With the DC Universe being reset, Wonder Woman’s rogues gallery is prime for reintroduction. These foes bring mythic weight, personal stakes and modern twists that can help define Diana’s place in the new DCU. Below are the villains to know — who they are, what they bring to stories, and how they might be used going forward.
Ares
Who: The Greek god of war and one of Diana’s oldest adversaries.
Why he matters: Ares embodies the underlying theme of conflict that Wonder Woman often resists. He’s adaptable — from a literal god of war to a manipulative human disguised as a politician or advisor.
How he could fit the reboot: As a large-scale antagonist, Ares can anchor an origin story exploring why Diana leaves Themyscira and takes on the world. He also works as a long-game puppet master who foments global unrest to test or break heroes.
Cheetah
Who: The most iconic Wonder Woman foe; most famously Barbara Ann Minerva, a woman cursed or transformed into a feline-powered arch-nemesis.
Why she matters: Cheetah combines personal enmity, tragic origin, and feral physicality — a perfect foil for Diana’s compassion and strength.
How she could fit the reboot: Cheetah can be both a physical threat and an emotional antagonist — someone with a complicated relationship to Diana that can explore themes of envy, humanity, and destiny. She’s already proven popular in live-action adaptations.
Circe
Who: The mythic sorceress drawn from Greek myth who uses powerful magic and shape-shifting.
Why she matters: Circe brings supernatural danger and moral ambiguity; she’s not just a villain but a symbol of the ancient magic that shaped the world.
How she could fit the reboot: If the DCU leans into myth and magic, Circe can serve as a bridge between Wonder Woman’s Themysciran roots and modern conflicts, challenging the hero on both philosophical and magical fronts.
Doctor Poison
Who: A recurring scientist/poison expert, historically a Golden Age villain updated across eras (portrayed in film as a biochemical threat).
Why she matters: She demonstrates that Wonder Woman’s threats aren’t only divine or monstrous — human cruelty and militarized science can be terrifying in realistic ways.
How she could fit the reboot: Doctor Poison can anchor stories about weapons, biological threats, and the ethical costs of “progress.” Her schemes suit political thrillers or espionage-tinged arcs.
Veronica Cale
Who: A brilliant, ruthless entrepreneur and intellectual rival to Diana — a human antagonist who challenges Wonder Woman without superpowers.
Why she matters: Cale offers a modern, grounded counterpoint to mythic enemies: corporate power, obsession, and moral compromise.
How she could fit the reboot: As the Lex Luthor analogue for Wonder Woman, Cale can drive plots about access to Themyscira, exploitation, and conflicts between human institutions and divine/secret worlds.
Maxwell Lord
Who: A charismatic businessman and manipulator with a history of controlling or catalyzing superhuman conflicts.
Why he matters: He’s a connective tissue villain — useful for linking Wonder Woman’s story to broader DC conspiracies or meta-hero manipulation.
How he could fit the reboot: As a schemer pushing geopolitics and metahuman agendas, Maxwell Lord can escalate stakes beyond single matchups and pull Diana into cross-hero dilemmas.
Dr. Psycho
Who: A telepathic, misanthropic antagonist known for psychological manipulation and violent misogyny.
Why he matters: Dr. Psycho represents the psychological and ideological warfare that can be as dangerous as physical confrontation.
How he could fit the reboot: He works well in stories that interrogate Diana’s ideals — gaslighting, propaganda, and psychic attacks that test her convictions and relationships.
Giganta
Who: A classic Wonder Woman villain who can grow to enormous size and match Diana physically.
Why she matters: She offers large-scale, visually dramatic conflicts and can be used to explore issues of power, identity, and transformation.
How she could fit the reboot: Giganta is straightforward as a spectacle villain but can be given human motivations for depth—a scientist or manipulated person whose condition becomes a tragedy.
The First Born
Who: A powerful, ancient son of Zeus in the comics who stands as a mythic, catastrophic force.
Why he matters: He ups the ante into cosmic and theological territory, testing Diana against staggering, primal power.
How he could fit the reboot: If the DCU wants high-myth storylines that challenge gods and heroes alike, the First Born (or similar mythic-level threats) can deliver epic confrontation and world-changing stakes.
Why these villains matter for the DCU reboot
– They represent a balanced mix of mythic, human, magical and psychological threats, which suits Wonder Woman’s unique place between mortal and divine spheres.
– Many have strong personal or philosophical ties to Diana — that relationship depth helps make stakes resonate for audiences.
– Several (Cheetah, Ares, Doctor Poison) already have recognizability from films or comics, offering a foundation while still leaving room for new interpretations.
Additional comments and suggestions
– Tone: The reboot can benefit from shifting tones as needed — intimate, character-driven confrontations with Veronica Cale or Dr. Psycho; epic, mythic battles with Ares or the First Born; and blockbuster action against Cheetah or Giganta.
– Crossovers: Some villains (Maxwell Lord, Veronica Cale) are useful connective tissue if the DCU wants to build shared conspiracies or corporate-military threats across franchises.
– Emotional stakes: Emphasize the personal history between Diana and villains like Cheetah or Circe. Villains who test Wonder Woman’s ideals — making her choose between compassion and duty — create the most lasting drama.
Brief summary
As DCU filmmakers and writers rebuild the universe, bringing back Wonder Woman’s rogues gallery offers a chance to blend mythic scale and grounded drama. Key antagonists to watch include Ares, Cheetah, Circe, Doctor Poison, Veronica Cale, Maxwell Lord, Dr. Psycho, Giganta, and mythic threats like the First Born. Each provides distinct story opportunities: personal conflict, political intrigue, magical confrontation, or cosmic danger.
A hopeful note
Reintroducing these villains gives writers a chance to deepen Diana’s morale and mythology while telling fresh, relevant stories. With thoughtful character work — giving villains clear motivations and humane complexity — the reboot can make Wonder Woman’s enemies as compelling as the hero herself, enriching the whole DCU.