The DCU is filled with iconic villains. Some are street-level threats, preferring to focus their energies on petty crimes against the likes of Batman. Others are world-ending threats; villains warranting a response from the Justice League. While the DC movies haven’t always been blockbusters in the same way as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the franchise has featured many major villains in its various movies and television series. With The CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths firmly connecting all DC adaptations in a multiverse, there were some incredibly powerful enemies for the DC heroes to face. But which villains are the most powerful?
Updated January 5, 2022: Now renamed the DCU, DC movies have a lineup of powerful antagonists that should be strong enough to take on characters like Superman. We’ve updated this article to show who is the most powerful.
What makes a good villain? Is it the costume? The motivation? Some villains are just as eternal in fans’ minds as their heroic counterparts. The villains make the hero’s actions worthwhile. What good would our favorite comic book heroes be if their villainous foils didn’t exist? But some bad guys soar high above the rest. Some pose threats that require everything a hero has. These are the most powerful DC villains that can be modified into live action.
9/9 Doctor Lot
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Netflix
Two different versions of the Justice League villain Doctor Lot are adapted for live action. The first was on the Arrowverse crossover other worlds, played by Jeremy Davies, who rewrote reality with the book Destiny. But the most powerful is John Dee, played by David Thewlis in the Netflix series The Sandman.
John Dee possesses the Dreamstone, which protects him and can also manipulate and take over others. The fifth episode of the season 24/7 really shows how psychologically and physically disturbing Doctor Destiny’s powers can be and make him
The Sandman takes place in a world away from superheroes, but it’s worth noting that Dream the Endless is the only one who can take on John Dee. This shows just how powerful the villain is and makes you wonder how Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman would fare against this sinister foe.
8/9 The reverse flash
The main villain in the CW series The flash and a season of Legends of tomorrow, The reverse flash is one of the most sinister threats in the DC Universe. A scientist named Eboard Thawne from the future travels back in time to ruin Barry Allen’s life while also making him The Flash and their epic conflict begins. The combined ability to move super fast, travel in time to alter history, and vibrate his molecules to stab his hand through someone’s heart makes The Reverse-Flash one of the deadliest villains in the DC multiverse.
7/9 Ares
Wonder Woman has faced a plethora of unique villains, but none quite as powerful as Ares, and it was fitting for him to be the main villain in her solo film. This is David Thewlis’ second time appearing on this list, earning him the honor of playing two of DC’s most powerful villains. Ares poses as an ally named Sir Patrick, until his villainous third-act revelation as God of War and Wonder Woman’s half-brother.
Ares is revealed not only as a god of war, but also as a god of truth and has parallels with the biblical Lucifer (he whispers in the ears of mankind, wears a horned helmet, and turns against his father, who is a creator God is). Ares’ powers in Wonderwoman turn out to be impressive, but the most notable is the fact that his long-term goal wins.
As World War I draws to a close, it culminates in a series of global conflicts that will last the next decade and continue to confront humanity. Wonder Woman won the battle, but Ares’ impact is still felt in the long run. It’s also worth noting how powerful Ares is that he was able to defeat a young Uxas, who will later become DC’s great villain Darkseid. Ares easily stands as one of the most powerful threats in the DC Universe.
6/9 General Zod
Man of Steel introduced a more dynamic version of Superman – one whose alien superpower could finally be visualized on the big screen in a way only truly seen in animated form. This Superman needed a nemesis that could take a beating and fight back with a ferocity unlike any villain has ever seen. That villain was General Zod. The Man of Steel version of Zod was a Kryptonian general determined to restore his homeworld.
Zack Snyder’s portrayal of General Zod showed just how epic modern superhero movies can be. His battle with Superman in the devastated Metropolis cityscape remains a standout piece of superhero cinematography. Despite the controversy surrounding the massive destruction between the two battling Kryptonians, it was still a sight to behold watching them fight.
5/9 Steppenwolf
It takes a serious threat to bring it all together Justice League together. Steppenwolf was that serious threat. Their first on-screen adaptation found the Justice League battling the mighty new God, Steppenwolf. Hailing from the infernal planet of Apokolips, the villain arrived on Earth to restore the mighty Motherboxes, only to end up battling Batman, The Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg, and Wonder Woman. Despite the heroes’ combined powers, Steppenwolf was able to hold his own until Superman’s resurrection.
Naturally, there were two different versions of Steppenwolf on screen. The first was Joss Whedon’s theatrical version of the character, a much-maligned version for questionable CGI and the lack of a compelling backstory. Despite its shortcomings, this portrayal was still a skillful villain who could hold his own against a pantheon of DC heroes.
However, Zack Snyder’s finished version was a juggernaut. He spectacularly fended off the Amazons and was terrifying as he rampaged through the likes of the Atlanteans and the Justice League until he met his end. Snyder’s version also had a deeper backstory, which fans learned as he set out to complete his mission.
4/9 sterro
sterro is one of DC’s most iconic villains and made his feature film debut in The suicide squad. In the comics, Starro was the first villain the Justice League ever faced, so that shows just how important the one-eyed alien starfish can be. As an alien conqueror, he has the ability to reproduce smaller copies of himself to take control of the host they attach to, all of which makes Starro taller. The massive alien conqueror is both a physically destructive and psychologically destructive foe, one who can control an entire planet and kill anyone he can control.
3/9 Judgement day
Judgement day is one of the most iconic DC villains, notable for killing Superman, and his role in Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice was to do just that, as the story famously adapted Death of Superman storyline. While Steppenwolf was the villain the Justice League united against, it could be argued that Doomsday was much more powerful as the creature continued to evolve as it battled Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. If Superman hadn’t stabbed him with the Kryptonite spear, Doomsday might not have been stopped, and one wonders if even Aquaman, Flash, and Cyborg’s help would have done anything.
2/9 Darkseid
Darkseid was originally intended to be the main villain of Zack Snyder’s plan Justice League trilogy and was the villain that Steppenwolf worked for. Often regarded as one of the most powerful villains in the DC Universe, Darkseid is an evil force so powerful that he tends to be treated as the final threat in other media, from the DC Animated Universe to the final season of Smallville.
Darkseid’s role in the DC Universe was definitely diminished by Warner Bros. Justice League declined, but the full scope of its power was certainly felt in the few scenes referenced in Zack Synder’s Justice League. Darkseid would not only kill Aquaman and Wonder Woman, but also corrupt Superman and take over planet Earth. With just a few scenes, there’s no doubt that Darkseid is one of the most powerful threats out there.
1/9 The anti monitor
The most powerful DC villain was not in a feature film, but in the CW series. The anti monitor was the main villain of the Crisis on Infinite Earths miniseries that united the heroes of Arrow, The flash, super girl, Legends of tomorrowand Batwoman along with many other DC heroes. The Anti-Monitor and its waves of antimatter posed a threat to not just one universe, but every universe in the DC Multiverse and were able to destroy the homeworlds of several other DC projects, including Titans, Birds of preyand the Adam West Batman series just to name a few.
The Anti-Monitor is one of the most powerful DC villains in the comics, so it was only fitting that he was such a powerful threat as he made his way to live-action. Rumors circulated that before James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios, Warner Bros. was planning a Crisis on Infinite Earths movie and one wonders how powerfully the Anti-Monitor could have been shown on a big screen budget.