James Gunn's DC Universe is set to introduce yet another major supervillain faction in 2026, marking the new franchise's third organized team of antagonists. While fans are eager to see the Justice Gang eventually evolve into a full-fledged Justice League, the reboot has also been steadily building out its villain side, with multiple enemy teams already forming and one debuting as early as this summer. Just as heroic ensembles drive fan excitement, these ensemble threats can be just as compelling, especially when they're ripped directly from DC Comics.
Deadline has confirmed that Craig Gillespie's Supergirl will feature The Brigands, ruthless space pirates and human traffickers, expected to be the film's main antagonists, adding to a growing list.
According to the outlet, actor Diarmaid Murtagh has been cast as Drom Baxton, the second-in-command of The Brigands, led by Krem of the Yellow Hills, the lead villain played by Matthias Schoenaerts (with a brand-new alien appearance).
Notably, this is the exact same villain team that appears in Tom King's Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic series, another strong indicator that this movie will closely adapt that story.
By lifting The Brigands directly from that storyline, the film appears to be embracing a faithful, comic-accurate approach. One of the biggest outliers is another villain, Jason Momoa's Lobo, who will not be part of this time, but solo marketing assures his presence will be felt.
Even though Supergirl is being positioned as a solo film, Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock) will still have a small team of her own, joined by Ruthye (Eve Ridley) and her super-dog, Krypto.
This continues a broader trend in the DCU, following Superman's introduction of the Justice Gang through characters like Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi). However, Supergirl's story (and its supporting cast) is far more focused and intimate, centered on an unlikely duo.
The new report only adds to the growing lore of the DCU, especially as multiple villainous teams are already being established and developed across just a handful of projects.
Other DCU Super Villain Teams
Lex Luthor, Engineer, Ultraman, Eve Teschmacher
For Superman, Gunn introduced a core villain ensemble led by Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor, with the Engineer (Maria Gabriela de Faria), Ultraman, and Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio) forming the film's supervillain team.
Over the course of the story, this team was gradually dismantled, with each member's fate setting up very different trajectories for the future of the DCU.
Luthor ultimately revealed himself as the mastermind behind the Boravia and Jarhanpur conflict, orchestrating events out of envy toward Superman before being publicly exposed and arrested.
The Engineer was defeated (not killed) in the final battle in Metropolis, while Ultraman, revealed to be a clone of Superman created by Luthor, was knocked into a black hole beneath the collapsing rift. Surely, that will never be addressed again.
Eve Teschmacher, meanwhile, was one of the film's greatest twists. Infatuated with Skyler Gisondo's Jimmy Olsen, she turned on Lex by leaking evidence of his crimes. After a brief imprisonment in his pocket universe, she was later released alongside his other captives, free to go on more dates with Jimmy.
Going forward, Lex could recruit the Engineer, though he has a long way to navigate his way out of Belle Reve.
Lex Luthor & Rick Flag Sr.
The most intriguing alliance in the DCU now belongs to Lex and Rick Flag Sr., with the bald super-villain officially teaming up with Frank Grillo's Flag Sr. in Peacemaker Season 2.
Following his arrest in Superman, Lex resurfaced in Episode 6 to form this partnership, which remained a central thread through the Season 2 finale and is widely expected to carry over into 2027's Man of Tomorrow.
This is especially notable given that it's already been revealed Superman and Lex will briefly join forces in that film to combat Brainiac, setting up a rare scenario where Luthor will be on both sides of the moral line at once.
Rick Flag Sr. completes this equation as the ideological counterweight to Lex. Introduced as a heroic figure in Creature Commandos, Flag Sr.'s grief over his son's death and his obsession with revenge against Peacemaker pushed him into full antagonist territory by the end of Peacemaker Season 2.
His cold dismissal of his own agents' deaths and his secretive behavior around the QUC alienated his allies, contributing to figures like Sasha Bordeaux (Sol Rodriguez) and Langston Fleury (Tim Meadows) forming Checkmate.
Where John Cena's Peacemaker winds up (Salvation) at the end of Season 2 may represent the greatest connection between Lex and Flag Sr. going forward.
Salvation becomes a prison for metahumans, as Flag Sr. believes traditional facilities like Arkham and Belle Reve can no longer contain super-strong metahumans. This partnership positions Lex as a key player in Flag's plan, potentially using his resources to orchestrate Superman's eventual imprisonment in Salvation.
