Throughout the history of the DC Universe, many characters have been adapted from the pages of DC Comics. As the characters of the DC Universe rank among some of the most iconic figures in all of pop culture, there is always a level of expectation regarding their big-screen adaptations. There have been many influential DC movies over the years, helping to pioneer the superhero genre within the world of cinema, and they have done justice to many of their characters. While the best adaptations are looked back on fondly, there are always those that leave much to be desired. Unfortunately, these less satisfying versions of characters almost always prove to stand out just as much in the memory as the good ones.
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Though there have been many great DC movies, they don’t always get the characters of the comics right. There have been many occasions on which a great DC character has been completely wasted, either due to a poor understanding of their appeal or teases for future appearances that never materialised. Regardless of the reason, however, it’s hard to get over how badly some DC characters’ potential was needlessly squandered.
7) Darkseid
There have been a few Superman characters ruined by DC movies, but Darkseid is one of the more frustrating examples. Featuring briefly in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, his role as the main villain of Snyder’s planned DCEU was established, setting up his more direct involvement in future movies. However, as the plans were scrapped, all the promise of Snyder’s vision for Darkseid was entirely wasted, especially as the DCEU has now also come to an end.
6) Parallax
When it comes to DC villains ruined in movies, Parallax is one of the most often-cited examples. Appearing in the much-maligned 2011 movie Green Lantern, Parallax made a maddeningly brief appearance in the film’s third act, before seemingly being killed by Hal Jordan. The movie’s version of Parallax was awful in almost every conceivable way, especially as it did nothing to represent how powerful or important the character is within the wider DC Universe.
5) Supergirl
Although the character will soon feature in a Supergirl movie in the DCU, Supergirl has not been well-represented in the past. As well as an abysmal solo movie in the ’80s that is hardly worth mentioning, she was recently featured in the DCEU movie The Flash, played by Sasha Calle. The movie’s design for the character was great, and Calle’s performance made the hero seem truly interesting, but sadly, she was completely wasted. As well as killing her off (repeatedly), the death of the DCEU nullified any potential Calle’s version of Supergirl may have had.
4) Robin
There are very few DC heroes as iconic as Robin. Batman’s sidekick and protege, the character has been a mainstay of DC stories for decades, but the movies keep wasting their chances to do the character justice. The only live-action attempt to adapt Robin came in Joel Schumacher’s 1990s Batman movies, which left much to be desired. Subsequent Batman movies have hinted at the character, but shied away from actually giving him a role, wasting one of DC’s best young heroes.
3) Martian Manhunter
Martian Manhunter is one of DC’s most underrated heroes, and that extends to movie adaptations. As well as being a DC character who seems weaker in the movies, he has been completely wasted. Another character teased in the DCEU, his most substantial role came in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which set him up as the next big hero to join the team. However, as Snyder’s sequels never came to pass, it ended up as just another waste of the character’s cinematic potential.
2) Cyborg
Cyborg is another hugely underrated DC character, and his big chance to shine in a live-action movie was completely squandered. Despite actor Ray Fisher being a good fit for the character, Justice League relegated him to a relatively small supporting role in favor of his Justice League teammates. Another victim of the DCEU’s failure, Ray Fisher’s Cyborg never got another opportunity to impress on the big screen, despite his clear potential.
1) Batgirl
There have been many cancelled superhero movies, but very few that were actually ready to release before being scrapped. The casualty of this frustrating cancellation was Batgirl, a character who has been repeatedly wasted by DC movies. Her only real live-action appearance came in 1997’s Batman & Robin, and it did the hero no justice. Batgirl’s chance to stand out in her own solo movie being ripped away still feels like one of the worst injustices in DC movie history, as it wastes a character who deserves so much better.
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