SUPERMAN: 7 Villains Who Need To Join Lex Luthor In James Gunn's Upcoming DCU Reboot

While we know Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor will take centre stage in DC Studios' SUPERMAN, there are many villains from the comics we believe should also be given a role in the 2025 reboot. Check it out...

By JoshWilding - Mar 05, 2024 12:03 PM EST

Filed Under: Superman: Legacy

Cameras have finally started rolling on SUPERMAN, James Gunn's reboot of the Man of Steel which will see David Corenswet take over from Henry Cavill as a new, younger version of the hero who, it appears, will be more in line with the comics.

There's a lot of pressure on the movie to deliver, of course as it will be the first real chapter in the new DCU, a 10+ year initiative from DC Studios to do right by these characters after the DCEU largely crashed and burned.

Nicholas Hoult has been cast as Lex Luthor in a movie which, for now, features way more heroes than it does villains. As excited as we are to see this new take on Lex, this clash is one we've seen on screen many times before and, while Gunn can freshen things up with that power suit, it still feels like we need another big bad.

In this feature, we explore some of the most exciting possibilities and delve into what each of them could bring to the table alongside Lex, whether it be in a supporting role or as the true mastermind...

7. Metallo

A Superman villain who utilises the power of Kryptonite, John Corben was given a heart made from the deadly remains of the Man of Steel's home planet in order to save his life after being mortally injured (a recent version of the character actually volunteered for that procedure).

Metallo has always utilised both that and cybernetic upgrades to take it to Superman when they've clashed. While he's a character who has yet to be given a chance to shine on a grand stage - he's more often than not just used as a henchman - the villain is incredibly powerful and one of only a handful of bad guys capable of pushing Superman to his limit.

Gunn could quite easily put a fresh spin on Metallo, portraying him in a way that's vastly more interesting (for starters, just think of the body horror possibilities...) than the robot-like goons we've seen on television in recent years. Still, if he's destined to be little more than a henchman, he'd be a good source of muscle for Lex.

6. Mongul

His name may not be as recognisable as some of the other villains listed here, but make no mistake about it, Mongul is a major threat to both Superman and the larger DCU. Exiled from the planet he conquered, the villain later set his sights on Earth, and it was that which led to him coming to blows with the Man of Steel.

Unfortunately for Superman, Mongul is every bit as powerful as he is, not to mention cunning and ruthless. That became evident when he destroyed Coast City (the home of Hal Jordan/Green Lantern), and he stands out as perhaps the most sadistic villain here as a result.

If Gunn wants to pit the Man of Tomorrow against a world-ending threat, then who better than a big bad who once attempted to destroy the sun? He'd make a nice change of pace from some of the more recognisable names and the fact he'd likely be a CG character could be why we've yet to hear any casting news.

5. Cyborg Superman

Following the apparent death of Superman, four doppelgängers arrived, all claiming to be the real deal. However, the one imposter who managed to fool everyone was Cyborg Superman.

Secretly the deranged Hank Henshaw, he had been transformed years earlier during a space flight gone wrong, and blamed his own mistakes on the Man of Steel, hence why he attempted to replace him. It was later revealed that the Cyborg had masterminded Mongul's devastating attack on Coast City, making him a solid candidate for a secondary villain.

Like many DC Comics characters, he's been reinvented in recent years and those ideas could also come into play in the DCU. The character might be better saved for a sequel, but we imagine Lex making use of a robotic Superman doppelgänger during his quest to take down the Man of Tomorrow, whether it be as a replacement or in a bid to take the alien out.

4. Bizarro

Putting aside the character's bizarre (no pun intended) origin story, this Superman clone who speaks in opposites has been a major problem for the Man of Steel for decades now. Portrayed both as fiercely intelligent and hilariously stupid, any version of Bizarro is a threat to Superman because they obviously share the same powers.

Well, sort of. Bizarro has freeze vision instead of heat vision, for example, but he's capable of causing the mass destruction Superman would never dream of doing. His mind is in fact so twisted that he destroyed his home, Bizarro World, on purpose - killing the billions who lived there - simply because Superman's home of Krypton was destroyed by accident.

This is one of those seemingly goofy comic book villains Gunn could do something really memorable with. Bizarro arguably makes more sense than Cyborg Superman because, in the DCU, he could be a "Superman" Luthor tried to create with Kal-El's DNA, inadvertently unleashing a monster. Perhaps an amalgamation of both villains is the way forward?

3. Parasite

Superman-Vol-3-23-4-Parasite-Textless-copy

A villain with a few different origin stories, the basic premise of Parasite is always the same; he's exposed to strange, radioactive materials and ends up becoming this vampiric monster as a result. He needs to feed on energy to live, and as he can drain the life energy from others, that obviously makes Superman the perfect target to help Parasite keep going.

As well as being a dangerous physical threat, Parasite's touch also means he saps the memories of his victims, so he's one of only a small handful of villains to have learned Superman's secret identity. It's lucky for Clark Kent then that Parasite doesn't really care!

This baddie has been showcased on television on more than one occasion, but we've yet to really see him unleashed as the hulking beast you see above. With a decent budget and a fresh interpretation from Gunn, Parasite could soon rank among the iconic superhero's greatest foes and, at the very least, be a fun side villain manipulated into doing Lex's bidding.

2. Toyman

While he may have initially been introduced as a comedic character (something which stuck with him for years), Toyman has since shown himself to be one of Superman's most deadly foes.

Sure, he may spend his time building toys which are more homicidal than huggable, but Toyman has also put together vast mechanical constructs with the kind of power which has ended up testing even the Man of Steel's endurance. Completely deranged, Winslow Schott has also created a number of robotic doppelgängers and once killed Supergirl's mother.

We know Gunn loves to pick pretty obscure characters from the comics and bring them to screen, but Toyman would be a major challenge to pull off. He'd need to be overhauled and reimagined if we're to buy him as a credible threat to Supes, and we'd enjoy seeing a new spin on him as a side villain or early, unrelated foe to the hero, similar to what Gunn did with The Collector in Guardians of the Galaxy.

1. Brainiac

Superman-Vol-3-23-2-Brainiac-Textless-copy

While Brainiac has attacked Earth's heroes enough to be considered a Justice League villain, his history with Superman goes as far back as Krypton. One of the most intelligent beings in the universe, the nearly indestructible villain collects cities from the planets he destroys and then shrinks them to keep on his ship.

Superman has had to stop Brainiac from doing the same to Metropolis again and again over the years. However, their rivalry became really personal when the Man of Steel learned that he had the Kryptonian city Kandor within his possession, only to lose his home all over again thanks to this monstrous foe.

Fans are desperate to see Brainiac done right on screen, and the comic books have shown us that there are countless ways to pull him off. Another world-ending threat, we can't think of anyone better to push Superman to his limits and allow the Man of Tomorrow to feel like the world's greatest hero when he eventually saves the day. At the very least, he needs to be the one pulling Lex's strings from afar...

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SUPERMAN: 7 Villains Who Need To Join Lex Luthor In James Gunn's Upcoming DCU Reboot

While we know Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor will take centre stage in DC Studios' SUPERMAN, there are many villains from the comics we believe should also be given a role in the 2025 reboot. Check it out...

7. Metallo

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5. Cyborg Superman

4. Bizarro

3. Parasite

2. Toyman

1. Brainiac

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