Batman V. Superman Set Up The Perfect Villain For Gunn’s DCU Kal-El

Henry Cavill might not be returning, but the new James Gunn-written Superman could bring in a villainess who built on some interesting themes Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice briefly touched — Livewire. Despite his and fans eagerness, Henry Cavill won’t continue as the Last Son of Krypton, but Gunn and Safran are still keen to emphasize Superman’s big-screen presence. Even though the Batman v Superman star only briefly returned to the DCEU in Black Adam, the conversations this created around the now-definitely-dead Man of Steel 2 revealed a lot of insight into where the next Superman solo movie should head. If Gunn and Safran really want to take Superman in a new direction without Cavill taking to the skies, there’s one supervillain who could be particularly fitting for the next Superman: Leslie Ellis, a.k.a. Livewire.

Livewire was introduced on Superman: The Animated Series and later worked into DC Comics and other Superman adaptations. In her origin story, Leslie Ellis was a Metropolis radio shock jock (voiced by Lori Petty) who frequently vented great disdain for Superman on her radio show, not unlike Kal-El’s public grilling in Batman v Superman. During an accident at a concert, a bolt of lightning passed through Superman and reached a cable Ellis’ foot was on, giving her electrical powers and leading her to adopt the villainous moniker Livewire. In Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, Kal-El faces as much distrust as adoration from the public due to the alien might he wields. This was an interesting theme that could still be explored in Gunn’s Superman movie. An Alex-Jones-like radio shock jock like Leslie Ellis would be the exact kind of person to capitalize on the paranoia Superman faces from skeptical humans. Therefore, Livewire could be the perfect supervillain for James Gunn’s Superman reboot.

A Livewire Villain Arc Could Spiritually Build On Batman V Superman

There are many great options among Superman supervillains for James Gunn to option for his Superman reboot. In order to make the sting of it not being Man of Steel 2 go down a bit easier, choosing a villain who isn’t Lex Luthor, Brainiac, or any of the regular rogue’s gallery choices is a great way to go. Livewire from the Superman animated series would be a left-field option with a premise audiences can quickly get their heads around — she’s a radio personality (or podcaster) with lightning powers. This is the perfect choice for an endearing yet ultimately expendable villain who could give the teased younger Superman a run for his money, but wouldn’t disrupt building toward inevitable high-narrative-impact arcs like facing Lex Luthor.

Batman v Superman introduced the idea that opposition to Superman in the real world would extend far beyond Lex Luthor. While Gunn’s decision to move on from prior iterations of the DCEU as much as possible for his DCU vision is well understood, certain thematic elements it introduced warrant holding onto. Some of the most engaging moments in Batman v Superman were when Henry Cavill’s Kal-El struggled with understanding a humanity that doesn’t fully understand him. This would fit brilliantly with the younger version of Superman Gunn reportedly wants to explore in his Superman reboot.

Having this theme crystallized in a character like Leslie Ellis, who could be portrayed as an Alex Jones-like Superman critic — maybe even that inspires Lex Luthor down the line — would certainly make for a smooth narrative on-ramp for the story of how the world learns about Superman. Then, since this is a superhero movie, Ellis becomes Livewire and has a spectacle-filled literal fight with Superman, as opposed to the ideological war she wages behind her microphone. While Man of Steel 2 isn’t on the cards, the core themes of the arcs Batman v Superman and Man of Steel laid the foundations for don’t necessarily need to die. Livewire is the perfect villain for James Gunn’s Superman reboot if it wants to explore the best of them further.

James Gunn’s DCU Superman Needs A Fresh Villain Like Livewire

The DCU has taken some risks as of late, diving further into relatively unknown characters such as John Cena’s Peacemaker and Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam — and it’s gone quite well for them. The Suicide Squad was hardly a household name before the first film hit theaters in 2016, and while the reviews at the time were middling, the team of antiheroes/villains rose to popularity, prompting more spinoffs such as Birds of Prey. It’s clear that the DCEU is making their investments into little-known characters, rather than the ones that everyone is used to, and it’s paying off.

Making Livewire the supervillain in the Superman movie that’s coming instead of Man of Steel 2 would fall in line with the trajectory the studio has taken. The character isn’t well known, so audiences will likely be curious about her. Rather than rehash a villain that’s already been done to death, like Lex Luthor, the DC could hammer home that it’s changing directions for the DCU by zeroing in on the interesting figures they have in its back catalog. Livewire fits the bill for the next villain to face off against whoever replaces Cavill as Superman, and because of her origin story, she’d build on the best thematic elements of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.