James Gunn has officially confirmed the imminent arrival of two major antagonists within his brand-new shared DC Universe, reigniting theories about Superman’s future foes.
The legend Alfred Hitchcock used to insist that the success of a great film hinges entirely on the quality of its antagonist, and James Gunn seems to have internalized that lesson for orchestrating the DCU. For the kickoff of his fresh superhero playground, the filmmaker wisely leans on a proven bet by handing the reins of opposition to a Lex Luthor portrayed by Nicholas Hoult, bald-headed, facing off against a pulp-and-pop Superman (David Corenswet).
The festivities will ramp up as Supergirl heads to clash with the cruel Krem of the Ochre Hills next June, while Superman 2 will force Clark Kent and Luthor to team up against Brainiac. On the Lanterns TV series front, rumors already point to a proper introduction of Sinestro and the terrifying Red Lantern Corps. But for what lies ahead, they’ll need threats even more dangerous, and the big boss himself has just dropped major clues.
James Gunn teases the next chapter, episode 759
It happened in a casual exchange on the Threads platform when a fan directly challenged the director by tossing out a list of six iconic endgame bosses from the DC slate. Always quick to engage with his community to defuse rumors or crank up hype, James Gunn replied in his signature concise fashion.
According to him, two of the villains on the fan’s list will officially land on screen in the very near future. Here is the list that was put forth (and yes, apart from Ultraman, all of these familiar faces have already appeared on the big screen):
- General Zod: the Kryptonian military commander ready to raze Earth to rebuild his vanished civilization.
- Doomsday: a brainless killing machine, etched in legend for being the first to manage to kill the Man of Steel (in the comics).
- Doctor Fate: a powerful mystic sorcerer who enforces universal balance, even if it means crossing blades with DC’s heroes.
- Black Adam: endowed with the powers of Egyptian gods, the alter ego of Shazam who regularly walks the line between hero and villain.
- Ultraman: the Crime Syndicate’s head from an alternate dimension, a malevolent double of Superman.
- Darkseid: the absolute tyrant and immortal ruler of the hellish planet Apokolips, a god of evil who seeks to wipe out the universe’s free will (even if that means killing everyone in his path).
In the grand sweep of predictions, the frontrunner is none other than the colossal Darkseid for a strategic reason tied to the DCU’s upcoming projects. The animated series Mister Miracle, currently in development, is deeply connected to the Apokolips mythos, the home turf of Darkseid. It would thus be utterly odd not to see the tyrant pop up through this route before appearing in live-action.
For the second fortunate pick, the balance leans toward a cosmic-scale threat capable of justifying a full-blown Justice League gathering after Brainiac’s arc. The most compelling option would be Ultraman, to offer a corrupt reflection of Superman, but his appearance hints at crossing between universes, and it remains unclear whether James Gunn wants to tackle a multiverse just yet.
Still, the wagers tilt toward General Zod’s return, potentially accompanied by other Krypton survivors. There’s nothing like the threat of several enraged Kryptonians to compel Earth’s mightiest heroes to unite. One can even imagine Supergirl joining Zod’s cause for a sibling-style showdown.
Either way, the calendar laid out by James Gunn and Peter Safran looks exceptionally busy. The action will kick off on June 24, 2026 with a standalone Supergirl movie, followed closely by eight episodes of the detective series Lanterns scheduled for August 16, 2026. Autumn will bring the intriguing horror thriller Clayface in October, ahead of the head-to-head promised by Superman 2: Man of Tomorrow slated for summer 2027.
