7 DC Villains Who Should Get Their Own Movies Or Series

One of the most popular comic book masterminds, Lex Luthor is a billionaire, a genius, and arguably the greatest enemy of Superman. The DC villain has never enjoyed his own live-action series or film but he’s nevertheless been played by great actors over the years, including Gene Hackman, Michael Rosenbaum, and Jon Cryer.

To understand how this DC villain could work as a protagonist, check out the 2005 miniseries Lex Luthor: Man of Steel by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo. The comic portrays Lex as being just as ruthless, but shows the conflict between him and Superman from his perspective. It digs into why Luthor hates the Man of Steel so much and why he sees himself as a hero fighting to save humanity.

It’s genuinely surprising we have yet to get a live-action solo Deathstroke project. Slade Wilson is one of the most popular DC villains, and regularly enjoys a regularly monthly DC Comics series. A mercenary with enhanced healing and elite combat skills, Deathstroke is one of the few bad guys able to regularly outfight Batman.

Slade does often take the position of villain, but he’s just as often something more of an antihero. That kind of character could make for the perfect protagonist for an action film; particularly one that isn’t very kind to the bad guys.

He’ll greet you with “goodbye,” he’ll tell you yes with “no,” and given the chance he’ll rip a mountain in half. No, I do not believe this twisted clone of Superman could be the lead of a particularly riveting drama. But can you imagine a comedy series — probably animated — told from Bizarro’s point of view?

I can and it could be amazing. Considering how he handles everything in reverse, the way this DC villain sees life could be intriguing and would definitely be hilarious.

One of the main reasons a Ra’s al Ghul series could be amazing is because of his longevity. If you’re chiefly familiar with Ra’s al Ghul as the DC villain Liam Neeson plays in 2005’s Batman Begins, then you may not know that in the comics he’s literally hundreds of years old. In the source material Ra’s has access to Lazarus Pits — supernatural pools which can heal people and even resurrect the dead — which he has used to keep his crusade going long after most men would be dead.

Not to say that Ra’s al Ghul isn’t an interesting character all on his own, but because of his extended life a series with him as the lead could span just as much time. One season could see the DC villain in the 16th century, and another could follow his exploits during World War II. We could see centuries worth of history unfold through one man’s eyes.

As the saying goes, we’re all the heroes of our own stories, and that’s no different for the DC villain Sinestro. In many of the best Green Lantern stories — in spite of having a name so obviously evil-coded, it’s a miracle DC Comics coined it before George Lucas could use it — Sinestro doesn’t see himself as a villain, but as the better alternative to the Green Lantern Corps.

In fact, Sinestro has his own group — the Sinestro Corps — armed with rings just like Hal Jordan and his ilk, but harnessing fear instead of will. A Sinestro movie or series that saw the DC villain doing things his way, and seeing the Green Lanterns through his eyes, could be fascinating.

Kirk Langstrom, aka the Man-Bat, is one of the few DC villains counted among Batman’s rogues’ gallery who has yet to make a live-action appearance either on the big screen or the small. As his name suggests, Man-Bat is a man who changes into a potentially deadly were-bat. But while he’s best known as a bad guy, he has fought on the side of the angels as well.

Man-Bat joined Wonder Woman, Swamp Thing, Detective Chimp, and more in the most recent volume of Justice League Dark. The mixture of a meek man of science coupled with a terrifying were-bat was great, and could be used to wonderful effect in a movie or series.

This will no doubt seem like a strange choice to many, but Captain Boomerang is one of my favorite DC villains particularly because of his portrayal in the John Ostrander written Suicide Squad comics (which are very much not like the 2016 movie).

Of all the leashed DC villains who come in and out of Task Force X, Captain Boomerang is the most immune to any kind of redemption in the source material. He regularly manipulates other characters into getting killed either by Amanda Waller or by other villains, and never gets caught for it. There’s a lengthy B story in the Suicide Squad comics involving Boomer committing lucrative crimes while Task Force X is on break, but doing it disguised as his old Central City buddy Mirror Master so he takes the blame instead.

Captain Boomerang is cowardly, mean, not particularly bright, and utterly irredeemable. The comic book version would never, as Jai Courtney’s version does, agree to do some good with new “friends.” I imagine a series focused on him would be something like a supervillain answer to Shameless.