11 Comic Book Villains That Could Carry A Solo Movie
Which bad guys have what it takes to be front and centre?
With hits like Venom and Joker being the talk of recent years, it isn’t just the good guys getting the limelight on the big screen. With more villain-centric movies being prepped for release, such as Venom’s sequel Let There Be Carnage and Morbius: The Living Vampire, which other bad guys from the comic book world are worthy of their own big screen adventure?
The top comic book readers at ScreenHeads have put their heads together – we’re ranking the top 11 comic book villains who deserve their own solo film. Take a look below and see what you think!
11. Slade Wilson/Deathstroke
The mercenary for hire who was subjected to an experimental procedure that left him with superhuman agility and senses. He’s been given effective interpretations on screen lately by the likes of Manu Bennett in Arrow, Esai Morales in Titans and Joe Manganiello in Justice League.
A faithful origin story could give us a comic book story reflecting the likes of Rambo. Its also worth noting that the character does still live by some form of ethics, which would be interesting to work with on screen.
Though Bennett and Morales’ versions seem done, Manganiello’s version is coming back to Zack Snyder’s Justice League‘s reshoots; could this open the door for a big screen film? He was to be central to Ben Affleck’s Batman. Now that there are rumblings of Batfleck getting a HBO Max series, could this story be told?
10. Victor Von Doom/Dr Doom
We’ve seen him in multiple Fantastic Four movies, but we’ve never got a comic-faithful look at mr Von Doom. Historically depicted as the monarch of fictional nation Latveria, he also comes into conflict with the likes of Black Panther and the X-Men.
A solo film for the character could go in a lot of different directions. whole heartedly, it just needs to at least show him as a dictator constantly at war with his own ego. A film has been in the works for quite a few years now. Writer Noah Hawley completed a story not long before Marvel Studios acquired the rights for the character. Rogue One actor Mads Mikkelsen has also already shown interest in playing the character. Now, we are just waiting for Kevin Feige to approve his entrance into the MCU.
9. Selina Kyle/Catwoman
We’re aware of the *sigh* Halle Berry Catwoman movie from back in 2004. I think it’s fair enough to say we can forget that version in every sense of the word.
Selina Kyle is traditionally known as a jewel thief who spends her time mixing in with the aristocracy of Gotham City, such as Bruce Wayne, only to rob them and sleuth her way through everyone’s riches. The ‘cat burglar’ then also robs the likes of museums and banks whilst dressed as a cat.
These activities bring her into contact with Batman. His effect on her turns her into an anti-hero of sorts, though she still cannot be trusted.
In a sort of Solo: A Star Wars Story fashion, a solo film for Kyle’s alter-ego could function well. Example? Show her under the wing of a mentor who shows her the ropes, then betrays her. It would give us insight into her backstory much more than past screen incarnations. It allows us to see why she starts down the path of being part of the caped crusader’s rogues gallery.
Remember, Zoë Kravitz’s version of the character is due to debut in 2022’s The Batman. She is signed on for multiple films as the character; could we get this kind of screenplay churning away sooner than we think?
8. Bane
We’ve already been given a very strong interpretation of the character from Tom Hardy in The Dark Knight Rises. Though, wouldn’t it make it more fun to see the character in a more comic book-esque backdrop?
The comic origin tells us that Bane suffered the consequences of his father escaping the court system in their fictional homeland of Santa Prisca; he had to serve out his father’s prison sentence from childhood. Ouch. However, his youth in prison gave him advantages. He read every book available. Lifted weights as often as he could. Somehow gained a traditional education. Became calculated in how to survive.
He also went on to proclaim himself as the king of Peña Duro Prison. His jailers noticed this, which had him made subject to testing a mysterious drug known as Venom. This should have killed him but gave him immense strength and the life long tie of needing it pumped into his brain every 12 hours.
A screenplay on his origin would be intense and give a very unique look at the character.
7. Thanos
Yes, Infinity War can almost be seen as a solo film for the Mad Titan. However, most fans are very eager to understand his way of thinking. The recent story shown Thanos trying to save the universe from extinction, using the fabled Infinity Stones to decimate half of life. His mission? Understandable. His method? Monstrous.
A character like Thanos is almost Shakespearian. Josh Brolin delivering a performance like the recent end to the Infinity Saga? We would be in for something wonderful.
In Infinity War, Thanos says how his mission to split a planet’s population was deemed as mad by his race. Seeing how he gets to this in an origin story that sees…it is interesting to explore, isn’t it?
6. General Zod
General Zod has been played on screen by the likes of Terence Stamp, Callum Blue and more recently Michael Shannon, with all giving their own unique take on the Kryptonian tyrant.
Historically, Zod is depicted as the malevolent leader of Krypton’s military forces, eventually attempting to take over the planet, which causes him and his loyalists to be banished to The Phantom Zone. From there, he escapes in numerous ways which brings him into contact with Kal-El AKA Superman.
But, we are yet to see the full extent of Zod’s behaviour on Krypton when it comes to the big screen. With a character like this, we could get an extra-terrestrial version of Apocalypse Now in some sense. What atrocities were committed to have Zod sentenced to an endless void for eternity?
Most comic fans would also want to see his relationship with Superman’s father, Jor-El, and how that would feed into the overall story.
5. Lex Luthor
Probably one of the most well known comic villains in history. Luthor is commonly depicted as the CEO of Lexcorp who holds a deep desire to see Superman destroyed. He sees the man of steel as either a threat to society, a threat to his own personal goals or he’s just plain jealous of his abilities.
Luthor is conniving, ruthless and most of all driven. Some depictions have even seen the character become the President of the United States. Having a story that shows his willingness to do whatever for his endgame would be amazing. Think on the veins of House of Cards or Wall Street.
4. Edward Nygma/The Riddler
One of the most interesting inclusions in this list. Nygma is traditionally shown as someone who relishes in his own intelligence, which leads to his career as a criminal leaving riddles at his crime scenes.
Of all super villains, The Riddler is probably the one most capable of replicating a story similar to Todd Philips’ Joker. the simplicity but energy of the character could be told very easily and could even tie into the world built up by the character of Arthur Fleck.
Though we’ve had Jim Carrey, Cory Michael Smith and soon Paul Dano as the character, we could be due a real origin some time in the future that could be fun to watch but also grotesque.
3. Dr Curt Connors/The Lizard
Simply mark this Marvel’s iteration of the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde story. the story of Spider-Man’s famous enemy is surely worthy of a solo outing. Dr Curt Connors is driven by his goal to give human beings the ability to regrow limbs, something he is in need of due to being an arm short. He succeeds, however it comes at the cost of turning into a humanoid lizard.
The moral push and pull of the character in itself is interesting to watch, as a simple scientist lets go of his reasons for carrying out this experiment in the first place and suffers for it. It could very much resemble the upcoming Morbius: The Living Vampire film starring Jared Leto, but could also be likened to a more serious version of The Nutty Professor. You laugh now, but it makes sense.
2. Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin
A notorious Batman villain who is overdue a solo outing in this writer’s opinion. Oswald Cobblepot is commonly depicted as a low life gangster/club owner who talks big behind his cronies but is cowardly when by himself.
Played tremendously by the likes of Danny DeVito, Robin Lord Taylor and, sure enough, Colin Farrell in an upcoming movie, The Penguin needs an origin story. It would be great to see the brown nosing nobody that is ridiculed for looking like a bird climb to the top of the mobster food chain through back-stabbing, cheating and downright villainy. You can’t say it wouldn’t be a great story to watch unfold.
1. Harvey Dent/Two-Face
My number one choice for a super-villain solo film if I had the choice. Harvey Dent is historically shown as a troubled young man with a split-personality disorder who somehow manages to climb through the law ranks to become Gotham City’s District Attorney. However, the mob of course don’t like all the good he is doing and massacre his life by leaving one side of his face scarred through an attack.
From there, Dent’s other personality awakens, using his knowledge of the law and his experience as a D.A to begin ruling Gotham’s underworld. His signature move of course becomes deciding each victim’s fate with the toss of a coin; a sign that his balance of right and wrong is now misguided.
It’s a story that could become the first big gangster comic book film and has potential to have a deeper meaning, much like Joker. Also, cast Hugh Jackman. It’s an obvious choice, right?
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Think we left someone important out? Have your own thoughts on what could be done with one of these solo films? Let us know in the comment section below.