Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is now less than a year away and it’s safe to say that excitement is building rapidly. The two titular heroes will be joined on screen by a number of well-known supporting characters from the pages of DC’s comic books, including Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Aquaman, Lois Lane, Perry White, Alfred Pennyworth and Lex Luthor.

As things stand, Luthor is the only confirmed villain in the movie (of course, the two titular heroes will face off against each other as well), but rumours persist that Luthor won’t be the only nefarious presence.

With that in mind, it’s fun to speculate which other villains might appear in the movie – whether it be in a prominent or bit-part role – and that’s what this article is going to discuss.

Brainiac

Brainiac is a villain to both Superman and the entire Justice League in the comic books. Although there have been a number of variations of the character, he’s generally depicted as a green alien android with diodes on his head that form his symbol, who shrunk and stole the Kryptonian capital city of Kandor. He’s every bit as powerful as Superman and would be, therefore, a major threat in the movies.

First appearing on panel in 1958, there’s every chance he could appear in the DC Cinematic Universe – not least because he was hinted at in 2013’s Man of Steel.

His symbol was seen on the Black Zero – the ship used by General Zod and his allies in the movie – which could suggest he was making his presence felt back then. Don’t be surprised, therefore, if he does so again in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – after all, he has explicitly partnered with Lex Luthor on a number of occasions in the comic books.