The world ofDC Comicsand all of its related universesis filled with iconic villains. Some are street-level threats who’d rather focus their energies on small-scale crimes against the likes of Batman. Others are world-ending threats, villains who warrant a response from the mighty Justice League. While the DC films haven’t always been box office hits in thesame way as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the franchise has featured many great villains across the various films and television series. WithThe CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earthsfirmly connecting all the DC adaptations in a multiverse, there have been some incredibly powerful foes the DC heroes have needed to face off against.
Update August 22, 2025: This article has been updated with even more villains that have changed the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe.
What makes a good villain? Is it the costume? The motivation? Some villains are just as everlasting in the minds of fans as their heroic counterparts. The villains make the actions of the hero worthwhile. What would be the point of our favorite comic book heroes if their villainous foils did not exist? But some baddies fly high above the rest. Some pose threats that require everything a hero has. These are the most powerful DC villains to be or soon-to-be adapted into live-action.
15Poison Ivy
A surprising addition to some, but one of Batman’s oldest rogues is also one of the most powerful villains in existence. Dr. Pamela Isley was a brilliant botanist who knew everything there is about planet life. She managed to work her way up to a position researching plants at Wayne Enterprises but was fired after suggesting using plant-based chemicals to develop brainwashing drugs. As she was being escorted out by security, she spilled chemicals all over herself from her newest assignment, andPoison Ivywas born.
These new powers gave her a connection to the Green, an elemental force in the universe that connects all plant life together. With her newfound ability to control all plant life and seduce people to lure them in, Ivy becomes an instant threat to Gotham City. What sets her apart from other villains is that she isn’t a criminal in the traditional bank-robbing or revenge sense, as Ivy is an eco-terrorist. She works to protect plant life, and helps them rule the planet that has mistreated them for so long. Ivy’s powers can grow to an immense scale, as she’s also famous for her poisonous touch to quickly kill anyone that gets in her way.
Most infamously, Poison Ivy appears in the movieBatman & Robin, but she’s not the most powerful adaption. The Arrowverse had their take on the character inBatwoman,introducing her as a more dangerous and destructive version of the character. After being experimented on, Pamela was forever changed as she gained plant-based abilities along with a destabilized mind.The full force of her power has best been displayed in the popular animated seriesHarley Quinn.
With only one live-action appearance inBlack Adam,Sabbacimmediately shook up the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe. He didn’t always start out that way, though, as Sabbac started out as Ishmael Gregor, a leader in the militant group Intergang. Gregor’s whole plan was to find the Crown of Sabbac and die holding it, transporting him to the Rock of Finality in Hell. It was there that a group of demons revived him as their champion with the goal of unleashing Hell on Earth.
This new form was immensely powerful, with near invulnerability from even some of the strongest weapons in the universe. He even managed to kill Doctor Fate, one of the strongest heroes in the DC Universe. Wtih a litany of other destructive abilities and an army of the undead by his side, Sabbac was inches away from achieving his goal before being ripped in half by Black Adam.
13Parallax
Don’t let the 2011Green Lanternfilm fool you:Parallaxis not just an angry cloud, and is one of the most powerful beings in the entire DC universe. As the living embodiment of all fear in the universe given power from the electromagnetic spectrum itself, Parallax is the end-all-be-all weakness of theGreen Lantern Corps. He’s so powerful that the Guardians of the Universe had him locked away for centuries, unable to corrupt those with his fear.
When he’s released and out there in the universe though, he’s able to corrupt even the most fearless of Lanterns, and at one point even possessed Hal Jordan himself. Parallax has even struck fear into the hearts of characters like Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Spectre. The only way to stop him is to truly be fearless, which is hard to do in the face of an all-powerful being like him.
12Doctor Destiny
Two distinct versions of the Justice League villainDoctor Destinyhave been adapted for live-action. The first was on the Arrowverse crossoverElseworlds,played by Jeremy Davies, who rewrote reality with the book of Destiny. Yet the more powerful one is John Dee,played by David Thewlison the Netflix seriesThe Sandman.
John Dee possesses the Dreamstone, which protects him and also can manipulate and take control of others. The season’s fifth episode, “24/7”,truly shows how psychologically and physically disturbing Doctor Destiny’s powers can be and make him.
The Sandmantakes place in a world removed from superheroes, but it is worth noting the only one who is able to stand against John Dee is Dream the Endless. This showcases just exactly how powerful the villain is and makes one wonder how the likes of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman would fare against this sinister foe.
11The Reverse-Flash
The primary villain on The CW seriesThe Flashand one season ofLegends of Tomorrow, theReverse-Flashis 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 beginning their epic conflict. The combined ability to move at super speed, travel in time to alter history, and vibrate his molecules to put his hand through a person’s heart makes The Reverse-Flash one of the deadliest villains in the DC multiverse.
10Mr. Mxyzptlk
An imp from the fifth dimension,Mr. Mxyzptlkis a constant thorn in the side of anyone he’s around. Regarding his powers, it’s hard to find someone stronger than him. He’s practically omnipotent and capable of rewriting reality itself, able to manipulate anything around him. Adding on flight, teleportation, and immortality, Mxy becomes a god in a sense. More often than not, he’s not doing anything inherently evil, just hounding Superman for his own amusement as he dishes out life lessons through his trickster ways. The only way he’s able to be stopped is when someone manages to trick him into saying his own name backward, which is no tall task.
Mr. Mxyzptlk has been adapted in live-action a few times, from the short-livedSuperboyseries toLois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, but his most notable appearance is a reoccurring role in the CW’sSupergirlshow. Still a mischievous imp from the 5th dimension, only this version of Mxy has a more human appearance and is madly in love with Supergirl herself. After she defeats him, he would eventually returns being “court-ordered” to use his powers for good and help those he’s wronged in the past, offering Supergirl a chance to come to terms with life as the two grew into friends. He’s by far the most powerful live-action version and could be a threat to the multiverse itself if he wasn’t so petty and obsessive.
Wonder Woman has faced a plethora of unique villains, but none as powerful asAres, and it was fitting for him to be the main villain in her solo film. This is the second time David Thewlis appears on this list, giving him the distinction of playing two of DC’s most powerful villains. Ares pretends to be an ally named Sir Patrick until his villainous reveal in the third act as God of War and Wonder Woman’s half-brother.
Related:Best David Thewlis Performances, Ranked
Ares is revealed not only as a god of war but a god of truth and has parallels to the biblical Lucifer (he whispers in humanity’s ears, wears a horned helmet, and turns against his father who is a creator god). Ares' powers inWonder Womanare shown to be impressive, yet most notable is the fact that his long-term goal wins out. While World War I came to an end, it spiraled into a series of global conflicts that span for the next decade that humanity is still facing. Wonder Woman won the fight, but in the long term, Ares' impact is still felt.
It is also worth noting how powerful Ares is thathe was able to defeat a young Uxas, who will go on to become the DC big bad Darkseid. Ares easily stands as one of the most powerful threats in the DC Universe.
8General Zod
Man of Steelintroduced a more dynamic version of Superman — one whose otherworldly super strength could finally be visualized on the big screen in a way that was only truly seen in animated form. This Superman required a nemesis that could take a punch and fight back with a ferocity unlike any villain seen before. That villain wasGeneral Zod. TheMan of Steel’sversion of Zod was a Kryptonian general hellbent on restoring his home world.
Zack Snyder’s depictionof General Zod demonstrated just how epic modern superhero films could be. His fight with Superman across the destroyed cityscape of Metropolis 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 to watch them battle it out. Zod recently made an appearance in the 2023 filmThe Flash.
7Steppenwolf
It takes a serious threat to bring the entireJustice Leaguetogether.Steppenwolfwas that serious threat. Their first adaptation onscreen found the Justice League fighting the powerful New God, Steppenwolf. Hailing from the hellish planet Apokolips, the villain arrived at Earth to recover the powerful Motherboxes but ended up having to face Batman, The Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg, and Wonder Woman. Despite the combined forces of the heroes, Steppenwolf was able to hold his own until the resurrection of Superman.
Of course, there were two different versions of Steppenwolf on screen. The first was Joss Whedon’s theatrical version of the character, a much-maligned version due to questionable CGI and a lack of a compelling backstory. Despite his flaws, this depiction was still a capable villain that was able to hold his own against a pantheon of DC heroes.Zack Snyder’s finished version, however, was a juggernaut. He thrashed the Amazonians in spectacular fashion and was frightening as he rampaged through the likes of the Atlanteans and the Justice League until meeting his end. Snyder’s version also had a deeper backstory, which fans learned as he set out to complete his mission.
It is a well-known secret thatBrainiacwas considered the villain of choicefor the proposedMan of Steel 2. Though Brainiac is one of Superman’s most iconic villains, this would have been the very first time he was adapted to the live-action medium. With that being the case, it would be a no-brainer for him to eventually be included in the arc of Gunn’s Superman somewhere down the line. He has already been adapted to the Syfy seriesKryptonand was a major threat in the DC Animated Universe.
Related:The Flash: Is the DCEU Officially Reset?
The Collector of Worlds possesses an army of clones, superhuman calculation skills, and an unimaginable wealth of knowledge in technology. This gives people the misconception that he is not a physical threat, but that is completely false. Physically, he is rather durable and has psionic powers. He was even able to nearly defeat Superman in a true fight in the comics, and any DC fan knows that is not a feat to scoff at. Brainiac is arguably just as strong, or even stronger, and likely would have won their fight if Superman wasn’t so adaptable. It is unknown if James Gunn has any plans to feature Brainiac at this level, but a faithful adaptation to the comics would showcase every aspect of his great strength.
