James Gunn asked fans who Dave Bautista should play in the DCU and the most common choice is a forgotten Superman villain

James Gunn asked fans who Dave Bautista should play in the DCU and the most common choice is a forgotten Superman villain

James Gunn has asked fans who Marvel star Dave Bautista should play in the DCU – and the answers are pretty solid.

“Love @davebaustista,” Gunn wrote on Threads. “Who would you like to see Dave play in the DCU?”

One of the most common responses was Mongul, a Superman villain who made his first appearance back in 1980 in issue no. 27 of DC Comics Presents. “Everyone is saying Hugo Strange but I think due to Dave’s time in the WWE, he should play the most intimidating showman… Mongul,” one fan wrote. The interstellar conqueror has made several animated appearances, including Justice League Unlimited, Young Justice, and Superman: The Man of Steel, but has yet to hit the big screen.

Another common suggestion was Batman villain Hugo Strange, who BD Wong famously portrayed in the live-action series Gotham. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #46 all the way back in 1940 as a scientist and criminal mastermind who used concentrated lightning to cover Gotham with a thick layer of fog so his gang could rob banks undetected.

The third most common choice was Darkseid, one of the biggest and baddest Superman villains in DC history. The intergalactic prince was created by Jack Kirby, who used Adolf Hitler and Richard Nixon as inspiration.

Bautista played Drax in three Guardians of the Galaxy films, four if you count the Christmas special, and has expressed interest in continuing to work with Gunn – who is now in charge of all DC film and TV projects for the foreseeable future.

Superman: Legacy, the first film in the new DC Universe, is set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2024 and beyond.