Superman's Least Popular Movie Villain Is Already In The DCU & You've Already Seen Him On-Screen According To Wild DC Film Theory

One of Superman‘s multiple antagonists could be an infamous DC movie villain who hasn’t appeared in live-action in thirty-eight years. With high expectations from both die-hard fans and general audiences, and with veteran superhero writer and director James Gunn at the helm, Superman is poised to deliver plenty of surprises. Many of these are likely tied to Superman‘s star-studded ensemble, which will introduce several important DCU figures.

Superman is packed with characters, both known and virtually unrecognizable. The Justice Gang is composed of four famous superheroes who hadn’t had the chance to shine on the big screen, and Superman features at least six antagonists: Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor, Maria Gabriela de Faría’s the Engineer, Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr., the Hammer of Boravia, Ultraman, and a kaiju. Of these antagonists, Ultraman and the Hammer of Boravia are surrounded by mystery, as their comic book inspirations are vague.

Ultraman Might Be A New Version Of Superman IV’s Nuclear Man

Ultraman Might Be A Different Superman Knockoff Than His Comic Book Namesake

Ultraman is named after Superman’s alternate-universe counterpart from Earth-3, leader of the Crime Syndicate. Since the DCU follows the DCEU’s brief exploration of the multiverse in The Flash, the DCU’s Gods and Monsters chapter is unlikely to venture into multiversal characters and concepts so soon. Hence, Ultraman could be a clone of Superman created by Lex Luthor, or another Superman villain in disguise. But rather than classic Man of Steel enemies like Bizarro, Doomsday, or Cyborg Superman, James Gunn’s Superman could deliver a shocking twist with the reveal that Ultraman is the DCU’s version of Superman IV: The Quest for Peace‘s Nuclear Man.

Nuclear Man made his only comic book cameo in 2018’s Superman Vol 5 #2.

Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor seems interested in genetic experimentation, as suggested by Metamorpho’s capture in the Superman trailers. Superman‘s giant fire-breathing kaiju, the Engineer’s technologically-enhanced body, and Ultraman’s immense power may all be the result of Luthor’s experiments. If true, then Ultraman could be an artificially-designed Superman clone and henchman of Luthor’s. This is basically the same description as Nuclear Man, who was genetically created by Lex Luthor from Superman’s DNA, specifically to serve as Luthor’s minion in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.

James Gunn’s Superman Trailers May Have Teased Nuclear Man’s Weakness Change

Ultraman’s Fully Masked Appearance May Have An In-Universe Purpose

In Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Nuclear Man also gains Kryptonian-like powers from sunlight, but he needs to be exposed to the sun at all times, otherwise he pᴀsses out. To defeat the villain, Christopher Reeve’s Superman flies into space and pushes the moon between the Earth and the Sun to create an artificial eclipse and temporarily deplete Nuclear Man’s power. He then throws Nuclear Man into a reactor, turning Nuclear Man into a living battery. Ultraman’s body and face are fully covered in James Gunn’s Superman. Instead of gaining power from it, the DCU’s Nuclear Man might lose his powers when exposed to sunlight.

The Superman trailers put special emphasis on the healing effect the sun’s radiation has on the Man of Steel, as the Fortress of Solitude’s service robots rush to expose Superman to sunlight when he arrives in delicate condition. Besides making it clear that David Corenswet’s Superman possesses the same abilities and weaknesses as his DC Comics counterpart, this scene might set up the moment where Ultraman’s suit and mask are broken and his artificially-designed body is exposed to the sun, weakening him.

Superman Adapting Nuclear Man Would Be The Best Display Of Skill For James Gunn’s DCU

Nuclear Man’s DCU Reimagining Would Prove James Gunn’s Franchise Can Tackle Any Character

Superman‘s reimagining of Superman IV: The Quest for Peace‘s Nuclear Man could be the perfect way to prove James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU can successfully reinvent even the most divisive or obscure characters. After all, Superman is the DCU’s first live-action movie installment, and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is one of the worst-received superhero movies to date. Introducing a modern version of the widely unpopular Nuclear Man would earn the DCU the credibility to experiment with other bold concepts and forgotten figures, both in future Superman sequels and across the broader DC Universe.