Fans lost their minds when they saw that iconic red and yellow symbol emerge from the smoke, if you know you know. But now he is back, looking as great as ever. It is unclear just how involved Cavill will be in the DC film universe if he will be making more cameos or how many solo movies he will be doing. But we are excited to see him show up in the red and blue tights either way. But the big question now, is what supervillains will he be facing in his movies? So far, we have seen Lex Luthor (way too many times), General Zod, Doomsday, and Darkseid, which isn’t even a quarter of the wide array of villains the Man of Steel could face off against. For this list, we will be taking a look at ten Superman villains we want Henry Cavill to battle with.
Parasite
While there are a few who have become Parasite throughout the comics, the version most fans best know him for is Rudy Jones. Jones first appeared in comic pages on April 1987 in Firestorm #58. His popularity grew as he began appearing in DC Animation with Superman The Animated Series and Justice League, but then again with Batman/Superman: Public Enemies and Superman: Man of Tomorrow. After an accident involving purple chemicals, Parasite has become one of Superman’s most dangerous foes as a literal parasite that can absorb any living thing’s energy and abilities with only a touch. Take DC’s most powerful beings, and pit them up against someone who could easily take that power.
Livewire
An explosive character that was created by Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, and Bruce Timm for Superman The Animated Series as a completely new and original character. Leslie Willis was a popular and controversial radio host, who experienced an electrical accident during one of her concerts which granted her electrical abilities and allowed her to adapt her energy into a power strong enough to harm even Superman. Livewire has since had minor appearances in other media such as Smallville and Supergirl. But we believe this powerhouse could be the perfect conduit for a big-screen live-action appearance.
Metallo
Most recognizable as John Corben, Metallo is probably one of Superman’s most formidable foes in his rouge’s gallery. While there are many iterations of how Corben became Metallo, he is most remembered for being a con man that was involved in an accident and then experiments that transformed him into a cybernetic killing machine with a sizable piece of kryptonite as his heart and source of his strength and power. A character that has only been on the small screen of Smallville and the Arrowverse, but is one deserving enough to finally get his big-screen debut. Let’s get a Superman vs. Cyborgs movie, Superman vs Metallo, and Cyborg Superman.
Cyborg Superman
Speaking of cyborgs, one of the pivotal characters in the Death of Superman storyline and yet we have only seen him make appearances in CW’s Supergirl and the animated film Regin of the Supermen. And as cool as Hank Henshaw’s arc is in the comic books, I think the story of Zor-El that is told in The New 52 would best suit the future of DC Studios. Telling Zor-El’s story in future DC movies could lead to the introduction of Brainiac as the DC Superhero’s next massive villain. As mentioned earlier, a team-up between Cyborg Superman and Metallo can put Superman to the ultimate test and also make for some of the coolest action sequences in DC films.
Bizarro
Recently Bizarro has been given a much-needed and appreciated representation in the series Superman & Lois, his appearance has been well received by audiences which only makes sense to give us more Bizarro. First appearing in 1958’s Superboy #68, Bizarro is a bastardized mirror image of Superman. While Cavill and DC are interested in bringing a much more compassionate and joyful Superman to the big screen, Bizarro is the perfect way to achieve that in a feature film. As a character that is at times looked at as a confused or misunderstood man with a child’s mentality could pose as a new side of Cavill’s Superman that we have yet to see. Humanizing the Man of Steel with a creature that is misunderstood but still just as powerful as he is.
Mr. Mxyzptlk
One of Superman’s oldest villains first appeared in 1944’s Superman #30. If you really want to change the vibe of Cavill’s Superman, Mr. Mxyzptlk is also another great route to take. A trickster from another dimension can alter reality and can only be beaten by getting him to say his name backward. This might create a film that leans too far into the campy side of Superman, he is still a villain that could pave the way for what DC is trying to do with the Man of Tomorrow. Imagine, a Superman movie with the over-the-top visuals and mayhem of a Doctor Strange film.
Bruno Manheim
A character that would pose as more of a side villain, but one that is very much necessary at this point of DC films. Bruno Manheim is a crime boss within Intergang, which has already been established in 2022’s Black Adam film. Manheim could easily be an introductory villain for Cavill’s next outing, a foe that could easily establish the tone of the film right at the beginning. However, considering we soon might be seeing Cavill’s Superman and Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam face off pretty soon, they perhaps could find a common enemy in Bruno Manheim and his control of Intergang. Although, Intergang might not be an issue anymore after what Black Adam did to them.
Lobo
The Main Man has more recently become a character that rides the line of being a good guy or bad guy, an interesting dynamic that could be presented for the new Superman. This Czarian bounty hunter has gained enough popularity that it is time to finally see him on the big screen. Especially after receiving positive reactions from his live-action appearance in the series Krypton. A film with Lobo could even introduce a story that pits him against Superman when he comes to Metropolis attempting to hunt someone who might be innocent, but is later revealed not to be that innocent and forces Superman and Lobo to team up for a final battle.
The Elite
Manchester Black and the Elite have not been given a lot of representation in media other than an animated film titled Superman vs. The Elite. However, that is the perfect combination for a new Superman movie. Introduce a character that is unknown to general audiences and create a retelling of the iconic Action Comics #775 that placed Superman’s values and standards at the forefront of the story. Creating some of the best quotes from Superman, like “Dreams save us. Dreams lift us up and transform us. And on my soul I swear until my dream of a world where dignity, honor, and justice becomes the reality we all share, I’ll never stop fighting. Ever!”.
Rogol Zaar
A newer character added to Superman’s rouges gallery who first appeared in Action Comics #1000. A deadly new adversary that is hell-bent on eliminating the Kryptonian species, it was revealed in the comics that Zaar is responsible for the destruction of Krypton and even broke into the Fortress of Solitude to destroy the city of Kandor. Rogol Zaar would be another character general audiences might not fully know yet, which would be great for a fresh new restart for Henry Cavill and Superman’s new journey in the DC Universe.
