Franco. This version is a member of the Light.
• The Riddler appears in the DC Nation Shorts segment "Riddle Me This!", voiced by "Weird Al" Yankovic.
• The Riddler makes cameo appearances in Teen Titans Go! (2013).
• The Riddler appears in the Justice League Action episode "E. Nygma, Consulting Detective", voiced by Brent Spiner.[7] This version does not wear a mask and has a shaved head.
• The Riddler appears in DC Super Hero Girls (2019), voiced by David Hornsby.
• The Riddler appears in Harley Quinn, voiced by Jim Rash.[8] This version is a member of the Legion of Doom in the first season and a founding member of the Injustice League in the second season. Additionally, he takes on a muscular physique after being captured by Harley Quinn's crew and being forced to power their mall lair in the latter season. As of the third season, he has returned to his slim physique and entered a relationship with the Clock King. In "Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine's Day Special", the Riddler proposes to Clock King and the pair get engaged.
• The Riddler appears in Batwheels, voiced by SungWon Cho.[9]

Jim Carrey as Edward Nygma / The Riddler in Batman Forever (1995)

Paul Dano as Edward Nashton / The Riddler in The Batman (2022)

• The Batman (1966) incarnation of the Riddler appears in the film of the same name, portrayed again by Frank Gorshin.
• Edward Nygma / The Riddler appears in Batman Forever, portrayed by Jim Carrey. This version is an eccentric, amoral inventor at Wayne Enterprises who designs "The Box", initially a device capable of projecting images into a person's mind but later revealed to be capable of transferring neural energy into others to enhance their intellects. After Bruce Wayne rejects his invention as the mind projection angle seems too ethically questionable, Nygma becomes the Riddler to prove his superiority to him by obsessively sending him puzzles to solve. Riddler later allies with Two-Face and goes on a crime spree to fund his own company, NygmaTech, mass-produce the Box's technology, and market it as a means of enhancing how viewers watch television; allowing him to absorb all of Gotham City's citizens' intelligence and deduce that Bruce Wayne is Batman. Ultimately, Batman shatters the master box, which reverses the information flow into Riddler's brain, driving the latter insane before he is incarcerated at Arkham Asylum.
• Edward Nashton / The Riddler appears in The Batman (2022), portrayed by Paul Dano.[10][11][12] This version is a masked serial killer, partly inspired by the real-life Zodiac Killer, who seeks to "unmask the truth" about Gotham City by targeting its upper class while taunting Batman and law enforcement with ciphers and riddles.[13][14][15][16] Additionally, Nashton is an orphan with a grudge against Thomas Wayne for not keeping his promise to fund the former's orphanage before his murder, is envious of Bruce Wayne for being an orphan who grew up rich, and ironically idolizes Batman, who served as inspiration for Nashton becoming the Riddler. After throwing Gotham City into disarray by leaking its leadership's corruption and killing the mayor, the police commissioner, the district attorney, and crime boss Carmine Falcone, Nashton allows himself to be captured and imprisoned at Arkham Asylum. Batman then discovers Nashton's true plan is to use explosives around Gotham's breakwaters to flood the city and have his followers assassinate newly elected mayor Bella Reál. After Batman saves Reál, Nashton laments his failure, but befriends the Joker.

• The Riddler makes a cameo appearance in Batman: Under the Red Hood, with vocal effects provided by Bruce Timm.[17]
• The Riddler appears in Lego Batman: The Movie - DC Super Heroes Unite, voiced by Rob Paulsen.[18]
• The Riddler appears in Batman: Assault on Arkham, voiced by Matthew Gray Gubler.[19] This version is a former member of the Suicide Squad who discovered how to disarm the nano-bombs that the squad's handler, Amanda Waller, implants into the group's members to keep them in line.
• The Batman (1966) incarnation of the Riddler appears in Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman vs. Two-Face, voiced again by Wally Wingert.[20]
• The Riddler appears in The Lego Batman Movie, voiced by Conan O'Brien. This version sports slightly longer hair and a smaller hat.
• The Batman: Brave and the Bold incarnation of the Riddler appears in Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced again by John Michael Higgins. It is revealed that he started his career as a lab assistant to Professor Milo and seeks to revive a dimensional portal project he was involved in.
• Edward Nygma appears in Batman: Hush, voiced by Geoffrey Arend. Similarly to the comics, this version deduces Batman's identity as Bruce Wayne while using a Lazarus Pit to cure his brain tumor. However, Nygma goes on to use the alternate alter-ego Hush to manipulate other supervillains into destroying Batman on multiple fronts, while using Clayface to assume his Riddler identity to maintain appearances. Ultimately, Nygma's plans are foiled and he is killed by Catwoman.
• The Riddler makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in Batman: Death in the Family.
• The Riddler makes a minor non-speaking appearance in Injustice.
• The Riddler appears in Teen Titans Go! & DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse, voiced again by an uncredited David Hornsby. This version is a member of the Legion of Doom.

Concept artwork of the Riddler for Batman: Arkham City

Edward Nashton / Enigma / The Riddler appears in the Batman: Arkham video game series, voiced by Wally Wingert. This version had an abusive father who accused him of cheating in a riddle solving contest before beating him. This resulted in Nashton becoming obsessed with riddles and proving his intellectual superiority. He would later go on to become a police consultant and the apparent head of the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD)'s Cybercrime unit, during which he operated as Enigma before eventually becoming the Riddler.

• While the Riddler does not physically appear in Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009), he hacks into Batman's communication system and persistently challenges him to solve various riddles located throughout Arkham Island and its various facilities. Upon completing all of the Riddler's challenges, Batman triangulates the former's location in Gotham City and has him arrested by the GCPD.
• The Riddler makes his first physical appearance in the sequel Batman: Arkham City (2011). He, along with many of Gotham City's criminals and supervillains, was captured and sent to Professor Hugo Strange's Arkham City, a lawless, walled city whose inhabitants are free to wreak havoc. The Riddler kidnaps former Arkham guard Aaron Cash's medical protection team, places them in death traps, and threatens to murder them to force Batman to solve his riddles and challenges, which he has scattered throughout Arkham City. Additionally, the Riddler employs moles embedded in the Joker, Penguin, and Two-Face's gangs. After Batman eventually outwits the death traps and rescues some of the hostages, Oracle discerns the location of the Riddler's hideout, where Batman rescues the remaining hostages and subdues the Riddler.[21]
• A young Nashton, as Enigma, appears in the prequel Batman: Arkham Origins (2013). He establishes a series of signal jammers throughout Gotham City to disrupt Batman's Batwing and hacking transmitter as part of a plot to blackmail Gotham's most prominent citizens and make the city a better place by ridding it of the corrupt despite putting innocent lives at risk. To further his plot, Nashton also has informants and pieces of extortion recordings scattered throughout Gotham. After uncovering and decoding the recordings and destroying the jammers, Batman finds Enigma's hideout, but the latter has gone into hiding by then.
• In Batman: Arkham Knight (2015), the Riddler joined forces with the Scarecrow and Arkham Knight to kill Batman, built robots to assist him, established more challenges for Batman throughout all of Gotham, and coerces him into completing them by taking Catwoman hostage via an explosive collar. As he completes the challenges, Batman locates the keys needed to remove her collar before the pair confront the Riddler in a "Riddler Mech" and his army of robots. After defeating him, Batman takes the Riddler to GCPD headquarters. In the "Catwoman's Revenge" DLC, set after the events of the main game, Catwoman infiltrates the Riddler's lair while he is incarcerated and transfers his money from his account to hers before leaving his robot factory to self-destruct.
• The Riddler appears as an unlockable playable character in the mobile game Batman: Arkham Underworld. In the game, he wields a sawed-off shotgun along with his cane, which he can use to electrocute enemies, create holograms, and sabotage electronic devices. He can also summon two of his robotic minions for assistance.

• The Riddler appears in Lego Batman: The Videogame,[22] with vocal effects provided by Tom Kenny. This version's cane grants him the ability to mind control marked targets or confuse other characters if they are close enough.
• The Riddler appears as a boss, optional boss, and unlockable playable character in Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, voiced by Rob Paulsen impersonating Jim Carrey's interpretation of the character.
• The Riddler appears as a playable character and boss in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, voiced by Roger Craig Smith. Additionally, the Batman (1966) incarnation of the Riddler appears as an alternate skin.
• The Riddler appears in Lego Dimensions, voiced again by Roger Craig Smith.
• The Riddler appears as a playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced again by Wally Wingert.[23]

The Riddler as he appears in Batman: The Enemy Within

• The Riddler appears as a boss in Batman: The Animated Series (1993).
• The Riddler appears as a boss in The Adventures of Batman & Robin, voiced again by John Glover.
• The Riddler, based on Jim Carrey's portrayal, appears as a boss in the Batman Forever film tie-in game.
• The Riddler appears in DC Universe Online, voiced by Shannon McCormick. This version is a detective.
• The Riddler appears in Minecraft via the "Batman" DLC.
• The Riddler appears as a non-player character (NPC) in Injustice: Gods Among Us via the Arkham Asylum stage.
• The Riddler appears as a boss in Young Justice: Legacy, voiced by Jason Spisak.
• The Riddler appears in Batman: The Enemy Within, voiced by Robin Atkin Downes.[24] This version is known as "Gotham's original costumed criminal", having operated years prior while the city was controlled by Thomas Wayne and Carmine Falcone, a former employee of the Agency's scientific division SANCTUS, and a 60 year-old skilled hand-to-hand combatant and practitioner of Bartitsu, which he uses in conjunction with his cane. Additionally, he was the only surviving human test subject of the Agency's experiments with the "LOTUS virus", a bioweapon that allowed him to maintain his youth, but drove him insane. After disappearing for several years, he resurfaces as the leader of a criminal group called the Pact to steal the LOTUS virus as well as pursue personal revenge against the Agency and target Batman. In the midst of his attacks, Lucius Fox is inadvertently killed by a missile strike on Wayne Enterprises. Batman eventually defeats the Riddler, who is assassinated by Lucius' daughter, Tiffany. The Pact and Amanda Waller use the Riddler's body to create their own versions of the LOTUS virus, but their samples are destroyed by Agent Iman Avesta.