Summary
- The new DC Universe will feature 28 as-of-now confirmed characters, including Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern, with some characters having remarkable superpowers.
- Characters like Jimmy Olsen and Perry White are among the weakest in terms of power, while characters like Amanda Waller possess immense power and influence despite being human.
- Some characters, like Nina Mazursky and Weasel, have unique abilities that make them more powerful than regular humans, while others, like GI Robot and Doctor Phosphorus, have enhanced physical abilities and can be formidable opponents.
Currently, 28 characters from DC Comics have been confirmed to be adapted for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe, and many of them have some remarkable and formidable superpowers. After a lengthy period of turmoil at Warner Bros., and following several disappointing projects from DC Studios, co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran will be rebooting the DC Extended Universe into the new DC Universe in 2024. Creature Commandos and Waller will kick off the DCU, though 2025’s Superman: Legacy will be the franchise’s first feature film, beginning a new canon for DC Studios’ shared universe and introducing many new characters to live-action.
While a few actors will be portraying different versions of their characters from the DCEU in the new DC Universe, the franchise will debut many new heroes and villains, some of which have never been seen before in live-action. So far, Gunn and Safran have confirmed 28 characters for the DC Universe, including some iconic DC Comics heroes such as Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern. The majority of these characters harbor some incredible superpowers, but as is always the case with superhero media, some are much more powerful than others. Here are all 28 confirmed DC Universe characters, ranked from least to most powerful.
28 Princess Ilana Rostovic
Maria Bakalova has been cast as the voice of Princess Ilana Rostovic in 2024’s Creature Commandos, an animated series set to feature the titular team of superpowered characters. Rostovic is a completely original character for the DC Universe, not having any founding in DC Comics, and very little is known about her past her name. This means that it’s impossible to tell just how powerful she might be or whether she has any abilities whatsoever, as she could simply be a human that the Creature Commandos are tasked with protecting. More will be revealed about Rostovic when Creature Commandos premieres on streaming service Max in 2024.
27 Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen is set to debut in 2025’s Superman: Legacy as a young photojournalist for the Daily Planet, the publication where Clark Kent and Lois Lane work as reporters. While Olsen does gain temporary abilities at various points throughout his DC Comics career, he is more regularly depicted as a powerless human, and as a young man who looks up to his coworkers as parent figures, he has very little power in society, too. This makes Olsen one of the DC Universe’s weakest characters, though he could certainly be gifted powers at some point in his live-action future.
26 Perry White
Perry White, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet, has power over his employees, and that’s about it. White is also set to appear in Superman: Legacy, as the 2025 film will feature Clark Kent, a.k.a. Superman, working as a reporter for the Metropolis publication. White is often depicted as a tough, but fair-minded manager, yet the only true power he has is that as an employer. He has no superhuman abilities, so he will likely be introduced as a background character in Superman: Legacy and subsequent DC Universe projects.
25 Lois Lane
While Lois Lane is an employee of Perry White and a reporter at the Daily Planet, her connection to Superman gives her more power and knowledge than her boss. Lane is Superman’s long-term love interest, and this love story is set to be adapted into Superman: Legacy, with The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Rachel Brosnahan assuming the role of Lois Lane opposite David Corenswet’s Superman. Lane has an intimate knowledge of the superhero world and has even received superpowers several times in DC Comics, operating as Superwoman and Red Tornado, among others, so this could occur in the live-action DC Universe.
24 John Economos
Steve Agee is set to reprise his DCEU role of John Economos in the new DCU, returning as the well-meaning ARGUS member and aide to Amanda Waller. Economos will make his first DCU appearances in Creature Commandos and Waller before presumably making the move to the big screen. Economos has no superhuman abilities to speak of, but his ARGUS training has enabled him to become a skilled marksman, an expert computer scientist, and a gifted medic, which will make him a valuable asset in smaller-scale espionage missions in the DC Universe.
23 Rick Flag Sr.
Joel Kinnaman portrayed Rick Flag in the DCEU, but his father, Rick Flag Sr., is set to debut in Creature Commandos, voiced by Frank Grillo. As a decorated war veteran, Flag has a huge amount of experience on the ground during battle. While his role in the Creature Commandos team is currently unclear, his excellent leadership skills suggest he could be guiding the team. He is also a skilled hand-to-hand combatant and expert marksman and has a deep knowledge of military protocol and tactical techniques. While he may be the weakest member of the team superpowers-wise, he will be essential to the Creature Commandos’ success.
22 Amanda Waller
Amanda Waller is one of DC Comics’ most complex human characters, as she is depicted as both an ally and antagonist to a number of iconic heroes. Viola Davis has portrayed Waller since 2016’s Suicide Squad and is set to reprise the role in the DC Universe, even getting her own solo series, Waller, in 2024. Her intensive research into Metahumans makes her a leading figure in her field, and she is a high-ranking member of the Suicide Squad, ARGUS, and Checkmate, making her an incredibly powerful character in the DC Universe. Even so, she has no superpowers to speak of, so despite her formidable nature, she is only human.
21 Nina Mazursky
One of the DC Universe’s stranger confirmed characters is Nina Mazursky, set to be voiced by Zoë Chao in Creature Commandos’ cast. Mazursky’s original backstory featured her as a gifted genetic scientist working for the Super-Human Advanced Defense Executive (SHADE) who created the first Creature Commandos team. In 2011’s Flashpoint event, Mazursky was revealed to be a natural-born, amphibious “monster,” and though it’s unclear which version will be depicted in the DC Universe, Mazursky’s only real ability is the power to survive underwater. Even so, this still makes her more powerful than the human characters of the DCU.
20 Weasel
In DC Comics, Weasel is actually the human John Monroe in a weasel costume, but in the DCEU, and presumably in the new DC Universe, Sean Gunn’s character is an actual human-sized weasel. Weasel debuted in 2021’s The Suicide Squad and will be returning as a member of the titular team in Creature Commandos. Although not displaying a great deal of power, Weasel is incredibly agile and a skilled hand-to-hand fighter. Weasel also has enhanced strength and speed and has dangerous claws and teeth that could prove deadly in a battle.
19 GI Robot
Six robot characters adopted the title of GI Robot in DC Comics, being featured as members of teams like the Suicide Squad, Checkmate, and the Creature Commandos. The latter included the JAKE 1 and JAKE 2 versions of GI Robot, so it’s likely that Creature Commandos’ version of the character will be based on these incarnations. As a synthetic soldier, GI Robot can take hits that would kill any average human and has also been gifted enhanced strength, speed, and agility. He also never tires, can fly short distances and has an impressive arsenal of weapons. Even so, his inability to communicate verbally could make him a hindrance in battle.
18 Doctor Phosphorus
Nuclear scientist Alex Sartorius’ body was shifted one element on the period table after being exposed to irradiated sand, transforming him from silicon into phosphorus. His ability to control temperatures and radiation makes him an incredibly powerful villain – often facing off against Batman – and his phosphorus form makes him practically immortal. He became a member of the Creature Commandos in 2011’s Flashpoint event, which constitutes his appearance on the team in the DC Universe, voiced by Alan Tudyk. His anger over his transformation and inability to actually touch anything, however, makes him something of a loose cannon.
17 Damian Wayne, A.K.A. Robin
The son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, Damian Wayne, will be debuting as Robin in the DCU’s The Brave and the Bold, opposite a new version of The Dark Knight, replacing Ben Affleck’s iteration from the DCEU. Damian shares many abilities with his father, and although neither has any superhuman powers to speak of, they are both skilled detectives, highly intelligent, master martial artists, and adept at using many different kinds of weapons. In his more recent DC Comics appearances, Damian has been gifted some magical abilities, but it’s unlikely he’ll be introduced to the DCU with these powers.
16 Adrian Chase, A.K.A. Vigilante
Adrian Chase’s DC Comics backstory is very similar to that of Marvel Comics’ Punisher, as he became an antihero after the murder of his family by mobsters. Freddie Stroma portrayed Chase, a.k.a. Vigilante, in 2022’s Peacemaker season 1 and has been confirmed to be returning in the new DC Universe. Although Chase doesn’t have any superhuman abilities to speak of, he has trained his body to be in peak physical form, granting him superior strength, speed, agility, durability, and stamina to an average human. Vigilante is also an expert fighter and marksman, though his attitudes about violence strongly hint at some mental instability.
15 Christopher Smith, A.K.A. Peacemaker
John Cena is also set to reprise his role of Christopher Smith, a.k.a. Peacemaker, from The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker. Much like Vigilante, Peacemaker has trained to make his body its peak human form, so despite having no superhuman powers, he is incredibly strong, durable, agile, and has remarkable reflexes. He is a gifted fighter with experience using all manner of weapons and has an indomitable will to bring peace to the Earth by any means necessary. While Peacemaker still suffers from the trauma of killing his brother, this isn’t to the extent of Vigilante’s. Cena will be returning in the DCU’s Peacemaker season 2.
14 Mister Terrific
The DC Universe’s version of Mister Terrific, set to be portrayed by Edi Gathegi in Superman: Legacy, is suspected to be based on Michael Holt from DC Comics. While Holt has no superpowers, he is an incredibly gifted athlete, having achieved multiple black belts and won an Olympic decathlon, and has a genius-level intellect, leading to him inventing the “T-Spheres”, artificially intelligent devices that he controls with his mask and earpieces. These devices can create holographic images, project light beams, release electrical charges, hack into computers, and cloak Holt from technological devices. He is the third-smartest man alive, so while not superpowered in any way, he is still very powerful.
13 Bruce Wayne, A.K.A. Batman
Like Mister Terrific, Bruce Wayne doesn’t have any superhuman abilities, though he is still quite powerful. As an expert detective with a genius-level intellect and peak human physicality, Bruce Wayne is able to operate as the protector of Gotham City. Batman has been portrayed by many actors over the years, most recently Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton, but a new actor will assume the role in the cast of the DCU’s The Brave and the Bold. Batman is a formidable hero in the DC Universe, but others have more impressive powers than him.
12 Bride Of Frankenstein
Indira Varma will voice the Bride of Frankenstein – often referred to only as the Bride – in 2024’s Creature Commandos. As a zombie character, the Bride has a range of impressive abilities that put those expressed by the DCU’s human heroes to shame. As well as harboring superhuman strength, durability, and stamina, the Bride is an immortal character, as she is already dead. She also doesn’t need to eat, sleep, or breathe and is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant and marksman, setting her up to be a formidable asset to the Creature Commandos in the DCU.
11 Eric Frankenstein
DC Comics’ Frankenstein has been named Eric for his debut in Creature Commandos, though being based on Mary Shelley’s original undead monster, Eric Frankenstein has some powerful abilities. As well as sharing many similar abilities to his love interest, the Bride, Eric Frankenstein also has access to SHADE’s database via a surgical implant, which gifts him superior intelligence. He can adapt and alter his physiology by detaching his own body parts and attaching the pieces of others’ bodies, which is gruesome but effective. David Harbour will voice Eric Frankenstein in Creature Commandos, recast after an appearance as Dexter Tolliver in 2016’s Suicide Squad.
10 Jaime Reyes, A.K.A. Blue Beetle
Even though 2023’s Blue Beetle released as part of the DCEU, James Gunn confirmed that Xolo Maridueña would be returning as Jaime Reyes’ Blue Beetle in the new DC Universe. Enhanced after becoming the host to a mystical scarab, Reyes gained abilities such as superhuman strength, flight, weapon manifestation, electrokinesis, and a regenerative healing factor. Reyes’ Blue Beetle exoskeleton helped him become a skilled fighter, and his gifted intelligence and bilingualism will make him an asset to the DC Universe, too. It’s unclear when Maridueña will be returning as Blue Beetle – particularly after the poor performance of his big screen debut.
9 Booster Gold
Michael Jon Carter, a.k.a. Booster Gold, is a hero from the future who traveled back in time to show off his heroism through his knowledge of historical events and his access to futuristic technology. It’s not known who will be cast as Booster Gold in the DC Universe, but the character will be taking part in a solo series set to release on Max in DC Studios’ future. While his power is gifted to him through his superhero suit, his abilities are astounding, including the likes of flight, time travel, enhanced senses, an elongated lifespan, superhuman strength, and the power to project force fields.
