Ideally, Clark Kent would most likely want to alternate between protecting information in Metropolis and saying candy nothings to Lois Lane all day. Nevertheless it’s arduous to choreograph destiny, so the Kryptonian is commonly compelled to change into his Man of Metal persona to punch the quite a few villains that hold popping up in his life. As one of many strongest superheroes who’ve ever lived, Superman tends to make gentle work of most evildoers, however a couple of scoundrels have pushed him to the restrict.
Superman
- Launch Date
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July 11, 2025
- Runtime
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130 Minutes
- Director
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James Gunn
- Producers
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Lars P. Winther, Peter Safran
Ever since Superman made his characteristic movie debut in Superman and the Mole Males, starring George Reeves, he’s hardly ever had a break day. Most of his biggest foes have appeared in live-action films, whereas a couple of formidable ones have additionally popped up in DC’s ever-entertaining animated productions. Regardless of the medium, followers appreciated how these antagonists gave our favourite hero a tough time. However it doesn’t matter what occurs, there’s all the time one assure: Superman will return (even when it is with a CGI chin).
These are arguably the hardest villains the Kryptonian has ever confronted on movie.
10
Faora-Ul
‘Man of Metal’ (2013)
In Man of Steel, Common Zod has wild aspirations to destroy mankind and repopulate Earth with Krypton’s survivors by way of a ‘terraformation apocalypse’. He is likely to be delusional, however the odds are in his favor as a result of he has one of the crucial loyal film lackeys, Faora-Ul, by his aspect. She is the second-in-command of the Sword of Rao (a revolutionary motion based by Zod to overthrow and change the Kryptonian Regulation Council).
No Mercy on Mr. Kent
Below Earth’s yellow solar, Faora positive aspects superhuman power, warmth imaginative and prescient, tremendous velocity, flight, and enhanced senses. She thus reveals Mr. Kent what she is product of through the Smallville battle by hurling him into objects and throughout a number of miles. Faora additionally destroys a number of fighter jets and obliterates navy personnel. All through their fights, Clark struggles to even land blows. He solely catches a break after a missile destroys her breather, exposing her to the Earth’s ambiance.
9
Nuclear Man
‘Superman IV: The Quest for Peace’ (1987)
Superman IV is extensively thought to be the weakest of the Christopher Reeve films, but it surely has a robust environmental message and a good villain. In it, Superman addresses the United Nations and declares his plan to rid the world of all nuclear arms, just for Lex Luthor to do the alternative by making a nuclear-powered villain ‘creatively’ named… umm… Nuclear Man.
Luthor’s Newest New Toy
Nuclear Man is a bodily match for Superman as a result of he was created from Superman’s DNA and, just like the Man of Metal, is fueled by photo voltaic power. As a result of he possesses a lot of Superman’s attributes, all contests with him change into one thing near the Battle of Stalingrad. Throughout their first encounter, the villain defeats the hero by slashing him throughout the again together with his poisonous claws, inflicting Superman to develop radiation illness. Regrettably, Nuclear Man has low figures within the IQ division, so he quickly falls.
‘Superman/Batman: Public Enemies’ (2009)
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies introduces us to President Luthor, who has one way or the other made the financial system thrive and satisfied a number of superheroes to work for him. He later arranges a peace assembly with Superman in Gotham Metropolis, just for him to unleash a employed Metallo towards the Man of Metal and Batman. Through the struggle, Metallo injures the 2 Justice League members earlier than an unknown assailant kills him.
Two Heroes? No Downside
Kryptonite-powered villains all the time power Superman to undertake a defensive technique, making him much less formidable. Such is the case with Luthor’s latest lap canine. As soon as an peculiar man named John Corben, Metallo was remodeled right into a cyborg and granted a Kryptonite-powered coronary heart, turning him right into a lethal strolling weapon. What’s extra spectacular is that Metallo manages to defeat two of the best DC superheroes without delay. Even after his demise, Metallo nonetheless haunts Superman mentally. The scuttlebutt round city is that the Kryptonian murdered him, so the general public begins seeing him otherwise.
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7
Manchester Black
‘Superman vs. The Elite’ (2012)
Superman’s large check in Superman vs. The Elite comes within the type of The Elite, a gaggle of vigilantes preferring an all-means-necessary method whereas coping with criminals. Their chief, Manchester Black, a British-born telepath and telekinetic, quickly grows fashionable among the many public due to his violent strategies, leaving the Man of Metal with vital selections to make.
A Hero in His Personal Thoughts
Telekinesis is Manchester Black’s major energy, and he makes good use of it, even bringing the Man of Metal to his knees at one level. His mixture of amorality and particular expertise proves lethal, and so is his expertise (he was as soon as an MI6 agent). “Apologies upfront for the graphic nature of what you are about to see. A few of us had it tough within the origins division,” Black says at one level within the film. Superman ultimately defeats him and his group, however not earlier than pushing himself tougher than he usually does.
6
Evil Superman
‘Superman III’ (2007)
In Superman III, Webscoe’s CEO, Ross Webster, orders a pc programmer to synthesize Kryptonite. Superman will get corrupted when he’s uncovered to it and commits foolish acts of vandalism like straightening the Leaning Tower of Pisa and blowing out the Olympic Flame. Later, he suffers a nervous breakdown and splits into two beings: Evil Superman and Clark Kent, paving the best way for a struggle.
Superman Vs Superman
Evil Superman is solely Homelander, with out company backing and weaker superheroes to bully. He does loads of juvenile issues that Superman would by no means do, together with relationship the manipulative Lorelei and consuming like a sailor from the previous days. His acts tarnish Superman’s status, plunging the Man of Metal right into a PR nightmare. Evil Superman proves tough to defeat as a result of he’s a illustration of Clark’s conscience, working the identical method as him, solely with extra malice. He’s in the end defeated in a scrapyard struggle, however we want he’d have caught round longer.
5
Brainiac
‘Superman: Unbound’ (2013)
It’s a disgrace that Brainiac has largely been ignored in Superman reside motion films, contemplating how good he has been in animation. In Superman: Unbound, the Man of Metal groups up with Supergirl to go after the Coluan scientist, who has been destroying planets and stealing main cities.
Tremendous Thoughts
As he says it himself within the film, Brainiac is the information and power of 10,000 worlds. After subjecting himself to cybernetic enhancements, he’s extra of an AI-powered robotic, full of data that permits him to maneuver in any scenario. In battle, Brainiac overpowers Superman a couple of instances and virtually kills him utilizing an power blast. Mentally, the villain tortures Superman by overloading his thoughts with information, virtually inflicting him to go insane. It’s all stunning to see, till Superman forces him out of the factitious environmental bubble he created for himself.
4
Darkseid
‘Superman/Batman: Apocalypse’ (2010)
The crux of the motion in Superman/Batman: Apocalypes is Darkseid’s plan to abduct and brainwash Clark Kent’s cousin, Kara Zor-El, into main his Feminine Furies. Members of the Justice League, together with Marvel Lady and Batman, thus attempt to cease him, however Darkseid’s struggle with Superman proves to be the main spotlight.
Nuisance from Outer Area
Darkseid not solely proves robust, but in addition cussed. He retains his promise of kidnapping Kara and making her work for him. Even when the Justice League members rescue her, he doesn’t quit. He later reveals up in Smallville and assaults Superman in a scene that has grow to be the stuff of legend. The second the place he grabs Superman’s cape has been meme’d 1000’s of instances through the years. He ultimately loses, however not earlier than inflicting Superman to crash out.
3
Common Zod
‘Superman II’ (1980) and ‘Man of Metal’ (2013)
Within the ‘80s, Zod and his lackeys invade Earth, demanding that humanity kneels earlier than him. Within the 2010s, he’s depicted as a fancy navy chief keen to make sure Krypton’s survival. After his planet’s destruction, he seeks to terraform Earth into the brand new Krypton, an concept that causes him to conflict with Clark.
The Despicable Kryptonian
In each films, Zod forces Superman to use himself greater than typical to guard Earth. In Superman II, the Man of Metal has a much bigger drawback. He has simply given up his powers, exposing himself to purple Kryptonian daylight in order that he can reside a traditional life with Lois. In Man of Metal, Zod pushes Clark to the restrict a lot that the hero snaps and murders the villain, breaking a “No-Kill” rule that he has held for many years.
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2
Doomsday
‘Batman Vs. Superman: Daybreak of Justice’ (2016)
Batman Vs. Superman sees Lex Luthor try to destroy Superman by engineering a feud between him and Batman. When this fails, he unleashes Doomsday, a monster he genetically engineered utilizing the Genesis Chamber from the corpse of Common Zod. Sadly, Superman dies whereas preventing the creature.
Too Highly effective… Too Viscous
He is likely to be nothing however an instrument, however Doomsday deserves to be lauded as the one live-action villain who managed to kill Superman. The Kryptonian by no means minds some help, however the bullets and missiles fired by the American navy solely make Doomsday stronger as an alternative of killing him. Even with the help of Batman and Marvel Lady, Superman nonetheless struggles to get the higher of Doomsday. The creature manages to impale the Kryptonian by piercing his chest with the bone protrusion on his arm. On the finish of their iconic battle, each find yourself useless.
1
Lex Luthor
Varied Films
As Superman’s biggest enemy, arguably the best DC villain, Luthor has appeared in quite a few films, and in every of them, he has a significant ache within the Kryptonian’s tooth. Despite the fact that he isn’t a bodily menace, he’s all the time scheming, utilizing varied different villains to deliver the Man of Metal down.
Superman’s Greatest Migraine
Superman films typically really feel incomplete if Lex Luthor is not in them. He’s to Clark what the Joker is to Bruce Wayne, and each time he reveals up, he all the time has a mega plan that pushes Superman to the sting. Whether or not he’s seeking to body Superman or destroy America, you may anticipate Lex Luthor’s thoughts to start bizarre, however well-thought-out concepts. It helps that he’s typically portrayed by wonderful actors, too. From Gene Hackman to Kevin Spacey and Nicholas Hoult, each Lex Luthor has been nice.