Birds of Prey cast: Who is Black Mask? Who is the villain in Harley Quinn movie?

Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, is the latest DC movie to come after the mega success of Joker. This movie exists in a seemingly alternate universe of Joaquin Phoenix’s film, and follows on from the events of Suicide Squad. With Harley Quinn back fighting for herself with some friends, who is the villain who will be coming up against her?

Who is the villain in Birds of Prey?

Black Mask is a super villain in the DC Comics world, and is known as a major enemy to Batman.

In his first appearance in Batman #386, back in 1985, his biography was established as being Roman Sionis.

Sionis was born to wealthy parents who cared more about their social status than their own son, trying to cover up his being dropped on his head as a baby to protect their reputation.

His parents even forced Sioinis to become friends with Thomas and Martha Wayne’s son, Bruce, despite their intense dislike for their fellow socialites.

He worked for his father’s company and fell in love with a working class woman, but when his family forced him to break off their relationship, he burnt down the family mansion, thus killing his parents and inheriting their fortune.

Lacking business acumen, Sionis ruined his father’s business, partly by putting out a make up product which had not been tested, thus causing hundreds of women to become disfigured, which then led to his girlfriend leaving him.

His former childhood friend offered to bail him out, but now humiliated, he went to his parents grave where he had his “rebirth,” carving a mask for himself out of his father’s ebony casket.

Now Black Mask, Sionis targeted various people, including Wayne Enterprises employees, and was eventually forced to go to Arkham Asylum, though he was soon released.

In various later depictions of Black Mask, he is a powerful crime lord with a network of cronies who support him.

His mask is also portrayed slightly differently in his various depictions, which him wearing a grey metallic mask in the DC Rebirth series, while he is also portrayed as having a split personality in The New 52 reboot.

Generally, he is not so much powerful but smart, and is a criminal mastermind and is good with tactics, using his huge wealth to become powerful.

He is also an expert marksman and can fight in both hand to hand combat as well as with various weapons.

Black Mask is also thought to have high tolerance for pain, perhaps after his being struck by lightning in his “rebirth,” while he is also an actor and impersonator.

In The New 52 version, Black Mask’s face wear also has hypnosis and mind controlling abilities, which gives him some level of extra power.

Other versions of Black Mask also show the villain to have a different backstory, with one version revealing the true identity of Black Mask to be Dr Jeremiah Arkham, who took on the mantle from Roman Sionis after a mental breakdown.

In DC Rebirth, Sionis’ father, Richard, was also revealed to be a precursor to Black Mask, just called The Mask, who founded the False Face Society.

The character has been seen in various cartoons and TV shows, with him being voiced by James Remar in The Batman and John DiMaggio in Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Sionis’ father Richard was briefly seen in drama Gotham, but Ewan McGregor will be the first live-action version of the character to hit screens.

What does the new Birds of Prey trailer reveal about Black Mask?

All Harley tells us about Black Mask, as played by Ewan McGregor, is that he wants to kill her.

We also get a glimpse at his huge resources, including his hiring of killer Victor Zsasz (Chris Messina,) after Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco) steals a diamond from him.

He clearly looks like a man with plenty of resources, money, and a black, leather mask rather than the ebony or metallic one we have seen before.

However, he certainly seems like someone who enjoys the spotlight, as he sports brightly coloured suits and seems to own a home which is not shy on the home decor.

Birds of Prey is out in cinemas on February 7

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