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The titular character of the Superman franchise ranks among the likes of Batman and Spider-Man as one of the superheroes with the most iconic rogues’ galleries in the entire genre. However, the Man of Steel’s live action films have failed to explore his roster of foes to its full extent.
To date, the only two Superman villains to receive prominent big-screen roles are Lex Luthor and General Zod, with Darkseid and Doomsday only receiving relatively brief appearances within the DC Extended Universe. It’s not the most impressive track record, especially compared to other contemporary superhero films. The following list will shine a spotlight on just a handful of Superman’s comic book bad guys who would be perfect antagonists for a future film adaptation.
Besides Brainiac, the famous Superman villain who has yet to make his movie debut is Kal-El’s demented doppelganger, Bizarro. A flawed clone of the Last Son of Krypton, Bizarro was created by Lex Luthor in order to be the perfect weapon against his arch-nemesis. Bizarro possesses all of Superman’s powers, but without any of his morality or intelligence. While he rarely acts out of any real malice, Bizarro is nevertheless a dangerous destructive force, often driven by a twisted sense of logic that drives him to act as Superman’s opposite. To Bizarro, wrong is right and down is up. Bizarro’s unhinged worldview is reflected by his distinctive speech patterns, which turn the rules of grammar upside-down.
Bizarro has often been portrayed as a comical figure, more of a well-meaning nuisance than a true villain. He’s even been ruler of his own Bizarro World, a cube-shaped planet inhabited by other Bizarro duplicates of the rest of the DC Universe. However, other stories have presented Bizarro as a tragic figure akin to Frankenstein’s Monster, seeking to do good yet forced into evil due to cruel fate. He may seem silly at first, but Bizarro could easily feel at home in a serious adaptation.
Like Bizarro, Parasite is the sort of antagonist who’s rarely in the role of big bad. He’s often presented as the pawn for another villain, like Lex Luthor or Darkseid. But though he’s hardly the most clever adversary, Parasite is nevertheless a formidable foe.
True to his name, Parasite has the ability to drain the life force from anyone he touches. He has an insatiable hunger for more power — preferably from Superman. He’s hardly a nuanced villain, but this monstrous menace has a unique gimmick that gives him the strength to go toe to toe with the Man of Tomorrow.
Metallo is yet another villain who’s more of a henchman than a big bad, but he’s such a memorable flunky that he’s earned a spot on this list. Originally a normal human named John Corben, this rogue was rebuilt as a mechanical menace — sometimes by Lex Luthor himself, depending on the continuity — with a Kryptonite heart and the strength to trade blows with Superman.
Metallo is more likely to be found taking orders than giving them. However, between his striking Terminator-like design and his deadly Kryptonite core, Metallo has become one of Superman’s most notorious nemeses.
A relatively recent addition to Superman’s rogues’ gallery, the alien conqueror Mongul is the despotic ruler of Warworld, a planet-sized space station where enslaved gladiators compete in bloodsport for their sadistic master’s amusement. If Superman is an alien who uses his immense power for the good of others, then Mongul is the opposite. He’s a vicious megalomaniac who revels in breaking his opponents, abusing his power to subjugate everyone around him.
Mongul’s best-known story, “For The Man Who Has Everything” by legendary comic writer Alan Moore, features him trapping Superman in an illusory world where he lives a peaceful, ordinary life as a family man on a Krypton that never died. When Superman breaks free, he’s enraged by the unimaginable cruelty of Mongul’s trap, making Mongul one of the few villains who’s managed to make the Man of Steel furious. Out of all the foes Superman’s faced, Mongul ranks among the most vile of all, and deserves a turn onscreen.
Finally, one of Superman’s most enduring comic foes is also possibly the weirdest member of his rogues’ gallery. Mister Mxyzptlk (pronounced “mix-yes-spit-lick”) is an imp from the Fifth Dimension who wields nigh-infinite power, allowing him to rewrite reality with a thought. If he wanted, Mxyzptlk could bend the entire universe to his will. However, he’s typically content to just make Superman’s life more difficult. Mister Mxyzptlk is more of a trickster than a traditional supervillain, with his schemes taking the form of petty pranks against the Man of Tomorrow.
Mxyzptlk is essentially a cartoon character unleashed on the real world, typically giving his stories a comedic, irreverent tone. However, the mischievous imp is more than capable of getting serious when he sees fit, shedding his playful persona and unleashing the true cosmic power of a Fifth Dimensional entity. Capable of both cartoonish comedy and cosmic horror, Mister Mxyzptlk would certainly be a tricky character to adapt to live action. However, a movie that pulled it off could be a truly unforgettable experience.
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