Summary
- Superman’s rogues gallery is full of powerful villains still untapped by live-action films.
- Embracing a more fantastical DC universe could introduce iconic villains like Livewire and Bizarro.
- Potential for future DC movies to explore dark, tragic villains like Cyborg Superman and Brainiac.
The titular character of the Superman franchise ranks among the likes of Batman and Spider-Man as one of the superheroes with the most iconic rogue gallery in the entire genre. However, the Man of Steel’s live-action films have failed to explore his roster of foes to its full extent. Only a handful of Superman villains have received prominent big-screen roles in the past, including the DC Extended Universe.
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Superman has contended with a plethora of supervillains in the comics, with many of them rivaling his level of power and having the potential to destroy the universe. As a result, some Superman villains could appear not only in Superman movies but in other DC-related projects in future movies.
Updated on December 22, 2024, by Melody MacReady: The future of DC movies seems bright, not only with James Gunn’s Superman coming in 2025, but it will be the start of a shared DC universe that spans across movies, films, TV shows, and even video games. If Superman is successful, fans might get more of his famous villains in sequels, the Supergirl movie, and other entries in the new DCU. Since the universe is taking heavy inspiration from all eras, including the Silver Age, there is nothing holding filmmakers back from including some of the villains who have never appeared on the silver screen before.
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Livewire
The Man Of Steel Would Be In For Quite A Shock With Her
- Real Name: Leslie Willis
- First Appearance: Superman: The Animated Series
- Creators: Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, Paul Dini, Bruce Timm
Alongside Mercy Graves, Harley Quinn, and Red X, Livewire is a character originally developed for animation, specifically Superman: The Animated Series. She is a toxic radio host who is transformed into a being of electricity akin to Electro from the Marvel universe but even more powerful, as she can damage full-powered Kryptonians and other metahumans.
The new Superman is embracing a more fantastical version of the DC Universe, with kaiju attacking Metropolis and superheroes being far more common. Livewire would be perfect for that universe, especially since Superman is shown to be struggling with cynics, which is something Livewire was known for before her transformation.
9
Bizarro
The Opposite Of Superman In Every Way
- Real Name: Bizarro Superman
- First Appearance: Superboy #68
- Creators: Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Otto Binder, George Papp
Sometimes a flawed clone of the Last Son of Krypton and other times a doppelgänger of another dimension, Bizarro possesses all of Superman’s powers, but without any of his morality or intelligence. To Bizarro, wrong is right, and down is up. Bizarro’s unhinged worldview is reflected by his distinctive speech patterns, which turn the rules of grammar upside-down.
Bizarro is even the ruler of his own Bizarro World, a dimension that is perpetually opposite of everything in the DC universe. However, other stories have presented Bizarro as a tragic figure, such as the Superman & Lois series and Superman: The Animated Series, which means the character has potential in the new DCU.
8
Despero
One Of The First Villains Of The Justice League
- Real Name: Despero
- First Appearance: Justice League of America #1
- Creators: Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky
Seeing how the DCU is a world where multiple heroes exist, including Green Lanterns, Hawkgirl, and Mr. Terrific, a villain like Despero is not that implausible for the future. In the comics, Despero mixes brains and brawn, utilizing powerful psychic abilities mixed with super strength and many of the same powers as Superman to take on the entire Justice League roster.
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What makes Despero a threatening villain is his inability to be destroyed. Even when obliterated, he can regenerate and keep going, evolving to be even stronger than before out of pure willpower. Add in magic, the ability to alter his biology, and reality alteration and the result is a villain that could be the prime first villain for the Justice League in the DCU, just like in the comics.
7
Parasite
The Horror-Like Monster That Assimilates Any Metahuman
- Real Name: Rudolph C. Jones
- First Appearance: Action Comics #340
- Creators: Al Plastino, Robert Bernstein
Parasite is the sort of antagonist who’s rarely the main villain. He’s often presented as the pawn for Superman’s rivals, such as Lex Luthor or Darkseid. However, he stands out thanks to his powers, which make him feel straight out of a monster horror movie. True to his name, Parasite can drain the life force from anyone he touches, and in the case of metahumans, he can absorb their powers.
With an insatiable hunger for more power, preferably from Superman, sometimes he’s presented as a purple human while others fully embrace a monstrous form. The movies could make him scary but also tragic, combined with a unique gimmick that gives him the strength to go toe to toe with Superman.
6
Metallo
A Robot Villain With A Heart Of Kryptonite
- Real Name: John Corben
- First Appearance: Action Comics #252
- Creators: Al Plastino, Robert Bernstein
Originally a normal human named John Corben, Metallo was rebuilt as a mechanical menace with a Kryptonite heart and the strength to trade blows with Superman. His power is Superman’s greatest weakness, making the Man Of Steel’s fights with him far more complex.
Between his striking design resembling the Terminator and his deadly Kryptonite core, Metallo has become one of Superman’s most notorious nemeses. With James Gunn’s DCU embracing a more fantastical style to Superman’s world, the idea of a robot powered by Kryptonite seems less ridiculous.
5
Lobo
A Galactic Bounty Hunter That Could Be Unlike Any Other Movie Villain
- Real Name: Unknown
- First Appearance: Omega Men #3
- Creators: Keith Giffen, Roger Slifer
Superman’s villains are known for being eloquent and serious villains, especially ones that match him in strength. However, Lobo stands out for his sadistic and irreverent personality as he trods through the galaxy as a bounty hunter who will do evil (and some good) for the right price. He is famous for being just as much of a problem for Superman as he is an ally.
Lobo is a loudmouth who doesn’t care about anyone but himself, even to the point of wiping out his race of people. Since James Gunn has already delivered on wild and macabre characters for both DC and Marvel in the past, Lobo feels right up his alley for either a sequel to Superman or the upcoming Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow.
4
Mongul
A Future Movie Could Adapt Warworld To The Big Screen
- Real Name: Mongul The Elder
- First Appearance: DC Comics Presents #27
- Creators: Jim Starlin, Jeph Loeb, Len Wein
The alien conqueror Mongul is the despotic ruler of Warworld, a planet-sized space station where enslaved gladiators compete in bloodsport for their sadistic master’s amusement. If Superman is an alien who uses his immense power for the good of others, then Mongul is the opposite. He’s a vicious megalomaniac who revels in breaking down his opponents physically, mentally, and emotionally, abusing his power to subjugate everyone around him.
Mongul’s best-known story, For The Man Who Has Everything, one of Superman’s most iconic comics, features him trapping Superman in an illusory world where he lives a peaceful, ordinary life as a family man on Krypton that never died. When Superman breaks free, he’s enraged by the unimaginable cruelty of Mongul’s trap, making Mongul one of the few villains who’s managed to make the Man of Steel furious. Out of all the foes Superman faced, Mongul ranks among the most vile of all and deserves a turn onscreen.
3
Mister Mxyzptlk
Reality Bending Makes Him Just As Scary And He Is Annoying
- Real Name: Mister Mxyzptlk
- First Appearance: Superman #30
- Creators: Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster
Mister Mxyzptlk (pronounced “mix-yes-spit-lick”) is an imp from the Fifth Dimension who wields nigh-infinite power, allowing him to rewrite reality with a thought. However, he’s typically content to just make Superman’s life more difficult. Mister Mxyzptlk is more of a trickster than a traditional supervillain, with his schemes taking the form of petty pranks against the Man of Tomorrow.
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Capable of both cartoonish comedy and cosmic horror, Mister Mxyzptlk would certainly be a tricky character to adapt to live-action. However, the mischievous imp is more than capable of getting serious when he sees fit, shedding his playful persona and unleashing the true cosmic power of a Fifth-Dimensional entity.
2
Cyborg Superman
Proves That Superman Stories Can Be Shockingly Dark And Tragic
- Real Name: Hank Henshaw
- First Appearance: Action Comics #242
- Creators: Dan Jurgens, Art Thibert
The evil robotic clone of a superhero is a typical comic book trope, but Cyborg Superman switches up the formula. He’s not just a clone of Superman, but has the consciousness of Hank Henshaw, who blames Superman for his death and vows to destroy him both physically and emotionally when reborn in a cyborg body.,
The concept of Cyborg Superman could have been silly but ended up being one of Superman’s darkest villains. Additionally, the visual of part-Superman face, and part-endo skeleton exposed could lead to genuine horror visuals in live-action, especially since Hank becomes bloodthirsty and unhinged once he is exposed.
1
Brainiac
Everything But Movies Have Brought The Character To Life
- Real Name: Vril Dox
- First Appearance: Action Comics #242
- Creators: Otto Binder, Al Plastino
Over the years, the character of Brainiac has evolved so much that he can be considered on par with Darkseid and Lex Luthor as one of Superman’s greatest nemeses. In some versions, he is the source of Krypton’s destruction, which elevates their rivalry, but in most versions, he is a conqueror who obsessively miniaturizes worlds and collects them.
With the DC Extended Universe showing that a Kryptonian invasion can be done in live-action, there is no reason why Brainiac, his skull-shaped ship, and his deadly robotic servants can’t be given the same treatment in the DCU, especially since other DC projects such as Injustice 2 and the Krypton series proved that the character can be adapted in iconic ways.
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Fuente: successacademy.edu.vn
Categorías: Trend
