10 DC Characters That Deserve a Movie More than Batman

We love Batman. The Dark Knight is not only one of the greatest DC Comics characters ever created, but he is also possibly one of the crowning achievements of the comic book medium. But let's face facts, folks. there have been a ton of Batman movies. There's another one on the way right now from director Matt Reeves, and the comic book movie market is becoming a little... bat-saturated.

Right now, there are a ton of DC Comics characters that deserve a movie outing more than the Bat, solely because he's already had so much screen time already. So put down those Batarangs and pull back your cowls, here are our suggestions for 10 DC Characters That Deserve a Movie More than Batman.

10. Black Adam

The first entry on this list deserves a movie not just because he's cool, but because DC's been promising him one for years. As you probably already know, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has been in talks to play the Shazam villain for a number of years. The progression of this film will probably depend on how well Shazam! does at the box office, but even a ticket-selling smash hit might not guarantee this film. After all, if Shazam! wins audiences over with its light-hearted, comedic tone, will DC follow up with a necessarily dark origin story about his greatest foe? That's up to the movie gods to decide, but we sincerely hope the answer is "yes."

9. Zatanna

Marvel has tentatively explored the world of magic in Dr. Strange, but they've mostly stuck to sci-fi adventure tales. DC, however, is embracing magic more and more each movie, and a Zatanna movie could officially corner that market for them. Fans love Zatanna's mystic powers and adventures, and the character's versatility gives her a lot of cinematic potential. If DC wanted to go with a dark, sinister magical mystery, Zatanna's their girl. But if they wanted to make their magic light and fun, à la early Harry Potter movies, her character would work there too. Either way, the greatest magic user in the DC Universe deserves a shot at the big screen, and her fans would make the studio's investment worthwhile.

8. Martian Manhunter

If Aquaman proved anything about comic book movies, it's that you can throw audiences into deep history and mythology but still make an interesting movie. That is, as long as you have an interesting main character to follow. Martian Manhunter could be a perfect example of this in the DCEU. His character's past is steeped in the history of an alien world, but he's still got relatable, human characteristics that familiarize him with an audience. And if opening that corner of the DCU on screen isn't already exciting enough, consider this. Martian Manhunter is DC Comics' chance to cast Doug Jones in a role. If you're a fan of practical effects, as so many are, just the image of today's Lon Chaney as J'onn J'onzz would be worth a ticket price.

7. Batgirl

There other characters in Gotham who deserve their own movie, and Barbara Gordon is definitely one of them. Whether she interacts with the Caped Crusader or not, Batgirl is one of the most endearing characters DC has to offer. She’s survived trauma and heartbreak, horror and loss. But at the end of the day, she still faces off against evil full of hope and rebellion. Titans did a great job of giving us a Robin who could step out of the shadow of the Bat and make his own adventures. Isn’t it about time the same is true of Batgirl?

6. The Demon Etrigan

Jason Blood, The Host Of The Demon Etrigan, leaping through the air in DC Comics.

Hellboy is about to remind moviegoers worldwide that just because you’re a demon doesn’t mean you're a bad guy. Well, DC has the chance to tell a story like that of their own, packaged in the dual identity of Jason Blood and Etrigan the Demon. The two have a kind of Jekyll/Hyde relationship going on, and though they both end up fighting for the good guys, they’ve got plenty of clashing moralities to keep up a great cinematic drama. Plus, just like Martian Manhunter, Etrigan could feature some awesome monster-movie prosthetics and make-up. Conjuring this demon could earn DC a visual effects award without the use of a computer.

5. Hawkgirl

There is so much history when it comes to DC’s hawk characters that it might be difficult choosing just where the cinematic entry point will be. If that’s a problem the DCEU should ever face, we offer up Hawkgirl as a solution. Hawkgirl could be to the DCEU what Captain Marvel is to the MCU. She’s a soldier of one world who must become the savior of another. With this complex yet intriguing depiction of what it means to be a hero, a Hawkgirl film could open up a mythology unlike any ever seen in a comic book film. And if you don’t think those wings will sell Halloween costumes, you are just plain wrong.

4. Lobo

Ever since Deadpool came out in 2016, comic book fans have been wondering how Warner Bros. will counter the vulgar, anti-heroic take on the superhero film. More often than not, the suggestion they’ve put forward is Lobo. Lobo is just about as antagonistic as a protagonist can get. He approaches problems selfishly and with a dark sense of humor, making him the type of Rick Sanchez character some audiences crave. And DC knows this. In fact, there’s already a Lobo script on the way, perhaps they’re just waiting for the right cinematic moment to really pursue the project. And with a violent Deadpool franchise on its way out of theaters, we’d argue that that moment is upon us.

3. Katana

Before you protest, let’s address a fact. Yes, Katana has already been on the big screen. But that was for a total of, what, four minutes? Anyone who’s a fan of the character knows that Suicide Squad simply didn’t do this character justice, and that she absolutely deserves more time on screen. I mean, this person has a sword that captures souls! How do you not make a movie about that??

2. Static

During the Golden Age of DC Animation, one TV show stood out as a truly original, outrageously fun superhero adventure. Of course, I’m talking about Static Shock. A lesser known character from the comics, Static made a deep mark on DC history with his animated show, and the same would be true of a Static movie. Not only would the film bring in audiences hungry for new superhero content, but it would also bring in old fans that grew up with the show. Fans who still remember it as a hopeful, positive story about power and responsibility. And if you haven’t been paying attention to comic movies lately, those stories tend to do well.

1. Poison Ivy

Hear us out on this last one. The age of supervillain movies starts this year, with Todd Phillips’s Joker sure to shake up how we do comic book movies. If that movie is successful (which we’re guessing it will be), both Marvel and DC need to prepare for a new age of villain-as-protagonist films. Enter the extraordinarily versatile Poison Ivy. She makes a very adaptable character because you can make her as comic-booky or realistic as you like. If you want her to have her plant-based powers from the comics, you can. If you want her to be a powerless bioterrorist, you can go that way too. But what would really make her such an awesome protagonist are her convictions.

Ivy sees a unique type of injustice in the world. Namely, how mankind is treating Mother Earth. She looks at pollution and destruction as an overall end to the world. And though she may to reprehensible things to stop it, there’s no denying that she does them with a sense of nobility. In other words, she believes in sacrifices human life to save life as a whole. Sound familiar?

Which DC Comics characters do you think deserve a movie before another Batman? Are they already on DC’s long list of in-production films? Let us know in the comments section below!