Villains Should Take the Lead in DC & Sony's Superhero Movie-verses

Superman. Captain America. Wonder Woman. Spider-Man. The Marvel and DC universes are full of admirable heroes that are meant to inspire fans. Their adventures remind us that it's important to be brave and proudly stand up for what is right. Many of these iconic characters have their own movies, and there are plans for so many more popular heroes to appear on the big screen -- but there's a change on the horizon... villains are poised to take the lead in at least two cinematic universes.

Warner Bros. has a bright future in mind for the heroes of the DC Extended Universe. Fans will be treated to Aquaman, Shazam! and Wonder Woman 1984 over the next couple years. The Scarlet Speedster and the Dark Knight are also getting their own movies (eventually), but the studio has ambitious plans for its evildoers. Warner Bros. has multiple projects in the works to highlight Joker and Harley Quinn, as well as plans for Black Adam, Deathstroke, Lobo and, of course, Amanda Waller's Suicide Squad. Lex Luthor told Deathstroke in Justice League that they have to "level the playing field," and it looks like that's exactly what Warner Bros. is going for while also highlighting its big heroes.

Over at Sony, the studio is creating an all-ages animated universe packed with potential for its wall-crawling heroes, but the studio's live-action universe is heading in a different direction. Sony's Venom-verse aims to put several of its Marvel villains front and center. Sony reportedly has plans for two of Spider-Man's classic foes: Kraven the Hunter and Mysterio. Characters who have tip-toed the line between anti-hero and villain are also stepping into the spotlight: Black Cat, Silver Sable, Morbius and Venom.

Unlike Warner Bros. and Sony, Marvel Studios has not announced any plans to give its villains their own movies (Thanos' turn in Avengers: Infinity War and its untitled sequel aside, that is), but the studio is clearly making its bad guys more captivating. Black Panther's Killmonger is widely praised as being not only one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most compelling foes, but also one of the best villains from any comic book movie. And after a decade of waiting, Thanos finally took the lead in Infinity War, and many fans believe the Mad Titan is a fascinating and persuasive antagonist.

Heroes give fans an ideal to strive towards, but the saying "a hero is only as good as their villain" exists for a reason. Antagonists can also teach fans valuable lessons, and a fan doesn't need to root for a bad guy to feel emotionally invested in the story. Some of these rogues reveal what could have happened to heroes if they took even a single step in the wrong direction, setting an unstoppable downward spiral in motion - after all, it was Joker who tried to prove that one bad day could reduce even the sanest man alive to lunacy. Bad guys have the potential to bring up debatable topics (e.g. Thanos' view on overpopulation and distribution of resources). Maybe the villain's way of getting their message across is clearly wrong, but do they have a valid point?

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Not all movies need a thought-provoking theme, though. Sometimes, a movie can simply serve as fun escapism if handled properly - and in the case of a villain taking the lead, it's twisted fun. For example, look at Gareth Evans' The Raid. The martial arts movie doesn't have an exceptional plot and it doesn't spend that much time focusing on its characters. Despite this, it's (deservedly) praised as one of the best action movies of all-time. This is because it fully embraces its biggest strength: unleashing jaw-dropping fight sequences with engaging cinematography. It gives the audience exactly what it wants from that kind of a movie (thrills), and this is exactly why a Deathstroke movie could be met positively by both fans and critics if handled well, especially since Evans may one day direct it. It could be a great dose of popcorn entertainment, just like a Harley Quinn-led movie (which could offer more comedy and heart), a Kraven movie (which could be all about the thrill of the hunt), or an action-packed Suicide Squad movie. Sometimes, a great dose of popcorn entertainment can go a long way - not every movie needs to be Citizen Kane.

As long as studios make it clear that these characters aren't ones that fans should emulate (which really should be a no-brainer), good stories about villains can offer refreshing cinematic experiences that are different from the "usual" superhero stories. These stories don't have to "play it safe." The characters can completely subvert expectations because they don't have the same restrictions. If done properly, a movie focusing on a villain has the potential to almost feel like a monster movie. Monsters can be totally engrossing. Audiences may not technically root for the horrifying and murderous creatures, but they want to experience thrills by seeing the creatures unleashed - it can be just as exciting as it is terrifying.

In the right hands, a Joker movie could be shocking and thrilling as it brings viewers into Gotham's criminal underworld. A Kraven movie could be gripping and focus on the dangers of obsession. A Morbius movie could be spine-chilling, and a Harley Quinn movie could be a total blast. While these movies may not inspire us to become better people like a Wonder Woman or Captain America film could, they can still include relatable themes and remind us just how easily emotions like hatred, jealousy, and greed can take over and lead to terrible, life-changing decisions.

The world could always use more heroes, but every now and then, it can be exciting to spend a little more time with the bad guys. If Warner Bros. and Sony focuses on building entertaining and interesting antagonists instead of simply trying to cash in on something that Marvel Studios isn't doing yet, then by all means, bring on the bad guys.

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