Who are the best DC villains? Sure, we all love a good superhero, but there’s something about the villains of any story that is just so exciting and fascinating to watch. From their motivations and maniacal methods, to the destruction and chaos they cause, bad guys are simply a lot of fun.
Any great superhero movie can succeed or fail based solely on the strength of its villain, and the DCEU has seen its fair share of big wins in that department, but DC movies have also crashed and burned in that regard, too.
We’re here to look at the best DC villains, across comic books, action movies, and TV series, they all count. So, let’s dive in.
The best DC villains:
- Darkseid
- Deathstroke
- Lex Luthor
- Harley Quinn
- Sinestro
- Black Manta
- Cheetah
- Granny Goodness
Darkseid
This guy is the biggest of big bads in the DC universe and he’s one hell of a scary fella. We were promised so much for the arrival of Darkseid, and when Joss Whedon made a terrible Justice League movie, we feared we may never get to see that potential fulfilled.
Thankfully, Zack Snyder ended up making his own Justice League and the movie villain got his time to shine. We doubt Justice League 2 will ever see the light of day, but we’re happy for the time we shared with Uxas all the same.
Deathstroke
There’s two ways to look at the character of Deathstroke; you can either appreciate the ruthless assassin for his deadly talents as most people do, or you can enjoy the fact he is a fourth wall-breaking, hilarious cartoon character in the animated series Teen Titans Go! Either way, Slade Wilson is a winner.
Lex Luthor
You can’t have a good Superman movie without introducing Lex Luthor at some point. Gene Hackman did a great job at portraying the character in the 1970s, but the best version of the bald billionaire comes in the DC animated movies and TV series.
Harley Quinn
Yes, we know there’s a certain Batman villain out there who we all expect to be on this list, but talking about the various Joker actors is a bit boring at this point. We much prefer discussing the merits of Harley Quinn; be it the Margot Robbie iteration or the newer version from Harley’s very own comedy series.
Harley is the perfect foil for Joker’s cynicism and cruelty, offering a little bit of humour and playfulness to proceedings. She is far more than just Joker’s sidekick, though, and excels when she breaks free of the Clown Prince of Crime to stand on her own two feet.
Sinestro
Okay, the Green Lantern movie was pretty bad, and we’ve not been given much to work with when it comes to that avenue of the DC universe since, but Sinestro is a character which desperately deserves to be brought to life in live-action.
His story of corruption, going from the most powerful member of the Green Lantern Corps to their ultimate enemy is an intriguing journey and one that we really hope will come to the big (or small) screen soon.
Black Manta
Who would have thought that bringing Aquaman into live-action would work, never mind the fact that the underwater adventure movie also produced one of the DCEU’s most effective villains.
Black Manta not only looks incredibly cool, but he’s a badass fighting machine with a brilliant backstory, too. We can’t wait to see more of him when the Aquaman 2 release date comes around.
Reverse Flash
Creating a villain that is basically the dark version of a hero can sometimes come off as lazy and cliché, but Reverse Flash totally works as the ultimate enemy to the Scarlet Speedster. Eobard Thawne, obsessed with Barry Allen and his alter ego of the Flash, recreates the accident which led to Barry’s superpowers and decides to use his own abilities for evil.
Twisted by rage and ego, Thawne loses his mind and makes it his mission to become the greatest arch-nemesis the Flash could ever face. We’ve seen Reverse Flash in the Arrowverse plenty, but it remains to be seen whether we’ll get a glimpse of that iconic yellow suit when The Flash release date arrives.
Granny Goodness
Yes, we know the name sounds hilarious, but Granny Goodness is actually a fearsome foe for anyone who crosses Darkseid and his Apokolips army. She is almost as maniacal and malevolent as her brutish leader, and is responsible for developing new soldiers for the Uxas cause in her Orphanage and within the Female Furies team.
Granny Goodness was spotted in the background of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and if we ever got a sequel to the epic thriller movie, we’re sure she would have a bigger role to play. For now, you’ll have to get your Granny Goodness fix in animated movies, TV shows, and comic books.
That’s all the best DC villains for now, but if you want more superhero bad guys check out our list of the best Marvel villains. Or, dive into new movies coming from the DC universe like the Joker 2 release date and The Batman 2 release date.
We’ve also got a guide explaining the DCU’s Chapter 1 as well as the new Superman movie, Superman Legacy and The Brave and the Bold.
