The Only DC Villain Movie That Doesn’t Use Batman’s Rogues’ Gallery Came Out 4 Years Ago

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DC films often focus on its villains, and the comics are full of compelling antagonists for its heroes. However, Batman is particularly known for having a fantastic group of villains. Characters like the Joker, Riddler, and Penguin have frequently appeared in movies, and some have even starred in their own films.

In 2004, Catwoman, a famous villain and romantic interest of Batman, starred in her own movie, played by Halle Berry. DC then focused on villains in 2016 with the film Suicide Squad, showcasing several Batman adversaries like Deadshot, Harley Quinn, the Joker, and Killer Croc. Joaquin Phoenix’s critically acclaimed Joker in 2019 was so popular that a sequel was made in 2024, bringing back Phoenix and introducing Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn.

DC is planning to keep making movies focused on Batman’s enemies, and Clayface is the newest villain slated to get his own film. Reports also suggest that movies centered around Bane and Deathstroke are in development. This strategy makes it seem like only villains closely tied to Batman are considered for leading roles in DC movies.

This has only happened once before, back in 2022. While Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam didn’t completely shake up the superhero movie landscape as he’d hoped, it’s still the only live-action DC film that centers on a villain who isn’t connected to Batman.

Why Black Adam Is The Only Non-Batman Villain To Get His Own Movie

I’ve been a fan of Black Adam in the DC comics for ages – he’s been around since the ’70s! But it’s been a long road to getting his own movie. For years, everyone thought Dwayne Johnson would first appear as Black Adam in the Shazam! film. But then, back in 2017, they decided he deserved his own standalone movie, which is amazing!

Black Adam is a well-known comic book villain, but it wasn’t obvious he’d lead his own movie. DC moved forward with the film largely because Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was so committed to the character. The project was announced when Johnson was at the height of his popularity, and DC hoped his star power would turn Black Adam into a blockbuster.

While Black Adam earned $393.5 million in theaters, it ultimately wasn’t a financial success. Despite seeming like a decent result for a movie featuring a relatively unknown villain, the film’s production costs reportedly reached $260 million, resulting in a significant loss for Warner Bros. and DC Films, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Without Dwayne Johnson committing to the role of Black Adam years ago and becoming a major Hollywood star, it’s doubtful the character would have gotten his own movie, particularly before appearing with Shazam.

Non-Batman DC Villains Who Should Get Their Own Movie

With Clayface potentially getting his own movie, it’s clear DC wasn’t discouraged by Black Adam’s performance and is still willing to explore films focused on villains. Instead of only focusing on Batman’s enemies, however, the studio should consider giving standalone stories to villains from other heroes’ universes as well.

A compelling movie could be made about Sinestro, Green Lantern’s greatest enemy, showing his descent from a hero to a villain pursuing his own goals. While Lex Luthor might appear in a future Superman film, it wouldn’t truly be his story. A standalone movie focusing on Luthor’s perspective would be very interesting. Another possibility would be to explore the backstory of Superman’s other iconic foe, Zod.

Let’s be honest, Batman’s rogues gallery is full of compelling characters, so it makes sense DC keeps trying to build films around them. But relying on those villains can’t be the only way forward. That’s what always excited me about the potential of The Authority – it felt like a genuinely fresh idea for James Gunn’s DC Universe, a chance to explore something completely different.

It probably won’t be long before we see more DC movies focusing on villains other than Batman’s usual enemies, now that Black Adam has arrived.

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2026-04-28 01:41