DC Comics fans have had to say goodbye to the DCEU, and Henry Cavill’s time in the sun as Superman. Now under the leadership of James Gunn, the DCU is expecting its first flagship movie with Superman: Legacy, which promises to be the beginning of a bold and bright new chapter in DC’s cinematic universe.
With quite some time away from the release date of Superman: Legacy, and details remaining under lock and key, fans have taken it upon themselves to discuss and debate which iconic Superman villain could lead as the antagonist to provide the Man of Steel some confrontation.
10 Lex Luthor
The nemesis of Superman, Lex Luthor is integral to Superman’s story. Lex Luthor is a complex character, a villain with more layers than what meets the eye. Despite all Lex Luthor is and will be, he will throw it away at the chance to best Superman. Luthor is a genius, a billionaire, a man who has everything because he worked for it, which is why his hatred of Superman is so clear.
Lex Luthor should feature in Superman: Legacy in some capacity, as his character is essential to alienate Superman. Luthor’s legacy contrasts with Superman, an inventor that would throw it all away to destroy an alien who was gifted powers that Luthor could never have.
9 Parasite
One of the more visually interesting villains that have yet to see live-action, Parasite is a giant purple humanoid monster who can feed off of energy, absorbing it into his body to grow stronger. Parasite always craves energy, and his hunger is truly insatiable, which is why Superman is the perfect target, a being made up of the intense power of the Sun.
Parasite also fits rather a theme with James Gunn’s array of lesser-known villains, and Parasite could be a great choice to introduce audiences to in Superman: Legacy. Parasite could challenge Superman in more ways than one, due to his usurping of power. As Parasite feeds, he grows ever stronger.
8 Metallo
The greatest weakness to Superman will forever be Kryptonite, the shards of mineral cast off from Krypton, the last remnants of a dead planet that ironically holds as Superman’s only true weakness. Metallo harbors Kryptonite in a heavy capacity, as this cyborg’s heart is made of Kryptonite.
As one of Superman’s oldest enemies in DC Comics, Metallo would be a great villain for Superman to face in the DCU’s first movie by James Gunn. Metallo can be all sorts of weird, whilst also introducing Superman to the dreaded threat of the glowing green Kryptonite.
7 Brainiac
James Gunn can easily take inspiration from his well-written villain of the High Evolutionary from his Guardians of the Galaxy days if he involves Brainiac. As one of the most brilliant minds in the universe, Brainiac strives for one thing: technological assimilation. Brainiac’s sole ambition is to conquer the universe through domination, creating data on civilizations, before destroying them and leaving their recorded history in his mind.
Brainiac has an army of clones, robots, and other machines that could be a grave threat to Metropolis and the world. Perhaps Superman could even learn more about his home world from Brainiac’s knowledge, before the two fight for the fate of Earth.
6 Mister Mxyzptlk
James Gunn knows how to subvert characters from the comics, and to introduce general audiences to the weird and wonderful. So, what’s weirder than a Fifth Dimensional imp called Mister Mxyzptlk? There’s a lot of bizarreness to Mister Mxyzptlk, including the only way to beat him: which involves making Mister Mxyzptlk say his name backward.
Mister Mxyzptlk has been a constant thorn in Superman’s Kryptonian backside, as his Fifth Dimension powers exist only to annoy and harangue Superman. Mister Mxyzptlk is the exclusive proprietor of Superman’s annoyance, and it could be fun to see this weird comic character leap to live-action.
5 Ultra-Humanite
There’s more than meets the eye with Ultra-Humanite, even if it would be fun to simply see Superman fight a giant ape in Superman: Legacy. Ultra-Humanite came before Lex Luthor and was even Superman’s nemesis for a time, which makes a compelling and poetic case for his time in the spotlight as the Superman: Legacy villain for James Gunn’s DC movie.
Ultra-Humanite exhibits an intelligence that could rival or even best Lex Luthor. As an albino gorilla, his strength and durability are incredible. Ultra-Humanite also has the psychic ability to hypnotize and control other beings, and his scientific mind could lead to some disastrous inventions that threaten Superman and the world.
4 Lobo
The Main Man himself, Lobo is a true rockstar, albeit a controversial and murderous one. Lobo might not be the most “PG-13” character, but there’s a lot of promise for his live-action debut. There’s a lot of confusion surrounding the fate of the DCEU cast for the future of the DCU, including whether Jason Momoa will stay as Aquaman or Lobo. If he does venture into the DCU as Lobo, then fans are in for a treat.
This villain could be a great choice for Superman, as his incredible strength and inability to die makes him a powerful combatant, as well as an annoying one. Lobo could be hunting for Superman for an intergalactic bounty on the Last Son of Krypton’s head.
3 Silver Banshee
The Crone provides Silver Banshee’s family with a curse that gives her an array of unique abilities, including superhuman strength, speed, possession, and a banshee’s wail that could deafen or even kill. Considering Superman’s sensitivity to hear, Silver Banshee could be Superman’s worst nightmare.
The comics have also shown Silver Banshee as the girlfriend of Jimmy Olsen, which could lead to some humorous or emotional moments between Superman and his best friend’s girlfriend, so perhaps Silver Banshee could be an interesting choice, especially since it would give Superman his first on-screen female villain as the main antagonist.
2 The Authority
Although The Authority is a group of superheroes, their methods might be considered extreme or even villainous. The Authority will do whatever it takes to get the job done and will refuse to abide by the politics, sanctions, and laws that bind the world. The Authority may have issues with Superman, or Superman might have issues with The Authority, both based on how they handle villains and crime.
Considering The Authority is also set to get its own DCU movie, James Gunn could introduce the cast of The Authority in Superman: Legacy, showing their flaws and their powers in a fight against the Man of Steel. It would be great to see Superman battle a group of super-powered beings.
1 Mongul
There’s an opportunity for Superman: Legacy to do something unique. The DCU movie has the potential to take Superman away from Metropolis and take him off the world, and the perfect villain to do that would be Mongul. Mongul is a tyrannical ruler, who holds the throne of Warworld, a planet that sees slaves battle in gladiatorial combat for their lives.
Superman would be a great combatant in this gladiator arena, and perhaps Superman could see some familiar faces to some hardcore DC fans to tease the future of the DCU. It would also be great to see Superman battle a giant alien, as well as liberate an entire planet. It also helps that James Gunn has success and history when it comes to cosmic stories.
Superman: Legacy is scheduled to release in theaters July 11th, 2025