DCEU writer Jason Fuchs has confirmed there were once plans to bring Darkseid's son to the screen. The DCEU, which began with Man of Steel, concluded in 2023 with the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Throughout the DCEU's 15 films, which Zack Snyder often had a hand in, one prevailing villain was Justice League's big bad, Darkseid, but one version of Wonder Woman may have included another member of the villain's family.
Similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the SnyderVerse began its on-screen DC universe by introducing each of the major Justice League heroes in solo films, including one for Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman in 2017. Fuchs, who most recently wrote on IT: Welcome to Derry, was a co-writer on Wonder Woman alongside Zack Snyder and Allan Heinberg. While the movie's major villain was David Thewlis' Ares, the screenwriter revealed there were once plans to introduce Darkseid's son, Kalibak, in the 2017 DCEU movie.
Fuchs told Josh Horowitz on Happy Sad Confused that a "post-credits sequence included Kalibak" which was a "deep-cut DC character" whom the writer was a fan of. Ultimately, this version of the script was not pursued, and Wonder Woman ended up debuting without a post-credits scene.
Jason Fuchs: "There was also a version of that script that ended with a post-credits sequence that included Kalibak, a great deep-cut DC canon character that I always liked."
Kalibak is known in DC comics as the son of Darkseid, and another alien from the hellish planet Apokolips. As a denizen of Apokolips, Kalibak possesses inhuman abilities, including immortality, superhuman strength, and enhanced speed. He is sometimes known for wielding an Apokoliptian Scythe or the Beta Club.
Kalibak is typically very loyal to his father and an enemy of the heroes on Earth, including the Justice League. In Darkseid War, he joined his father in battle on Earth. However, when the Anti-Monitor killed Darkseid, Kalibak led the other Apokoliptians in a revenge mission against the humans on Earth, seeking retribution for his father's death.
Kalibak is seen sparingly in DC Comics, but it seemed like he might've once had a greater future in the DCEU if Fuchs' original plans had made it through.
What Would Kalibak Have Added to The DCEU?
Ultimately, Kalibak never appeared on-screen in the DCEU, but his presence might've made sense given Darkseid's overarching villainous role in the cinematic franchise.
Darkseid's lieutenant, Steppenwolf, was the major antagonist of Justice League, which underwent creative changes after Zack Snyder stepped away as director and Joss Whedon took over. However, in Zack Snyder's Justice League, Darkseid is a much more prevalent antagonist, which may suggest why Kalibak's introduction was entertained for Wonder Woman, as it might have once been Snyder's plan to build up to Darkseid's reveal in Justice League, by introducing his son.
Leaning into Darkseid as the major villain of the SnyderVerse, just as Thanos is to the MCU's Infinity Saga, would have opened up more doors for characters like Kalibak to be involved, particularly if the cinematic universe were to dig further into the villain's origins, focusing on his family and life on Apokolips.
Ultimately, however, Kalibak remained a character only at the idea stage. That said, nothing is stopping him from being adapted in the new DCU.
