The first movie in the new DC Universe, Superman, goes out of its way to explain that the Man of Steel is still early in his superhero career. Flying around Metropolis for three years, he has a lot to learn about himself and being a hero, which is why Lex Luthor is able to get the better of him so quickly. The villain unleashes a kaiju on Metropolis and orchestrates a war in Jarhanpur to distract Superman from his real goal: destroying the hero’s public image and killing him. When that fails, Luthor unleashes Ultraman, a Superman clone, to finish the job. With some help from Krypto, Ultraman goes down, adding another victory to the titular hero’s resume.
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Of course, fighting another version of himself is only the tip of the iceberg for Superman. There are sure to be countless bad guys roaming the galaxy who want to do him harm, and each one will be stronger than the last. Here are seven DC villains who face David Corenswet’s Man of Steel in Superman 2.
1) General Zod
Superman reveals that Kal-El’s parents, Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van, aren’t the people he originally thought they were, as they sent him to Earth to conquer humanity, not protect it. In most DC media, General Zod has a similar attitude, and if he’s stuck in the Phantom Zone in the DCU, he’s sure to fill the Man of Steel’s head with lies when he gets out. It only seems natural for Superman to face off against the most dangerous Kryptonian in history in his next solo outing.
2) Brainiac
Despite Superman having several big-screen adventures, not one of them features the popular DC villain Brainiac. Collecting knowledge is the villain’s favorite hobby, and his sick journey takes him to Krypton, where he captures the capital city, Kandor, and shrinks it down to add to his collection. With Superman needing to learn more about his home, a run-in with Brainiac in the near future would be a logical next step.
3) Mongul
Some villains just want to watch the world burn, including Mongul, the ruler of Warworld. While Mongul is plenty strong on his own, he likes to watch others fight, pitting aliens against each other in gladiator matches. When Superman finds himself a captive on Warworld, he’s not going to stop fighting until everyone on the structure is liberated.
4) Metallo
There are many different versions of Metallo in DC Comics, but they all have one thing in common: Kryptonite powers their suit. It will be easy for James Gunn and Co. to pick a character who has a beef with Superman and provide them with an upgrade that makes them as powerful as the hero. Superman has already shown how dangerous Kryptonite can be, and introducing a villain that thrives on it would only heighten the stakes.
5) Bizarro
The DCU may have already revealed its version of Bizarro, as he shares many of Ultraman’s characteristics. Well, spending time in a black hole won’t do Luthor’s creation any favors, so when he gets out, he may be even angrier and more powerful. Once again, Superman will have to pull out all the stops if he hopes to beat his doppelganger.
6) Darkseid
The evil leader of Apokolips always has his eye on Earth, and the arrival of so many heroes isn’t going to make him happy. Darkseid could come looking for the Anti-Life Equation in Superman 2 and pick a fight with the Man of Steel. If Superman thought that Ultraman was bad, he’s in for a rude awakening when he meets the wrong end of an Omega Beam.
7) Lobo
Lobo, played by former Aquaman Jason Momoa, is going to be a major part of 2026’s Supergirl, causing problems for Kara Zor-El as she travels the cosmos. He’s not the Big Bad of the movie, though, so there’s a good chance he makes it out alive and has a newfound beef with Kryptonians. Lobo is one of the strongest beings in the galaxy, so Superman shouldn’t underestimate him when he sees his space motorcycle enter Earth’s atmosphere.
Superman is in theaters.
Which character from this list would you like to see the DCU’s Superman fight next? Is there another villain that you have your eye on? Let us know in the comments below!
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