With the new cinematic DC Universe well underway, there are a handful of villains that stand out as having particular promise in the franchise’s future. Previous attempts to adapt the world of DC Comics onto the big screen have not been as fruitful as one might think. For every acclaimed movie like The Dark Knight, there seem to be several certified stinkers such as Jonah Hex or The Flash, with DC box office bombs making it seem very difficult indeed to get its comic book characters right. However, with the new DCU being crafted under the watchful eyes of James Gunn and Peter Safran, there is potential for a far more successful franchise. Getting this right will be not just a matter of making good movies, but also selecting the right projects at the right time to help flesh out the ranks of the DCU.
Cast your eyes over a list of comic book antagonists, and it’s clear that there are many great DC villains that deserve a chance to shine on the big screen. Several of these villains stand out as compelling characters in their own right, and wouldn’t just be perfect as big-screen antagonists, but as the star of their own movies. In each of the following cases, these DC villains are more than capable of leading their own cinematic stories, as their stories are interesting even without the presence of a prominent DC hero.
While Sinestro’s debut in Lanterns confirmed a major DCU villain storyline, it skimmed over his backstory a little. The character is one of DC’s most complex villains, having once been a prominent member of the heroic Green Lantern Corps before his corruption. The galactic side of the DCU is already set to play a major role in the franchise, with the likes of Superman, Supergirl, and Green Lantern being among the first heroes introduced, so Sinestro’s story is one that feels like a very natural part of that narrative. The creation of the Yellow Lantern Corps, also known as the Sinestro Corps, or chronicling the wider threat they pose, would easily form the basis for a great movie. A solo film could also include flashback clips to fill in the gaps from his backstory, showing some of the events that were established as having happened off-screen in Lanterns. Sinestro is a great villain whose DCU story is just beginning, so it would be the perfect time for the franchise to give him a solo outing.
Of all the villains in the entire DC Comics pantheon, Deathstroke is perhaps the one most often cited as desperately deserving of a solo project. The DCU’s predecessor, the short-lived DCEU, teased Deathstroke’s live-action story, but it never came to fruition, frustrating fans who felt the franchise had perfectly cast Joe Manganiello as the villain for a potentially great adaptation. The DCU is already set to right that wrong, with a Bane & Deathstroke movie currently in the works, but Slade Wilson could easily support a solo project. A mercenary with various enhanced abilities, a live-action solo movie chronicling Deathstroke’s origins or adapting one of his DC Comics stories would make for incredible viewing, as there’s obvious action potential for any film starring the character. While it’s great that he’ll soon appear in the DCU, he’s another villain that could easily hold down his own movie within the franchise without the need for any supporting characters.
The short-lived and ill-fated DCEU featured only a handful of DC villains, and Black Manta was one of them. Arguably one of the franchise’s better antagonists, Aquaman’s long-time foe worked well in live-action, so it’s easy to see exactly why he’d be perfect for a DCU solo movie. As one of a select group of DC villains that define their heroes, a solo Black Manta movie would be an incredibly interesting way to introduce Aquaman into the DCU. By establishing the hero through the lens of his greatest villain, the DCU could subvert expectations and deliver a very different type of comic book adaptation. Black Manta’s story is certainly compelling enough to work as a standalone movie, and casting him as the protagonist could flip many genre tropes on their head, telling a story of revenge from the perspective of the character who is more traditionally cast as an outright villain.
It’s no secret that Batman’s rogues’ gallery is one of the best and most expansive in the superhero genre, and many of his villains make for pretty compelling figures. There are a handful of the Dark Knight’s antagonists that could support their own solo movie, but — the Joker obviously notwithstanding, as he has already had his time to shine — Mister Freeze is the obvious choice. Freeze’s story is tragic, and his motivations are relatable, as his villainy all stems from his desire to save his beloved wife. A solo movie establishing how and why he becomes the villain we know him as could be great, and would finally wash away the sour taste left by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s pun-heavy portrayal of the character in 1997’s Batman & Robin. The DCU is the perfect chance for Mister Freeze to finally get a do-over, as the franchise could easily give him an incredible solo movie.
Lobo has already made his DCU debut, but if ever there was a DC villain who needs to return soon, it’s him. With Jason Momoa perfectly cast in the role, Lobo was something of a breakout character in the DCU’s Supergirl, and many fans are already eager to see more of him. The character was already a beloved DC staple, with his status as both an antihero and an occasional villain working in his favor. With Jason Momoa’s charisma and the character’s popularity, it’s hard to see how a solo movie could possibly fail, as it could make use of the template set out by the Deadpool movies to give fans the cinematic Lobo story they deserve. There are very few characters in the DC Universe as clearly ready for a solo project, and with the role already cast and established in the DCU, we’re hoping we get to see Lobo out on his own on the big screen very soon.
