In a recent interview, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn confirmed that he isn't planning to make Darkseid the DCU's big bad. He blamed that on similarities to Thanos and the fact that Zack Snyder already made use of the villain in the DCEU.
That's a little disappointing, but it also opens the door to many other characters from the comics taking centre stage in the coming years. All signs point to Gunn eventually assembling the Justice League, but who or what is a big enough threat to justify (no pun intended) such a team-up?
In this feature, we're exploring the most likely—and exciting—options for the DCU's main threat in "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters" and beyond.
You can check out our top picks by clicking on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below...
5. Vandal Savage
Vandal Savage is an immortal tyrant who has spent centuries searching for the meteorite that turned him into an immortal. Born in the 47th millennium BCE, he's become an influential figure in world history and claims to have assisted emperors and conquerors alike.
Gunn has already shown an interest in exploring the DCU's history with that mural in the future Hall of Justice. If the plan is to continue doing so, then it makes sense for this franchise's big bad to be someone who has influenced this world for thousands of years.
Savage can go toe-to-toe with Superman, so he's also a physical threat. Plus, if Gunn is looking to tie him to Salvation, perhaps it could be revealed as one of many worlds he's conquered across the Multiverse (making him an even greater threat than on the page).
4. Brainiac
Brainiac is a super-intelligent techno-organic alien being from the planet Colu, whose obsession with knowledge has led him to shrink down many cities to bottle size. A mental and physical threat, the prevailing theory is that he'll be Man of Tomorrow's big bad.
We're in full support of that, but why does Brainiac's story need to end there? Making him a big enough threat that Superman and Lex Luthor are forced to put their differences aside is a good start, but after he's vanquished, there's room to tell more stories.
It took decades until Brainiac's true form was revealed. In a confrontation with Superman, he finally announced himself as a hulking alien who was more than a match for the Man of Steel. So, let's pit Supes and Lex against one of his avatars and save that reveal for a post-credits scene!
3. Parallax
Many fans have questioned Gunn's thinking in casting 60-year-old Kyle Chandler as the DCU's Hal Jordan. Sure, we get that he's trying to avoid any similarities to 2011's Green Lantern, but this does rather do Hal a disservice. Unless there's something else planned.
In the comics, Parallax is the living embodiment of fear that possessed Hal and drove him to murder his fellow Green Lantern Corps members. He then became a recurring antagonist in the DC Universe, and what a fun way this would be to get people to take Green Lantern seriously again.
The prospect of Hal wielding a ring on each of his fingers as he does battle with the DCU's heroes is incredibly exciting, and we'd expect Lanterns to lay the groundwork for this revelation (if it is indeed the plan for Chandler's take on this hero).
2. Rick Flag Sr.
Some of the characters listed here fall into the "want" category, and others into the "likely" one. In Peacemaker Season 2, Gunn established Rick Flag Sr. as an antagonist who gleefully teamed with Lex Luthor to imprison villainous metahumans in an alternate reality.
Something tells us it won't be long before the A.R.G.U.S. boss decides to send everyone with powers there, and that's going to make him a major threat to the DCU. Plus, Gunn seems to like this character. A lot.
Do we think that the plan is to pit the Justice League against a War Suit-wearing Rick? Not necessarily, but as an overall threat to the wider DCU, don't be surprised if the character played by Frank Grillo becomes a recurring foe across multiple movies and TV shows moving forward.
1. The Centre
In Darwyn Cooke's alternate universe tale, The New Frontier, The Centre, also called Dinosaur Island, was a powerful primordial entity that sought to end all life on Earth. Able to project its influence across the world, there were many cults devoted to this mysterious creature.
We're expecting at least one of those to be featured in Lanterns next year, with "Salvation" serving as a new take on The Centre. Rather than making it an island in the DCU, Gunn can reveal that opening a doorway to the alternate reality has infected the DCU.
Eventually, The Centre can look to destroy another reality, and that would be more than enough to assemble the DCU's Justice League. In the comics, an epic final battle saw them go to war with the ancient creatures that made up the "island," giving the League plenty of canon fodder.