Another DC villain is being adapted to the screen as part of James Gunn's new DCU. The rebooted comic book universe is in full swing following the release of Superman in the summer and the 2026 lineup of Supergirl and Clayface. With each of these projects comes more exciting DC heroes and villains from comic book lore, and one of the DCU's in-development projects is set to introduce an unexpected character.
After his introduction in Superman, the Daily Planet's lovable photographer, Skylar Gisondo's Jimmy Olsen, is receiving his own spin-off series. The series will focus on the Daily Planet team as they crack cases involving superpowered villains around Metropolis. However, David Corenswet's Clark Kent and Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane will not be present. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed the first villain of the new Jimmy Olsen TV show, reporting that Gorilla Grodd will be the focus of Season 1.
Gorilla Grodd has typically been a villain for the Flash, but will be eased into the DCU via the new Superman spin-off show. The character is a highly intelligent ape who possesses psionic and telekinetic abilities and is also an excellent inventor. This will be the character's first live-action appearance since The CW's The Flash TV show. Grodd is just one of nine supervillains the DCU has introduced on-screen, and his addition will mark a growing roster of iconic antagonists in James Gunn's rapidly expanding universe.
The untitled Jimmy Olsen series is being overseen by DC Studios' heads Gunn and Peter Safran, with Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda writing and showrunning the TV show. Gisondo will reprise his role following his breakout performance in Superman.
All of the DCU's On-Screen Supervillains So Far
Lex Luthor
The most famous arch-nemesis of Superman, Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor, is one of the overarching antagonistic forces in the new DCU. After his debut in Superman, Hoult appeared as Luthor again in Peacemaker, and will headline 2027's Man of Tomorrow alongside David Corenswet's Man of Steel. Luthor's defining traits are his cunning and intelligence, which are personified by his advanced technology and connections in Superman.
Ultraman
A surprise villain appeared at the end of Superman as the Hammer of Boravia was revealed to be Ultraman, a cloned but lesser copy of Superman himself. The two supermen engaged in a brutal fight at the end of Superman, which resulted in Ultraman being sucked into a black hole, with his fate moving forward unknown.
Rick Flag Sr.
Frank Grillo currently holds the record for the most appearances in the new DCU. His villainous character, Rick Flag Sr. (the father of The Suicide Squad's Rick Flag), has appeared in animated form in Creature Commandos and has since shown up in Superman and Peacemaker Season 2. The latter is Flag Sr.'s most notable role, with the decorated general taking on the role of ARGUS director, and making it his mission to hunt down Peacemaker and exact vengeance for his son.
Ilana Rostovic
After working with James Gunn on the Guardians of the Galaxy films, actress Maria Bakalova returned to work with the director in his first DCU project, Creature Commandos. Bakalova voices the series's new original villain, Ilana Rostovic, the acting monarch of Pokolistan. The Creature Commandos were sent to protect Rostovic due to her value to the alliance between the U.S. and Pokolistan; however, her true desires of world domination were eventually uncovered.
The Engineer
The metahuman shapeshifter Angela Spica (María Gabriela de Faría), also known as the Engineer, made her DCU debut in 2025's Superman, where her nanite-manipulation powers became one of Superman's biggest weak points (behind Kryptonite). The Engineer's fate was left unknown at the end of Superman, but the character has known links to The Authority, which is another prospective project on the DCU's slate.
Red St. Wild
Another brand-new villain in the DCU, created for Peacemaker Season 2, was Michael Rooker's Red St. Wild. ARGUS hired the legendary hunter to hunt down Peacemaker's companion, Eagly, and he used his astral projection and tracking skills to pinpoint the intelligent bird. Wild was eventually killed by Eagly after learning the bird was the Prime Eagle, and Eagly commanded his fellow birds to slaughter the hunter.
Krem of the Yellow Hills
The next major supervillain fans will meet in the DCU is in 2026's Supergirl, which will feature Krem of the Yellow Hills as one of the major villains. The character is the main antagonist in Superman: Woman of Tomorrow, the comic that the film is heavily inspired by, so it's likely his narrative trajectory will be similar. In the comic, Krem kills a young girl's father and shoots Supergirl and her companion Krypto, leading to a revenge quest across the galaxy.
Lobo
Adding to the supervillain lineup in Supergirl is Jason Momoa's Lobo, an intergalactic bounty hunter whom Supergirl encounters on her journey. In the comics, Lobo is known for wielding a wicked axe and is bolstered by superhuman strength and healing abilities.
Fans got their first (very quick) look at Momoa's cigar-smoking baddie in Supergirl's first trailer.
Bonus: Sinestro
Another character soon to be introduced in the DCU is the Green Lantern Sinestro, who will appear in 2026's Lanterns series. Sinestro is a typical supervillain of the Lanterns in the comics, but it's unclear whether his role will be significant enough to do the same in the new TV series or if he may initially be presented as a hero.
Sinestro is known for being an ex-Green Lantern who was discharged after abusing his power and seeks revenge on the intergalactic group. He wields a yellow ring, instead of a green one, which grants him similar super abilities to those of the other Lanterns.
