With Superman being one of the biggest superheroes on the planet, not to mention one of the most important creations in pop culture history, he logically has some incredible villains. Aside from the likes of Lex Luthor and Doomsday, Superman has a plethora of characters that have yet to be added to the catalog of villains he has fought in live-action movies, even though they are great matches for the symbol of peace and justice.

There are more ways to challenge Superman than just kryptonite. The seemingly invincible superhero is actually quite susceptible to mind control, magic, high-voltage electricity, radiation and even sound, which can harm his very sensitive ears. Due to these numerous vulnerabilities, plenty of villains can mess with Superman besides the usual suspects commonly associated with him. With James Gunn's Superman fast approaching in 2025, these are all worthy enemies that have yet to appear opposite the Man of Steel but definitely should.

10 Mister Mxyzptlk

14 Movie and Television Appearances Since 1966

One of the oddest Superman villains is Mister Mxyzptlk, a being from the fifth dimension and a major bother to the inhabitants of the DC universe. What many may not know is that he is such a bother to Superman because the Last Son of Krypton has a major weakness towards magic.

If there's one thing Mxyzptlk loves to do, it's tormenting Superman. He can genuinely warp reality and is aware of his existence in the form of media and often breaks the fourth-wall in the comics and talks to the reader. This has caused some to even theorize that the various Mxyzptlks that have appeared across all media are actually one being. This unique quality actually makes Mxy far more powerful than Superman could ever be. One of the few and only ways to beat him is to make him say or spell his name backward, a feat that consistently proves incredibly difficult.

9 Cyborg Superman (Hank Henshaw or Zor-El)

'Legion of Superheroes' (2006), 'Supergirl' (2015) & 'Reign of the Supermen' (2019)

If the DCU is ever looking to bring in a villain that can trade blows with Superman and is also pretty disturbing, Cyborg Superman may be the perfect choice. There are two versions of the character, named Hank Henshaw and Zor-El. Hank Henshaw blames Superman for the death of his crew and wife after the Man of Steel threw a villain into the sun, causing a solar flare. Fo his part, Zor-El is Superman's uncle, built into the Cyborg Superman form by Brainiac.

Cyborg Superman is not just a great villain to go up against Superman on a strength level but also visually impressive. If done right, the character's design in live-action could be truly haunting. Cyborg Superman could also serve as a great ongoing villain since he's also a common Green Lantern villain in the comics. Rather than being a one-off enemy, Cyborg Superman has the potential to be a recurring enemy in the universe, somewhat like Tom Hiddleston's Loki in the MCU.

8 Silver Banshee (Siobhan McDougal & Jeannette)

8 Movie and Television Appearances Since 2005

One of Superman's greatest weaknesses that many people don't think about is sound. Everyone knows that Superman has super hearing, but many don't recognize the fact that he is also incredibly sensitive to sound. This makes Silver Banshee and her "death wail" incredibly dangerous, which is why she has been a primary villain of his for as long as she has, allowing her to appear in many Superman-related media projects like Smallville.

With her banshee powers, Silver Banshee also has far more than her death wail. She has superhuman strength, speed, and durability, can possess another being, fly, shoot fire, heal fast, and teleport, among other powers. Silver Banshee is an incredibly strong yet underrated villain who deserves her time in the spotlight. To have Silver Banshee appear in live-action would not only give her the attention she deserves but also show off the other weaknesses Superman has.

7 Bizarro

9 Movie and Television Appearances Since 1978

Bizarro is usually a warped alternate and opposite version of Superman from another world, except for his original version, which was created by Lex Luthor as a weapon against Superman. While he began as a villain, Bizarro has, at times, also been an ally to Superman and other DC heroes (he even joined Red Hood in the Outsiders in the comics), which makes him a great long-term character to play with.

Bizarro's pasty-white, almost zombie-like demeanor makes him terrifying to look at, bringing a horror-like element to the mix. He very much lacks any brains but compensates for that with brawn. Only a few DC characters can match Superman's strength, and Bizarro is one of them, making him a very difficult opponent. He most recently appeared in the hit series Superman & Lois, garnering praise for how he was portrayed.

6 Mongul

5 television appearances since 2001

Acting as the leader of Warworld and an infamous conqueror across the galaxy, Mongul has a ruthless and savage nature that makes him a great foil for the pure-of-heart Superman. He's got a genius-level intellect, which makes him an absolute master manipulator. But he also wouldn't be a typical Superman villain without being an incredible fighter.

One of his classic stories involves Mongul forcing Superman into a gladiator match for the sole purpose of entertaining the people of Warworld, as seen in Justice League. He's also attempted to take over Earth to spite Superman on multiple occasions. Mongul utilizes plants from his garden to incapacitate his enemies, like the Black Mercy, which he also used in Justice League Unlimited to inject Superman's greatest dreams into his mind while feeding on his life force.

5 Livewire (Leslie Willis)

7 television appearances since 2001

Another weakness many do not know Superman has is electricity. That's right, not even Superman can withstand a good jolt of lightning, and that's where Livewire enters the catalog of Superman villains. After losing her job because of Superman, Leslie Willis uses her electricity powers to try and take down the hero once and for all. She also has super strength and can give a good 'ol punch to Superman as well.

Livewire can incapacitate Superman by simply shocking the heck out of him with her electricity and pumping hundreds of volts into his nervous system. Electricity looks incredibly pretty on screen, which would make Livewire a great visual villain for a future film, as well as a compelling figure due to her somewhat being a villain because of Superman.

4 Lobo

12 Movie and Television Appearances Since 1996

Lobo is an intergalactic bounty hunter known for his ruthlessness. He has an incredibly colorful personality that can be compared to a member of a biker gang, and not just because he rides a motorcycle. Lobo has the standard superpowers most super-beings have, like super strength, durability, speed, etc., so he can easily trade blows with Superman.

Alas, Lobo's greatest abilities don't come from powers. He can track anyone across the galaxy, is an incredible marksman, has genius-level intellect, is a very talented fighter and has a super strong will. This beast can easily lose his temper, which can be used against him. Lobo is a great villain and an absolute fan-favorite that thousands of DC fans everywhere would love to see in a film. His personality also greatly contrasts that of Superman, making him a good fit for an antagonist role in a future film.

3 Parasite (Originally Raymond Maxwell Jenson)

15 Movie and Television Appearances Since 1996

Parasite may be one of the most distinctive Superman villains. Most incarnations of the character are purple-skinned deformities who can drain energy, superpowers, knowledge, and memories and can even shapeshift into those he absorbs from. Parasite lives up to his name and has the typical super strength array of powers.

Parasite would be an incredibly freaky presence in live-action. The creature's ability to absorb all of these traits, powers and looks from Superman makes him potentially one of the most dangerous foes the character could have. Not only could Parasite physically go up against Superman, but he could also ruin the hero's social reputation by becoming him and causing chaos across the city. Not to mention, Parasite could also potentially discover Superman's identity if he drained from him for long enough.

23 Movie and Television Appearances Since 1988

A few versions of Metallo have gone up against Superman, each as deadly as the next. For example, George Grant wears a suit of the strongest metal on Earth, while the John and Roger Corben iterations are cyborgs with a Kryptonite power source in their chests.

If Metallo were to appear in live-action, it would be best that he be portrayed as one of the Corbens. Ideally, John Corben would come first since Roger is turned into a cyborg after John's death. Metallo is so deadly because of the Kryptonite shard in his chest, which makes him an ever-deadly adversary. Superman often struggled to even be near Metallo at times, which is incredibly dangerous in the case that he needs to save anyone, including himself.

1 Brainiac (Vril Dox & Vril Dox I)

26 Movie and Television Appearances Since 1966

Aside from the likes of Lex Luthor and Doomsday, Brainiac is easily the most popular and one of the best Superman villains there is. He's such a threat and a great villain that he often just becomes a threat to the Justice League. Brainiac has telekinesis and telepathy abilities that are amplified with his headpiece. He commonly uploads his consciousness across many robotic bodies and can even take over living beings as well. Brainiac can do so many things that it's impossible to list them all cohesively.

He's many times tried to take over the planet with his army and even succeeded on a couple of attempts. Eventually, in the comics, Brainiac even becomes a god-like being. If there is a piece of media with Superman in it, there's a good chance that Brainiac will make an appearance. He's one of the few people who are so absolutely difficult for Superman that he often needs backup from his pals at the Justice League.