10 DC Villains That Deserve Their Own Origin Movie Or TV Show

DC Comics has gifted readers with a plethora of villains throughout the decades. Many have appeared across movies, TV shows, and video games, with some even adopting the role of the protagonist – most popularly, Joker and Peacemaker.

Although the case could be made for any of the dozens upon dozens of villains from DC Comics, a few are special and ripe with opportunity – for their uniquely compelling backstories, complex and particular motivations, or even the chance to redeem past blunders in previous movies or shows. These projects could be a future installment in the DCEU or they could be independent – whatever the case, these characters deserve time in the spotlight.

Mr. Freeze

Victor Fries aka Mr. Freeze is an iconic villain in Batman’s rogues’ gallery and was most famously seen in live-action in Batman & Robin. Although that endeavor was panned by critics and fans alike, Mr. Freeze’s tragic history would lend itself quite well to an independent origin story if treated and developed with more care.

He isn’t a purely evil villain that Batman crosses fists with as Freeze does what he does in the name of his love. His goal is simply to save his dying wife, Nora, but he will go to nearly any length to achieve this. If he wasn’t to get his own movie or show, he could appear as part of the intended sequels or spin-offs to The Batman.

Deathstroke

Despite decades of fighting against the Teen Titans and the Justice League, Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke has had limited success in live-action films and tv shows. He did appear in Arrow and Titans as the big bad of selective seasons and had a cameo at the end of Justice League. However, he deserves a more developed and exclusive origin story. He has a complex relationship with numerous heroes, interesting abilities, and a popular reputation.

It could still be part of the DCEU as Joe Manganiello is very interested in continuing to portray Deathstroke, particularly in an HBO Max show. There is an important element to his story and motivations that make him a unique character among related assassins and villains: he is a family man. His wife and children (Grant, Rose, and Joe) would play an intricate and crucial role in his origins.

Crime Syndicate of America

From the likes of Ultraman, Superwoman, Owlman, Johnny Quick, Power Ring, Grid, and more, the Crime Syndicate of America could be a welcomed break from the traditional Justice League story in the DCEU. They are quite literally the evil foils to popular heroes and though their stories are consistently tied to their good counterparts, they could benefit from something just for themselves.

There is a lot of potential for highlighting the darker sides of beloved heroes by exploring each member of the Crime Syndicate’s origin, their team-up, and eventual interest in crossing the multiverse. This would be an interesting way to keep people interested in Justice League-related stories in the DCEU without having to show the actual Justice League.

Court of Owls & Talon

In 2011,  the Court of Owls was introduced as new adversaries for Batman. They are a cabal of Gotham elite à la Illuminati with a faction of assassins called Talons who enact their nefarious schemes and excise those who stand in the Court’s way. There’s growing interest in seeing them appear across different platforms.

If they were to appear, the Court of Owls and their ominous history would translate well to an independent film or show. A horror thriller is a perfect fit for this kind of story. It could explore the forced indoctrination, training, and missions of William Cobb, the most infamous Talon who has a complex history with the Wayne family.

Vandal Savage

For over 50 millenniums Vandal Savage has been a curse on Earth. At times he was a figure of power in human history such as Cain or Genghis Khan, and at other times, he actively tries to destroy the world. Savage could make a fascinating protagonist for a film or show.

It could be treated as a historical anthology series, sprawling over centuries with each episode highlighting a “past life.” Or it could be a film like Eternals with flashbacks throughout history, but occurring primarily in the present day. This would be an interesting method of incorporating different heroes across time, such as Hawkman or Doctor Fate, as his adversaries.

Lex Luthor

For over 80 years, Lex Luthor has been Superman’s greatest emesis and as such, his origins would surely interest viewers. He is one of the most present villains across DC film and shows, but his story has been entangled relentlessly with Superman’s. Lex would profit generously from a film all his own and numerous potential storylines could be brought to the silver screen, ideally with a Succession sort of vibe.

While Smallville explored his early days and Supergirl brought in his family – this could follow his megalomaniac rise to power to become the CEO of LexCorp or even President. It could further relate to Lex’s exploits to supplant the Man of Steel with his own son of Krypton, Superboy.

Star Sapphire

While Sinestro is certainly Green Lantern’s greatest enemy, Carol Fennis aka Star Sapphire could present a far more compelling origin story. She comes to host the spirit of an alien queen and is gifted with immense powers. She even develops a subconscious demon of sorts in the Predator – and though she is formidable, Hal Jordan consistently bests her and releases her from the queen’s influence. Though this comes at the expense of her memories.

In and of itself, that perfectly exemplifies just how suited Carol Fennis as Star Sapphire is for a miniseries style origin akin to WandaVision. A dazzling and nuanced show about Carol as a woman with lost memories and her struggle for control following the eventual reemergence of the queen’s essence.

Rogues

James Gunn did the unexpected with Guardians of the Galaxy, The Suicide Squad, and Peacemaker – revitalizing relatively unknown or underappreciated characters and making them impactful and beloved. It just goes to show that teams with dubious morals and humorous dynamics make great entertainment. Perhaps this could be done again with the Rogues, a team of the Flash’s enemies including Captain Cold, Mirror Master, Golden Glider, Pied Piper, Captain Boomerang, and more.

Each member possesses varying abilities and ethics that would make a great heist-themed film or tv show full of hijinks, revenge, and comradery – think Oceans 11 meets The Boys and Guardians of the Galaxy. This could be an interesting addition to the DCEU slate, but it might benefit from a thing of its own more.

Talia Al Ghul

Although Ra’s Al Ghul is the most central figure in the shadowy and complex League of Assassins, his daughter, Talia has more potential to be an interesting protagonist. These characters, of course, appeared in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises played by Liam Neeson and Marion Cotillard, respectively. Her history in comics has been plentiful allowing for numerous different potential storylines to be the focus for a shadowy film.

It could find Talia at various points in her life – whether she is training with her father and grandfather, Sensei, or raising her son, Damian. She is a character full of intrigue, ambitions, and conflicting loyalties so she could find herself at odds against Ra’s or other members over command of the League of Assassins.

Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy is by far one of the most iconic villains from DC comics and as such, she is a perfect candidate for an independent origin film similar to Joker. She is a complex character as her goals simply boil down to wanting to protect the environment and endangered species. Though, of course, her methods and actions in doing so define her as a supervillain.

This would also be an important and special story to tell since she is a cherished LGBTQ+ character. Such crucial representation has been severely lacking across both DCEU and MCU, and exploring what love means to a villain – and her tumultuous relationship with Harley Quinn – would be a welcome sight.

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