10 Villains That Deserve A Second Chance In James Gunn’s DCU Reboot

James Gunn’s DCU reboot is on the horizon, and with it will inevitably come new versions of popular DC villains. While it may be difficult to top iconic performances like Heath Ledger as the Joker, the reboot can also serve as a second chance for villains who have yet to be well-portrayed in a movie or TV show. DC has plenty of great villains who are still waiting for their chance to shine on the big screen, especially following some lackluster past versions.

A great example of this is Lex Luthor, who has recently been cast in the upcoming Superman: Legacy. Getting important characters like this right isn’t just important for one film, but the entirety of the shared DCU universe and all the upcoming DC releases within it. That also means that great villains shouldn’t be discounted just because they weren’t done well in older movies. There’s a reason these villains are popular in the source material, so giving underrated film villains a second chance could be a big win for the DCU.

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Batman & Robin Made Poison Ivy Too Generic Of A Villain

Uma Thurman Played Poison Ivy In Batman & Robin (1997)

Unfortunately, the most famous live action portrayal of Poison Ivy in Batman & Robin turned her into a clichéd, mustache-twirling villain. Luckily, the DCU has a lot of great source material to draw from to correct this mistake. Over the years, Poison Ivy has become an increasingly complex character. Ivy is a protector of the Green, DC’s elemental force that represents nature, so some of her perceived villainy is actually in service of the greater good. Ivy’s development into a more complex character is often also linked to her relationship with Harley Quinn, which allowed both characters to become more well-rounded and less one-note.

The Dark Knight Rises Turned Bane Into A Punchline

Tom Hardy Played Bane in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

After the IMAX preview of The Dark Knight Rises, Bane’s voice was adjusted to be more clear. The end result was oddly pitchy and, while iconic, also became one of the most parodied and mocked aspects of the film. This turned one of Batman’s greatest foes into a big joke. Because Christopher Nolan strayed so far from the comics with his portrayal of Bane, the DCU should have an easy time setting their version apart by reintroducing the Venom chemical, and giving Bane his signature mask. Having an extended universe also means that Bane’s breaking of Batman can have more lasting consequences than a few minutes of run time.

Justice League Teased Darkseid, But He Never Got To Do Anything

Ray Porter Played Darkseid in Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)

Originally cut out of the 2017 Justice League, Darkseid made his live-action debut in Zack Snyder’s Justice League in 2021. However, this movie had originally been intended as the first of three Justice League movies. This means that all Darkseid really did in the DCEU was get beaten up by the Olympian gods and run away. He is seen vowing to return in the end, but without a movie to show what he’s capable of, his appearance falls pretty flat. As one of DC’s big bads, who in the past has even “killed” Batman, this was pretty disappointing. Hopefully, the DCU takes time to properly build up to Darkseid and show what a real threat he can be.

The DCEU Lex Luthor Was More Joker Than Lex

Jesse Eisenberg Played Lex Luthor In Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice

Lex Luthor is traditionally a clever, charming villain who is dangerous because people like him. In some comic iterations, Luthor was even popular enough to be elected President of the United States. These core traits of Lex didn’t really come through in Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal for Batman V Superman. This version of Lex was cruel, unpredictable, and disturbing, as proven by the infamous jar of pee scene. If the DCU wants to make Luthor the compelling and long-running villain he deserves to be, they will make sure Nicholas Hoult channels the core aspects of the character that have been previously evaded by his adapted live-action iterations.

The Arrowverse Rogues Didn’t Capture The Heart Of The Team

Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, and Peyton List Played Main Rogues Members, Captain Cold, Heatwave, and Golden Glider In The Flash (2014)

The Rogues are one of the more interesting super villain teams in DC Comics because of their strict rules. They make it a priority not to kill people and only accept members who they trust will follow the rules. In contrast, the first appearance of The Rogues in The Flash was when Captain Cold and Heatwave teamed up with the explicit goal of killing Barry Allen.

This may have raised the stakes of the encounter with them, but it also made the group into much more generic bad guys. The Rogues’ wacky powers and admirable code would actually make them a great choice for a more comedic take in the DCU. They could be well suited for their own animated series like Creature Commandos, or maybe a show like Peacemaker. Either way, these lovable weirdos seem perfect for Gunn’s style of content.

Wonder Woman: 1984 Didn’t Have Enough Time To Fully Develop Cheetah

Kristen Wiig Played Cheetah In Wonder Woman: 1984 (2020)

Wonder Woman: 1984 spent a lot of time bringing back Steve Trevor in the weirdest way possible and developing its main villain, Maxwell Lord. This didn’t leave a lot of time to develop Kristen Wiig’s version of Cheetah. This is a shame because Cheetah is one of Wonder Woman’s greatest foes, so seeing her sidelined was a big blow to long-time fans.

The Barbara Minerva version of the character is also a close friend of Diana’s before she turns into a villain, giving the two a more interesting dynamic. Since the DCU will have time to develop characters over multiple projects, they now have the chance to introduce Barbara as Diana’s friend, and later turn her into a villain. At the very least, they can give the character more screen time and a less anti-climactic fight.

Green Lantern Was Too Messy To Make Sinestro Work

Mark Strong Played Sinestro In Green Lantern (2011)

Though Sinestro having been Hal Jordan’s mentor does add an interesting dynamic to their relationship, it probably doesn’t need to take up a lot of, if any, screen time. A common criticism of 2011’s Green Lantern was that nobody was really surprised when the character who looked like the devil and had the word “sinister” in his name was a secret villain.

Since Guy Gardner is already a Green Lantern in the DCU, it is likely that the DC Universe will kick off after Sinestro has turned on the Corps. This will allow the DCU to focus more on Sinestro’s conflicting ideals with the Green Lanterns, rather than wasting time trying to make his heel turn a big reveal. His and Hal’s history can still be referenced or implied, but it is far from the most interesting aspect of the character.

Doomsday Was An Afterthought In Batman V Superman

Michael Jai White Played Doomsday In Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016)

Doomsday cemented his place in comic book history when he killed Superman. Unfortunately, his appearance in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice felt more like a late addition than a true appearance of the character. Doomsday only shows up late in the third act, and ultimately only serves as a way to show Superman & Batman have overcome their differences. Doomsday is one of the few characters that is just outright strong enough to hurt Superman, making him a unique threat to the Man of Steel. Hopefully the DCU will take advantage of showing how truly rare it is for Superman to face a foe like this, instead of killing Doomsday off more swiftly.

Talia Al Ghul And Bruce Wayne’s Relationship Was Rushed In The Dark Knight Rises

Marion Cotillard Played Talia Al Ghul In The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

The relationship between Bruce Wayne and Talia Al Ghul hasn’t always been portrayed well, more than once drifting into questionable and problematic territory. However, in the best iterations, it is shown as being a mutual attraction between the two with genuine affection. Two people truly loving one another but unable to overcome the other obstacles holding them back makes for a much more compelling narrative than one of them simply tricking the other into a trap.

Unfortunately, Talia’s appearance in The Dark Knight Rises followed the latter route to lackluster results. Since Damian Wayne will be introduced alongside Batman in the DCU, it will be important for the new movies to make Talia a more interesting character. Watching Talia and Bruce contend with their former feelings for one another while playing tug-of-war over their son’s loyalty will add a lot more depth to their interactions.

Anarky Lost All Complexity In Arrow

Alexander Calvert Played Anarky In Arrow (2012)

Anarky was originally introduced as a very smart and very idealistic young man who comes into conflict with Batman due to their differing philosophies. Batman attempts to preserve order while Anarky argues that certain social institutions need to be torn down in order to improve living conditions for those living under them.

Arrow‘s depiction of the character made it clear that the show was not interested in tackling any of this nuance, instead making Anarky motivated largely by personal gain and revenge. James Gunn proved with The Suicide Squad that he was willing to tackle more interesting moral issues, like the United States’ involvement in the Starro experiments. Hopefully, under his direction, the DCU will be willing to make Anarky as complex as he deserves to be.