It’s no secret that Superman is one of the most iconic heroes in the world, and his villains have grown to be almost as well-known as he is himself. Superman is widely credited with revolutionising the superhero genre, with his stories considered trailblazers that paved the way for other early comic book heroes. Over the years, he has been adapted many times onto the big screen, with many live-action Superman actors employed to bring him to life. While the hero himself his hugely iconic, his stories wouldn’t be complete without his villains, who oppose the Man of Tomorrow and usually have sinister plans for the Earth and its population, which the hero has sworn to protect.
Though there are major Superman villains missing from the movies, the hero’s cinematic tenure has seen a handful of adversaries appear on the big screen. Unfortunately, his live-action rogues’ gallery hasn’t been anywhere near as varied as it could have been, with many Superman movies instead choosing to retread old ground. To that end, choosing four villains to appear on a metaphorical Mount Rushmore of Superman’s movie foes isn’t easy.
4) General Zod ( Michael Shannon)
The DCEU featured some underrated DC movie villains, but General Zod is one of the few that gets the love he deserves. Played by Michael Shannon in 2013’s Man of Steel, Zod is the first true test of Clark Kent’s role as Earth’s protector. The Kryptonian general’s arrival is one that sees Superman better understand his heritage, also forcing him to choose between preserving his people’s past or protecting his adoptive home.
Michael Shannon’s Zod is excellent. He’s threatening yet compelling, and his motivations are understandable, even if his methods are abhorrent. He’s a perfect contrast to Henry Cavill’s Superman, and makes for a perfectly gritty sci-fi villain for the first movie of Zack Snyder’s DCEU. From Zod’s design to Shannon’s performance, Man of Steel‘s villain deserves a coveted spot on Superman’s movie villain Mount Rushmore.
3) Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult)
Many actors have played Lex Luthor in live-action, and, as Superman’s most iconic nemesis, the character has featured alongside almost every incarnation of the hero on the big and small screen. The latest actor to step into Luthor’s shoes is Nicholas Hoult, who was cast as the villain for the 2025 DCU movie Superman. Playing a character so important to the DC mythos is no easy task, but Hoult carried it off well.
Hoult’s Luthor is obsessive and manipulative, and isn’t above abusing his power to get his own way. His hatred and mistrust of Superman is as deep-seated as his villainous methods, making him a perfect counterpoint to the DCU’s Man of Steel. Though it’s too early in his tenure to name Hoult the best Lex Luthor actor, his inaugural performance was impressive enough to earn him a spot on Superman’s Mount Rushmore of movie villains.
2) Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman)
Every live-action version of Superman has fought DC villains, but Lex Luthor is never too far from the action. There is perhaps no actor who comes to mind quicker than Gene Hackman when thinking of Lex Luthor, as his four-film tenure in the role makes him one of the most prolific Luthor performers. First appearing in 1976’s Superman: The Movie, Hackman’s Luthor effectively defined the character for an entire generation and established him as one of the most memorable superhero movie villains.
Though later Superman movies ruined the character, nothing can detract from Hackman’s performance as Lex Luthor. He’s almost gleeful in his repeated schemes to torment Superman, and wholly embraces his role as a villain in his pursuit of money and power. Hackman’s version of Luthor is a relatively simple one, but it helped lay the foundation for the modern superhero genre and deserves a perennial place on the list of Superman’s best-ever movie villains.
1) General Zod (Terence Stamp)
General Zod is one of Superman’s best villains, which is perhaps why the movies like to adapt him almost as much as they do Lex Luthor. Superman II saw Terence Stamp brought in to play the evil Kryptonian, and his turn in the role remains a classic superhero movie performance. Though his design hasn’t aged particularly well, Stamp’s performance has, and his version of Zod is still one of the best movie villains faced by Superman.
Stamp’s sinister, otherworldly delivery of his lines is laced with menace, and his disdain for humanity is evident in his every movement and decision. The villain is brilliantly written and even better brought to life by Stamp, whose turn as Zod deserves to be remembered as one of the best in the history of superhero cinema. As such, he’s another villain whose place on Superman’s Mount Rushmore of movie villains is simply beyond question.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!