Mr. Freeze

Origin

Dr. Victor Fries is a brilliant scientist who was working in field of cryogenics. Though isolated in his life, he fell in love and married the lovely Nora Fries. Their brief romance was cut short after Nora was diagnosed with a terminal illness that had no known treatment or cure. To try and save his wife, Fries went to work for the corporation owned by Ferris Boyle. Fries embezzled equipment from Boyle to put his wife into a cryogenic stasis. After Boyle discovered he was being stolen from, he sent several of his own goons to kill Victor while in his lab. During the attack, the equipment was damaged and he was left to die. He survived, but the chemicals altered his body so he can not life outside of a sub-zero environment. He created a customized suit and weapons that allow him to life outside. He went after Boyle for revenge, as the villain Mister Freeze; and continues his reaches to try and find a cure for his beloved Nora.

Creation

Mister Freeze is an antagonist character from the Batman series published by DC Comics, and created by Bob Kane, Sheldon Moldoff and David Wood. He first appeared in Batman #121 "The Ice Crimes of Mr. Zero", and published in February 1959. At the time, he was originally known as "Mr. Zero".

His first television appearance was in the live-action Batman - Episode 7 "Instant Freeze". During this series, he was portrayed by three separate actors. In order, they were George Sanders, Otto Preminger, and Eli Wallach. The first animated appearance was in Batman: The Animated Series - Episode 3 "Heart of Ice", and he was voiced by Michael Ansara. This role was continued in spin-off animated series Batman Beyond - S1 Episode 5 "Meltdown".
The first theatrical appearance is in Batman & Robin(1997), and he was played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The first animated feature film was in Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero(1998), and Michael Ansara returned to portray the role.

Character Evolution

Television

Mr. Freeze (George Sanders) - Batman TV (1966)

The original concept for Victor Fries was named "Mr. Zero" but he was later renamed to Mister Freeze. He was designed to be a stereotypical, megalomaniac villain to oppose Batman. This was reflected in the original Batman(1966) television series. Three separate actors played Mr. Freeze during the series two years run. They were George Sanders, Otto Preminger, and Eli Wallach. The cause of his genetic condition was due to a tragic accident caused by Batman( Adam West). In one version, he's assisted by his wife and another a girlfriend. All three actors played the role with a stronger German accent.

Mr. Frieeze - Batman: The Animated Series (1992)

The origin was later changed to make him into a more tragic figure. This was during the Batman: The Animated Series(1992). This was also the first appearance of Nora. Similar to the character Harley Quinn, this origin of Freeze was adopted into the original comic. Freeze's personality is cold and emotionless. This is due to the accident that altered his body's chemistry. The only thing that drives him is to cure his wife at any cost. Even if he has to kill. In the sequel series, The New Batman Adventures(1997), nothing was changed of the rebooted origin of Mr. Freeze, but the suit he wears was redesigned. It was designed to be sleeker and black. His own genetic makeup had become so damaged that only his head was organic. The rest of his body was actually robotic. Mr. Freeze appeared in this same form in the futuristic adaptation Batman Beyond(1999). Nora is long dead, and Freeze's condition has made him immortal and unable to age. He was manipulated to be a test subject for an experiment. His body is both restored and cured. His condition quickly deteriorates and his condition returns. He uses a power-suit that he kept in storage and went after Derek Powers, that man who arraigned the experiment.

Mr. Freeze - The Batman (2004)

Freeze appeared later in the WB produced Batman animated series reboot titled as " The Batman"(2004). This version lacked the tragic role of the scientist caught up in an accident. Instead, he was a petty criminal who was chased by Batman after a diamond heist into a cryogenic laboratory. He drops his diamonds and falls into a chemical vat in an attempt to reclaim them. He was mutated when he was electrified the very moment his blood was frozen. His body creates intense cold and he convinces a scientist to create him a suit. He is cold, calculating, and cares nothing for human life. In the series story, over a thousand years skips to the year 2027. By this time, Freeze's body has also deteriorated. His suit is mostly mechanical, and his body has been amputated from the waist down. In this series, he was voiced by Clancy Brown.

Film

Mr. Freeze - Batman & Robin(1997)

The Batman & Robin film version played by Arnold Schwarzenegger was based on the tragic origin of trying to save his wife Nora( Vendela Kirsebom Thomessen), who is suffering from MacGregor's Syndrome (named after one of the film's producers, Peter MacGregor-Scott). Freeze, in this version, has a power suit that is run on diamonds and must continue to steal them to continue his research. He teams up with Poison Ivy( Uma Thurman), but he is immune to her seductive powers. They plan to freeze Gotham City and the rest of the world to create a new Ice Age. Freeze later teams up with Batman( George Clooney) after it's discovered Ivy tried to kill Nora and frame Batman. The movies dialog was one of the campiest of the series and riddled with puns. It was a critical failure and instigated the Christopher Nolan reboot trilogy.

Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1998)

This animated series later spawn a directed to video release movie, Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero(1998). Freeze has been living peacefully in the Arctic and continues to search for a cure for Nora. When her condition begins to rapidly worsen after an accident with her stasis pod. He returns to Gotham City in search of a genetically compatible organ donor, and Barbara Gordon is the perfect match. He has her kidnapped and lies to her about only needing a blood transfusion. Batman rescues both Barbara and Nora as the oil rig collapses, leaving Freeze behind. He returns to the Arctic and believes Nora to be dead, but sees on television that she was saved due to a transplant funded by Wayne Enterprises. This version is a continuation of the Batman: The Animated Series story, and Michael Ansara performed the voice.

Freeze has a short appearance in the animated movie Superman / Batman: Public Enemies(2009). He's among many of the other ice-based super villains who are attempting to capture Batman and Superman for the bounties on their heads. This voice actor is uncredited.

Name	Mr. Freeze
Gender	Male
Credited In	2 movies
Credited In	8 shows
1st Movie Credit	Batman & Robin
1st Show Credit	Batman
Alias(es)	Dr. Victor Fries

	Miss Iceland
	Glacia Glaze
	Ms. B. Haven
	Frosty
	Dick Grayson
	Batgirl
	Two-Face
	Riddler
	Bane
	Poison Ivy
See All »

1998		Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero	Michael Ansara
1997		Batman & Robin	Arnold Schwarzenegger

		Young Justice	Keith Szarabajka
		Batman Beyond	Michael Ansara
		The New Batman Adventures	Michael Ansara
		Batman: The Animated Series	Michael Ansara
		Batman	Eli Wallach
		Batman	Otto Preminger
		Batman	George Sanders