DCEU: 10 Villains Who Would Be Perfect For A Man Of Steel Sequel
Man of Steel premiered in 2013 to mixed critical and commercial reception. Still, the film's standing has increased over the years, and it is now considered one of the strongest efforts in the DCEU and Zack Snyder's career. Fans have been asking for a sequel for years, but Warner Bros. remains ambivalent.
Should a Man of Steel sequel finally happen, several iconic villains from the comics would work as perfect foils to Henry Cavill's Superman. Some are famous for being the direct nemesis of the Last Son of Krypton, while others might also get associated with other heroes, but they would all make for perfect antagonists for the potential movie.
The DCEU did Lex Luthor so dirty. He is supposed to be Superman's archenemy and the smartest man in the DC Universe, but Batman v. Superman presented him more as a hyperactive jerk than a genius mastermind. Superman and Lex Luthor's rivalry is iconic, and the DCEU has yet to explore it.
The best thing would be to re-cast the role; no one would miss Jesse Eisenberg's Mark Zuckerberg take on Lex. Someone like Bryan Cranston would perhaps be too obvious, but would anyone complain? Lex might be too much of an obvious choice to antagonize Superman, but he's the Last Son of Krypton's archenemy. They eventually need to fight anyway.
Mongul debuted during the Bronze Age of comic books as the newest enemy for Superman. Although he is far from unknown, Mongul lacks the same name recognition as other villains in the DC canon. Still, Mongul is incredibly powerful, notoriously capable of beating Superman in hand-to-hand combat.
Considering how the DCEU's Superman is all about raw strength, Mongul might be the best choice for a villain. He is also commonly seen in command of the Warworld, an artificial and highly weaponized planet, making him a Justice League-level threat. Thus, his appearance in a potential Man of Steel sequel could set up a follow-up to Justice League.
Although usually treated as a joke, Mr. Mxyzptlk is quite powerful, making him arguably Superman's most underrated villain. Mxy is a trickster, a reality-bender whose vast powers allow him to do anything he wants and get away with it.
Including Mxy in a Man of Steel sequel would bring whimsy and fun into the otherwise gloomy DCEU. It might also help Cavill's Superman loosen up a little, which fans would greatly appreciate. Mxy would be a meal of a role for an actor like Zach Galifianakis, John Mulaney, or even Jim Carrey, comedians who'd bring their particular brand of chaos into the DCEU.
Idris Elba debuted as Bloodsport in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad. His backstory involved putting Superman in the ICU after shooting him with a Kryptonite bullet, a storyline that already sounds like something most audiences would like to see, perhaps as another of The Suicide Squad's proposed spin-offs.
Bloodsport could return in a Man of Steel sequel; in an intriguing and ironic twist, perhaps Superman is the one going after Bloodsport. This approach would fit Cavill's more amoral take on Supes without necessarily going into full villain territory. Plus, seeing Elba going against Cavill sounds too good of an idea to pass.
Granny Goodness is one of the most inspired and unique villains in the DC canon. A perversion of the traditional maternal and innocent notion of a grandmother, Granny Goodness is as cruel and brutal as Darkseid, whose blind loyalty to the New God makes her twice as lethal.
Zack Snyder's Justice League already introduced her, although it didn't do much with her character. Seeing the Man of Steel fighting against an older woman might be the single most jarring thing in any superhero movie, but considering who Granny Goodness is, it might make for a compelling story. Granny's casting would also open the door for actresses who would otherwise play passive or matronly roles in a superhero movie, like Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates, Sigourney Weaver, or even Isabelle Huppert.
At first sight, Bizarro might seem like one of the lamest Superman villains in the comics. Introduced in the Bronze Age, Bizarro is the opposite of Superman, having the inverse of the Man of Steel's powers. Similarly, Bizarro draws energy from green Kryptonite, unlike Supes, who is highly vulnerable to it.
Bizarro would do the idea of an evil Superman - which is still fascinating for many, for some reason - without turning the Man of Steel into an outright villain. Cavill could even play Bizarro, or they could get an actor with a similar look, like Matt Bomer or Luke Evans.
Vandal Savage has one of the most interesting backstories ever; in fact, he's one of the DC villains worthy of an origin story on film or television. An immortal Cro-Magnon warrior, Vandal has been alive for millennia, being part of some of the most important events in the DC timeline.
Because he isn't associated with one specific hero, Vandal could work as an antagonist in multiple DCEU projects. Having him in a Man of Steel sequel would give the movie an unexpected twist. It would also challenge Superman's intellect, considering how intelligent and experienced Vandal is. The character would be ideal for an actor like David Oyelowo or Riz Ahmed.
Arguably the most famous Superman villain after Lex Luthor, Brainiac seems to be fans' top choice for Cavill's next solo outing. It's easy to understand why, considering he is behind some of the most important events in the DC timeline. Brainiac shrunk and stole the city of Kandor and was even the architect behind Krypton's destruction in some versions of the story.
Brainiac and Superman would have a conflict for the ages on the big screen. Considering Brainiac is an alien android, race and ethnicity wouldn't factor in the casting, opening the door for multiple actors to play such an iconic and crucial role.
Arguably one of the most underrated characters in DC Comics, Lobo is ready for the big screen. Introduced as a parody of heroes like Wolverine and Punished at the height of the gritty hero craze of the Bronze Age of comics, Lobo has since become one of the most popular anti-heroes in the medium.
Lobo's role as a bounty hunter and mercenary gives him the perfect excuse to appear in a Man of Steel sequel, perhaps sent by Darkseid to kill Superman. Starting as an outright villain, Lobo could then adopt the anti-hero role he traditionally plays in the comics, which might lead to his own solo project. Lobo is also a very layered and dynamic character, ideal for someone like Dave Bautista or Sterling K. Brown.
Under Zack Snyder, the DCEU was building toward having Darkseid as the big bad of their next Justice League film. It makes sense, considering Darkseid is arguably the most iconic DC villain of all time, an all-powerful being capable of antagonizing the entire Justice League by himself.
Darkseid is also one of Superman's most powerful villains. Theoretically, a Man of Steel should happen after the events of Justice League, meaning Darkseid would make perfect sense. The DCEU already established him as a massive threat, and he might have a personal vendetta against Superman, who pretty much killed Steppenwolf. Seeing two titans like Supes and Darkseid going at it on the big screen would be nothing short of iconic.