Zack Snyder’s time at the top of the DCU ended up being cut short by tragic personal circumstances, and he didn’t get to finish what was reportedly a five-movie plan. But in the three movies that he did manage to complete (especially if you include his director’s cut of Justice League), we saw some classic heroes and villains including a creature that looked like Doomsday. But was that the real Doomsday?
After introducing Henry Cavill’s Superman in his first DCU movie – the relatively optimistic and hopeful Man of Steel – Snyder went for a much darker tone in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Snyder took elements from the acclaimed 1992 comic storyline The Death of Superman and had Supes killed off by one of the best DC villains – Doomsday.
But this version of Doomsday was actually a clone genetically engineered by that most contemptible of DC characters, Lex Luthor, using General Zod’s body. In 2018, a fan asked Snyder if the “real” Doomsday was still out there, and the writer-director confirmed that; “Yes – the real Doomsday is out there still” (via ScreenRant).
Many DC fans were disappointed by the version of Doomsday that did appear in Batman v Superman, as he more closely resembled the mountain troll from the first Harry Potter movie than the ultimate killing machine from the comics. While Snyder gave hope that another (better?) version of Doomsday is still out there, it’s unlikely that James Gunn will incorporate him into Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.
James Gunn is launching a new DC era and, despite some initial confusion, is definitely moving on from Henry Cavill’s Superman. Therefore, it’s extremely unlikely that he’ll revisit monstrous villains of the past in Superman Legacy, which will star David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan.
One (very human) villain who is likely to appear is, of course, Lex Luthor, and some names circling that role include Nicholas Hoult (who was in the running to play Supes himself) and Bill Skarsgård. There are also rumors that Brainiac could have a role to play – a villain who was once considered for what could have been one of the best superhero movies – the Nicolas Cage and Tim Burton’s Superman Lives. Brianiac would be a great choice, as we’ve not seen him in any DC movies before, and he’s a good physical and intellectual match for Superman.
This is all obviously speculation at this stage, and Superman Legacy is still a long way off – especially with the delays caused by the ongoing industrial action in Hollywood. Before it comes out, make sure to discover how to watch the DC movies in order. We’ve still got Aquaman 2 to come, which has been delayed more times than Lex Luthor has been defeated.