Summary

  • Darkseid was initially expected as DC's answer to Thanos.
  • Another DC character is set to appear in three 2024 TV series and a future solo series, making them DC's recurring villain.
  • The DC villain's complexity and ability to control other characters makes them the perfect villain for team projects.

With new releases, future DC movies and series could use an overarching villain like Thanos.

DC even has the perfect character to do so, as Darkseid could seamlessly fit that role. The villain only appeared in the DCEU in Zack Snyder's Justice League, barely having a presence in live-action DC adaptations over the years. Given the character's similarities to Thanos, which are no surprise, as Thanos was clearly inspired by Darkseid in part, it would make sense for him to be DC's answer to Thanos for the DCU's slate of projects and other adaptations. However, 2024 has cemented with multiple projects, and future ones to come, that DC's answer to Thanos is another character.

Related
Every DCEU Movie Ranked From Worst To Best

The DCEU is almost complete after 15 movies, but how does Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom compare to the likes of Justice League and The Flash?

Amanda Waller Is Part Of 3 Major 2024 DC Shows With More Incoming

Waller Has A Big Year Ahead

While Darkseid is the DC villain most similar to Marvel's Thanos, it is actually Amanda Waller who is taking the role of DC's recurring villains across different adaptations. After Viola Davis gave life to the character in the DCEU, Amanda Waller is set to have a major 2024, as the character will appear in three different TV series, including Davis' return to the role in the new DC Universe. Waller will appear in three animated shows this year, with the character being the main Earth-based villain in My Adventures with Superman.

Amanda Waller also appears in a project for the team she is most commonly associated with. Waller is part of DC's Suicide Squad ISEKAI, which puts an anime spin on classic DC characters like Harley Quinn, the Joker, and more. My Adventures with Superman and Suicide Squad ISEKAI are currently airing new episodes weekly. Viola Davis will then reprise her DCEU role in the new DCU's first project, playing Waller in Creature Commandos. The TV-MA animated series will see Amanda Waller form a new kind of team, with the character set to appear in future projects.

Related
Creature Commandos Cast & DC Character Guide

Creature Commandos will kick off James Gunn's new DC Universe with an animated TV series including some of the weirdest DC Comics characters.

Why Amanda Waller Is Appearing So Often As A DC Show Villain

The Character Is Complex

One of the biggest reasons Waller keeps coming back as a villain in DC shows is the fact that she sees herself as the hero of her own story. Much like Thanos did in the MCU, Waller does not think twice about who she will have to kill or what she will destroy to keep the world stable. The character is also the perfect villain to be used in team projects, as Waller's long history as the head of the Suicide Squad and multiple DC organizations cements her ability to control other characters.

That gives Waller the ability to be a villain to the entire DC universe, not just a chosen group of characters. In fact, DC Comics is finally fulfilling that potential, as the "Absolute Power" comic book event follows Amanda Waller as she takes the power from DC's heroes and puts humanity in control. Waller's multiple teams and her dynamics with superheroes should be followed in the DCU, as Davis will return as the character in Creature Commandos to show just how much Waller can do as a franchise-wide presence.

Related
10 Unannounced DC Heroes We Want To See In The DCU's Chapter One

James Gunn revealed that more than half of the DCU Chapter One projects have yet to be announced, and there are some major heroes who need to appear.

1

Amanda Waller's Biggest DC Role Hasn't Happened Yet

Waller Will Play A Major DCU Role

Besides her three TV show appearances in 2024, Waller could have a fourth project enter production this year. Viola Davis will get to lead her own solo series in the DCU after debuting a new version of her character in Creature Commandos. Davis is the lead of Waller, an DCU series that will have ties to Peacemaker. Davis appeared as Waller in season 1 of Peacemaker, and characters from that show are confirmed to appear in Waller.

Waller is being developed by Christal Henry (Watchmen) and Jeremy Carver (Supernatural). With a talented team behind the scenes and Davis back as Amanda Waller, Waller has everything it needs to leave a mark in the DCU. With Waller appearing in the new universe's first project and getting a solo series, the character seems to be heading for a major role in the DCU. After a big 2024 with three TV series appearances, Waller's future could be even busier for the character, with her overarching role across different projects cementing her as DC's answer to Thanos in movies and series.

  • Viola Davis' Amanda Waller proposing the titular team in Suicide Squad
    Waller (DCU)
    Writers
    Jeremy Carver, Christal Henry
    Franchise(s)
    DC Universe

    Seasons
    1
  • My Adventures with Superman TV Series Poster

    Your Rating

    My Adventures With Superman
    Release Date
    July 6, 2023
    Network
    Adult Swim
    Showrunner
    Jake Wyatt

    WHERE TO WATCH

    Streaming

    My Adventures with Superman is an animated action-adventure superhero series that follows the Man of Steel in an all-new origin story. Focusing on the light-hearted side of DC's hero, the series follows Clark Kent's journey of self-discovery of what it means to be a hero while trying to blend in with society. With his best friend and his crush, Lois Lane, the trio will strike out to cover the most significant stories - all while trying to keep the city of Metropolis safe from giant robots and super-powered villains.

    Seasons
    2
  • 03200941_poster_w780.jpg

    Your Rating

    Suicide Squad Isekai
    TV-MA
    Animation
    Action & Adventure
    Sci-Fi & Fantasy
    Release Date
    June 27, 2024
    Network
    Hulu, Max
    Directors
    Kyohei Suzuki, Shigeki Awai
    • Cast Placeholder Image
      Anna Nagase
      Harley Quinn (voice)
    • Cast Placeholder Image
      Reigo Yamaguchi
      Deadshot (voice)
    • Cast Placeholder Image
      Takehito Koyasu
      Peacemaker (voice)
    • Cast Placeholder Image
      Jun Fukuyama
      Clayface (voice)

    WHERE TO WATCH

    Streaming

    Suicide Squad Isekai transports notorious criminals Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Peacemaker, Clayface, and King Shark from Gotham City to an otherworldly realm under Amanda Waller's directive. Tasked with a mission in this world of magic and mythical creatures, they must navigate challenges among rampaging orcs and soaring dragons.

    Seasons
    1