According to Batman wiki, Max Shreck is an original character created for the film by Daniel Waters, one of the screenwriters on the film.
The character of Max Shreck shares his name with the actor Max Schreck. The actor is best known for his lead role in Nosferatu. I find the theory about Batman being inspired by vampires interesting and was curious about the character of Max Shreck.
Is there any evidence from film-makers suggesting that Max Shreck's character was inspired by the actor?
Yes, according to an interview in Cine-fantastique, the character of Max Shreck was named (by screenwriter Daniel Waters) after the actor who portrays Count Orlok in Nosferatu, Max Schreck
The script also gave the writer license to create his own villain in the form of Christopher Walken's nefarious Max Shreck, named after Max Schreck, the star of F. W. Murnau’s NOSFERATU (1922).
“Max Schreck played a character who sucked blood from the population," says Waters, “and Max Shreck is also something of a vampire, sucking up energy, power, and money from Gotham City.
"With Shreck I wanted to touch on the theme that the biggest villains aren't necessarily the ones who wear costumes but the ones who are respected members of society. Sure, you have this flamboyant mutant who is definitely a strong, out-there, in-your-face kind of villain, but I wanted to have fun with the fact that the real villain—the guy who’s more powerful than anyone else in the film—is also the most upstanding citizen."
