For years, DC comic book properties have provided inspiration for movies and television shows, but usually, the focus is on the hero. That's slowly shifting, as the best part of Gotham was the origin stories for its villains, and The Batman's Penguin is set to get his own HBO Max series.
There are a ton of rogues in DC comic books other than the Penguin, however, who would make for great leads in a TV show. Some villains have been anti-heroes, others have complicated origin stories, and some would just be fun to watch get the upper hand once in a while. Which characters could carry their own series?
Riddler
There have been many different versions of the Riddler brought to the screen. He's had a few different origin stories, and he's been a long-time Batman villain that's gone up against other heroes as well. The one thing that all versions have had in common is the fact that he's always the smartest criminal in the room, and his love for puzzles and riddles is epic.
It would be fascinating to see how he works instead of just how a hero works against him. Seeing the Riddler face off against another antagonist, trying to be the best, instead of being foiled by the caped crusader, could make for a compelling story for a series.
Lobo
Lobo isn't always a villain. Sometimes, he's even been a member of the Justice League. The character plays by his own set of rules, so he's not strictly a hero either, which is part of what makes him so much fun.
Lobo is from a distant planet, and he's a bounty hunter who works for the highest bidder. He has his own code, never betraying a client once a contract is in place. Seeing a bounty hunter series that doubles as a superhero story would be something different for the DC Extended Universe, and there would certainly be the potential for his path to cross with other characters in the DCEU who sought to block him.
Cheetah
Like Lobo, Cheetah isn't always a bad guy, and Wonder Woman 1984 did attempt to show how she's lured into a villainous role there. In the comics, she's had several origin stories, and she's often jealous of Wonder Woman.
Her more interesting stories, however, aren't when she's in her Cheetah guise, but when she's in her academic mode. Minerva was an archaeologist long before she was a supervillain, and a story about her research into the mystical side of the DCEU, or even in the Arrowverse, could make for a compelling character study.
Star Sapphire
There is already a Green Lantern television series on the way. It doesn't seem far-fetched to imagine a Star Sapphire companion series. Star Sapphire is the codename most often associated with Carol Ferris, but other characters have had the title in the comics.
The title is ed on to anyone who holds the special crystal that has the powers of the original Star Sapphire, the queen of an immortal race of beings. The character isn't a hero or a villain but takes on causes as they see fit, which can often put them at odds with the Green Lanterns. If the Green Lantern series is successful, a Carol Ferris spin-off could go in-depth into the mythology of the character.
Knightfall
Knightfall isn't a particularly well-known villain, and she hasn't appeared in a ton of comic book stories, which is actually why she'd be a great character to build a series around. There's a lot of room to play with a storyline that the audience doesn't already know. She's also got a pretty great mystery surrounding her.
Charise Carnes is from a wealthy family and loses her parents - not unlike Bruce Wayne. She, however, is framed for the murder of her parents by her own boyfriend as a teenager. She witnesses everything he does, and the experience changes her. Charise becomes a vigilante who brutally seeks revenge for what was done to her family, and she tries to get Batgirl on her side numerous times. In the comics, Batgirl has her sent to jail, but a series following her trying to get revenge for her family or prove her innocence would be a great one.
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is one of the most well-known comic book villains to date. Superman fans have seen his story play out numerous times, so a series on his rise to power might be a hard sell. Then again, Lex Luthor is also one of the most fun rogues in DC comics, and he always finds a way to frame himself as a hero.
A series in which the audience is invested enough in Lex seemingly being the good guy, right up until the very end, could make for a twisty drama.
Deathstroke
Animation has already given audiences different versions of Deathstroke, but so did Arrow and Titans. He was even teased for a larger role in the DCEU. He's a fan favorite villain who doesn't always mean to be a bad guy.
Deathstroke just happens to be really good at being a mercenary, and he crosses paths with a lot of heroes. Titans actually did a very good job at making the audience sympathize with him despite all of the bad things he does. He cares about his family, and that's where a show surrounding his character could root itself. How does a mercenary maintain familial relationships? Not well, in his case.
Captain Cold
The best-known screen versions of Captain Cold are in the Arrowverse. The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow both explored Leonard Snart, turning him into an antihero as he teamed up to save the world with other heroes and villains in Legends.
While the series makes it clear that he doesn't always need to be a villain, it's also a lot of fun to see Leonard Snart commanding a team of baddies, or see his particular skills in use in a heist situation. A heist series would actually be the best suited to this particular character.
Amanda Waller
Though Amanda Waller is the driving force behind The Suicide Squad, she hasn't appeared a lot in the DCEU. Both of her movie appearances show that she's feared by her employees, and also that everyone sees her as particularly heartless. Her job, however, is containment, and to make sure the world gets saved once in a while.
Even though she's not the one who is always in the field, a series following Amanda Waller leading a secret government team could be just as fun as The Suicide Squad. She doesn't have time for jokes or personal lives, and getting to see below the surface of her boss persona could serve to humanize her. Seeing how she rose to such a prominent position in the government could be a fascinating ride.
Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy is one of the most compelling and beloved DC villains to date. Though she began her time in the comics as a femme fatale, she's become an ecoterrorist in the modern day. She's also become one of the most stable love interests in Harley Quinn's life.
Many series have tried to give Poison Ivy her due. She's a main character in the Harley Quinn animated series, she recurred (with three different actresses in the role) in Gotham, and Batwoman recently expanded the mythology of the character. She never seems to get a long-term storyline, despite how much fan love there is for her, and her own television show as she tries to change the world could do just that.
