4 Batman Villains Who Already Exist in James Gunn’s DC Universe

A number of Batman’s villains from DC Comics have already been confirmed to exist in the rebooted DC Universe, long before the release of The Brave and the Bold. Back in January 2023, James Gunn confirmed that the Dark Knight would be reinvented for his and Peter Safran’s DCU, but it’s still unclear exactly when The Brave and the Bold will introduce this new iteration of Bruce Wayne. Even though Wayne himself hasn’t yet appeared in the DCU – aside from a brief cameo in Creature Commandos – some of his enemies have already shown up.

While some of the most iconic Batman villains from DC Comics haven’t yet been seen in the DCU, including the likes of the Joker, Bane, the Riddler, Ra’s al Ghul, and Selina Kyle’s Catwoman, some of his more minor foes have been confirmed. So far, three projects have released as part of the new DCU – the animated Creature Commandos series, the Superman reboot, and the new Peacemaker season 2. The mythology of Batman has been established in these projects, with Gotham City, the Dark Knight himself, and four of DC’s notable villains being featured.

4) Rupert Thorne

2024’s Creature Commandos series introduced Rupert Thorne to the DCU, a crime boss an enemy to Batman who made his first DC Comics appearance in 1977’s Detective Comics #469. In Creature Commandos episode 6, “Priyatel Skelet,” flashbacks reveal that Thorne funder nuclear scientist Alex Sartorius’ research into a cure for cancer, though Sartorius realized Thorne wanted to sell this research to the fascist nation of Bialya, so gives Thorne falsified data. In retaliation, Thorne has Sartorius’ family killed and tries to kill him with his equipment, but Sartorius transforms into Doctor Phosphorus and kills Thorne, taking over his criminal empire.

Benjamin Byron Davis (The Belko Experiment, Borderlands) voiced Rupert Thorne in Creature Commandos, so it’s possible he could portray the character in live-action, too. Of course, Doctor Phosphorus killed Thorne during his flashback scenes, which may make it impossible for the crime boss to return. It was Batman who apprehended Doctor Phosphorus after killing Thorne and his family in Creature Commandos, however, so the pair may already be connected in the DCU, and this even could be referenced in the upcoming The Brave and the Bold reboot.

3) Jaina Hudson’s White Rabbit

The opening of Peacemaker season 2 established the series as a firm part of the DCU, even though season 1 released as part of the DC Extended Universe. The second season opened with Christopher Smith (John Cena) interviewing for the Justice Gang, where he crossed paths with an unexpected Batman villain whose interview went poorly. Brey Noelle (Replicator, See You Again) suited up as Jaina Hudson’s White Rabbit in Peacemaker season 1’s premiere “The Ties That Grind,” bringing the Gotham City socialite and Arkham Asylum escapee into the DCU, and perhaps setting her up for future battles with Batman.

2) Clayface

Another Batman villain who made their DCU debut in Creature Commandos is Clayface, which is doubly exciting, as the character will also soon be headlining his own DCU solo movie. Clayface fights Rick Flag Sr. and Eric Frankenstein in Creature Commandos episode 5, “The Iron Pot,” while they investigate the home of Professor Aisla MacPherson – revealed to be Clayface in disguise. The character’s body is made of a clay-like substance that gives them the ability to shape-shift into any form, and Clayface has been a regular antagonist to Batman since his DC Comics debut in 1940’s Detective Comics #40.

While it’s unclear which version of Clayface he’ll be playing in the upcoming eponymous DCU movie, Tom Rhys Harries (Suspicion, The Gentlemen) will be portraying the villain in live-action. James Watkins will be directing the movie with a script penned by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, exploring Harries’ up-and-coming actor who becomes Clayface during an experiment to fix a disfigurement following an attack. This body horror movie will be something completely new for a live-action superhero franchise, which raises anticipation for its September 2026 release, and could introduce one of Batman’s most exciting DCU villains.

1) Talia al Ghul

Granted, we haven’t actually seen or heard any mentions of Talia al Ghul in the DCU just yet, but the confirmation that Damian Wayne will be appearing alongside a new Batman in The Brave and the Bold all but confirms her existence. Talia al Ghul is the mother of Damian Wayne, who became DC Comics’ fifth Robin after reuniting with his father, Bruce Wayne. Having Talia al Ghul debut as a villain but also Bruce Wayne’s love interest in The Brave and the Bold – which is expected to be a true Bat-Family adventure – will be game-changing for Bruce Wayne’s story, and could even lead to the debut of more villains such as Ra’s al Ghul, Bane, Deathstroke, the Joker, and more.

Which Batman villains are you most excited to see in the DCU? Let us know in the comments!

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