As the DC Comics’ shared universe films look to emulate Marvel’s model of planning ahead, fans look to the future in anticipation, wondering whether or not they can replicate their rivals’ huge success (the Marvel Cinematic Universe is now officially the biggest movie franchise of all time).

Man of Steel performed moderately in 2013 – both critically and financially – and next year sees the release of both Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad. The former of those two movies will see the introduction of Wonder Woman to the big screen – played by Gal Gadot – and she will subsequently get a movie of her own in 2017.

With that in mind, it’s interesting to speculate just who the Amazonian warrior princess will be going up against in her solo outing. She has a very rich and varied rogues gallery in the comic books to choose from and this article will run through five great possibilities.

Maxwell Lord

Maxwell Lord – who first appeared on panel in 1987 – would be an interesting choice for a Wonder Woman villain if DC and Warner Brothers wanted to go for a Lex Luthor-esque antagonist for the Amazonian warrior princess.

Although he was instrumental in helping the Justice League to form, Lord is actually a ruthless and villainous businessman who has a nefarious agenda when it comes to almost everything he does.

A metahuman, Lord is able to influence people’s minds through telepathy and often uses superheroes via mind-control. A famous incident in the comic books saw him controlling Superman and making him attack Wonder Woman. In order to break said control, Wonder Woman broke his neck – twisting his head 180 degrees on live television, no less – and something like that would have a real impact on screen.

Introducing him to a movie universe that already has Lex Luthor (to be played by Jesse Eisenberg) in it would also make for a potentially interesting on-screen rivalry between the pair.

Doctor Psycho

When it comes to villains who are complete polar opposites to the hero they are facing off against, Doctor Psycho and Wonder Woman epitomise that notion as much as anyone.

In stark contrast to the physically strong and imposing female, Doctor Psycho – who first appeared on panel back in 1943 – is a very small man with mental powers and, if DC and Warner Brothers wanted someone like that to face Wonder Woman on screen, they could do a lot worse than using him.

He is a sexist, misogynistic pig who utterly despises women – which would make him both an interesting and controversial choice – but he would certainly provide Gal Gadot’s character with a credible threat.

Capable of controlling even the most powerful of minds, he could come with some muscle in tow (perhaps someone like Doomsday who, on his own, would be very one-dimensional in a movie), further enhancing the threat he would present.

Cheetah

Cheetah – who is widely regarded as Wonder Woman’s classic arch-enemy (the Lex Luthor to Wonder Woman’s Superman, so to speak) – first appeared on panel in 1943 (although it should be noted that this was the Priscilla Rich version and there have been several incarnations since then – most notably Barbara Ann Minerva).

She (or even “he” in the case of Sebastian Ballesteros, who briefly took on the Cheetah mantle) is the closest thing Wonder Woman has to a villain whose physical prowess is similar to her own and, in that sense, would make for an interesting and even match in terms of hand-to-hand combat.

All of the characters who have used the Cheetah name have cheetah-based powers (albeit greatly enhanced in comparison to standard wild cats), but the Minerva version would certainly be the best one to use, as she is the most famous and her speed in particular is such that she is a perfect match in a physical bout for the Amazonian warrior princess.

Queen of Fables

The Queen of Fables first appeared on panel as recently as the year 2000 and is a truly unique character. Consequently, she would be great to see on screen, as her inclusion would incorporate a concept never seen in a comic book movie before.

A powerful, reality-warping sorceress from another dimension, she was exiled to Earth many years ago – where she ruled, until her daughter Snow White defied her and trapped her in the Book of Fables.

Having inadvertently been released from her leather-bound prison, she used her powers to turn a large portion of New York into an enchanted land of fairytales and fantasy – also filling it with dangerous creatures in the process.

When Wonder Woman attempted to intervene, she mistook the Amazonian for her daughter, spawning a rivalry between the pair.

Aesthetically, a film with the Queen of Fables in it has the potential to be amazing and, although the concept is risky, it would be magnificent if it was executed correctly.

Circe

In terms of a villain who would be as good as perfect for a Wonder Woman movie, there are really no better options than Circe.

A centuries old sorceress, Circe – who first appeared in 1949 – is god-like in terms of her power levels and possesses a vast number of skills that give her leverage over Wonder Woman – and the fact that she can also use her powers to augment her physical attributes to Wonder Woman’s levels makes her even more of a threat.

One of the most appealing things about Circe, however, in terms of her movie potential, is the fact that she is also devilishly beautiful – something that will always go down well in Hollywood.

With her gorgeous looks, her reality-warping power, versatile spell knowledge, and her ability to compete with Wonder Woman on a physical level, she would truly represent a massive threat to the titular heroine and nobody would complain if she was utilised in the Amazonian’s solo outing.

What do you think? Will any of these villains be used in the Wonder Woman movie? Which villain would you like to see? Have your say below.