The DC Universe is responsible for iconic takes on several DC characters over the years, but there are a few that are almost unrecognizable compared to DC Comics. Spearheaded by new DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran, the DC Universe is hoping to course-correct the comic book giant’s movie division after the controversial DCEU. To do so, Gunn has confirmed that the new DC Universe is aiming to introduce versions of DC’s iconic characters that resemble their comic book counterparts more closely.
That initiative would solve a big problem from DC’s past, with the studio having brought to life several movie characters that were nothing like the comics over the years. Gunn has shown how adamant he is on making sure DC looks more to its rich comic book history for the new DC Universe by hiring Tom King, one of DC’s most talented current writers in the comics, to be part of the select group in charge of crafting the overall story of Gunn’s DC Universe. While not every characterization departure is inherently bad, more ended up proving unpopular than not.
12 Jimmy Olsen
Gunn confirmed Jimmy Olsen is part of Superman: Legacy, the DC Universe reboot of the Man of Steel that Gunn is writing and directing. Known for being Superman’s best friend, Jimmy Olsen was poorly brought to life in the DCEU. Actor Michael Cassidy was not to blame for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice‘s version of the character, as director Zack Snyder came up with a Jimmy Olsen that was completely different from the comics to suit his darker vision for DC’s characters. Instead of being the Daily Planet photographer with a bubbly personality, Olsen was an undercover CIA operative. Olsen was killed right after his cover was blown.
11 The Flash
Ezra Miller’s take on Barry Allen seems to be on the path of redemption with this June’s The Flash. The Flash‘s story sees Miller play at least two versions of Barry Allen. The movie’s multiverse could allow Miller to portray a version that is more closely related to how Barry is in the comics. Miller’s time as The Flash in the DCEU has deviated from the comics, with his Barry Allen acting more like the Wally West version of The Flash. Barry is usually more stern, while Wally is more comedic/energetic. Lightening up the character in the DCEU served to balance out the more serious Justice League roster.
10 Doomsday
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice‘s version of Doomsday brought to the big screen the character’s most famous comic book story, with the monster killing Henry Cavill’s Superman. Despite that, the DCEU Doomsday differed greatly from the comics. Visually, the movie ditched the character’s more unique look for a generic mass that was difficult to read on-screen. In the comics, Doomsday was created in prehistoric Krypton after a series of experiments. The character’s origin in the DCEU was greatly changed, with Lex Luthor bringing it to life through Kryptonian technology and General Zod’s body.
9 The Joker (Jared Leto)
There have been many movie adaptations of the Joker over the years, but Jared Leto’s take on the character might be the biggest deviation from the comics. Visually, Leto’s Joker is the most different version of the character, with the DCEU’s Joker being covered in questionable tattoos and wearing a grill. Leto’s Joker took more of a gangster approach than the traditional out-of-the-box operating style of the Batman villain. The choice to make the character so different from the comics in Suicide Squad was in line with the movie’s edgier tone.
8 Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg)
Jesse Eisenberg’s take on Lex Luthor is not necessarily bad, despite being widely panned. The actor’s version of Lex differed from the comics, as the source material sees Luthor present a more muted personality while the DCEU sees the character be more vibrant. Still, Eisenberg managed to portray Luthor’s brilliance and sociopathic tendencies perfectly, despite the changes to the character’s more serious nature. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice also had Lex with hair, foregoing the character’s iconic bald style. The changes to Lex were likely in hopes of breaking the overall darker tone of the movie and its depiction of Batman and Superman.
7 Catwoman (Halle Berry)
Halle Berry’s Catwoman is widely considered one of the worst comic book movies ever made. The 2004 movie adaptation ditched Selina Kyle for Patience Phillips. The new character had a very different origin story becoming Catwoman than the one in DC Comics. Phillips differs in personality from Selina, with Berry’s character being more shy than the outgoing comic book character, as well as working as a graphic designer rather than an art thief. Patience becomes Catwoman after gaining powers from a mystic cat — Midnight — who revived the woman after she had been murdered. The bizarre plot likely attempted to replicate Batman Returns‘ success, which had a similar Catwoman origin.
6 Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner)
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Kevin Costner’s Jonathan Kent in Man of Steel is not an accurate adaptation of the character. Clark Kent’s adoptive father is usually portrayed with a warm personality, someone who would always go out of his way to help a person in need. The DCEU ditched that, with Costner’s Pa Kent basically teaching Cavill’s Clark to put himself first always, making hiding his identity a priority. That led to one of the DCEU’s worst scenes, with Jonathan prohibiting Clark from saving him from a tornado to preserve his secret Kryptonian heritage. Comic book Superman would never have allowed that to happen, nor would Jonathan tell him to do so.
5 Aquaman
Jason Momoa reinvented Aquaman. The character was most well-known for his often joked-about role in the Super Friends cartoon. Momoa’s Aquaman differs visually from the more clean-cut comic book version of the character. The DCEU’s Arthur Curry is more physically imposing, with enormous charisma that breaks through the character’s rugged exterior. Momoa’s casting fit perfectly with the DCEU’s tone for its heroes, with Aquaman struggling to become King of Atlantis, as opposed to the more regal nature of Aquaman in the comics.
4 Bane
Tom Hardy’s Bane in The Dark Knight Rises differed greatly from the comics. Bane’s comic book origin is tied to Santa Prisca, an island in the Caribbean Sea. There, Bane was raised in a prison, Peña Dura. The Dark Knight Rises changes the Batman villain’s origin, making him serve as a member of Ra’s al Ghul’s League of Shadows after having protected Talia during their time together in the frightful prison known as The Pit. Bane in the movie is also white with a British accent, diverging from the character’s Caribbean origin in the comics. The changes served to fit Bane into Nolan’s original take on the Batman universe.
3 The Riddler (Paul Dano)
Paul Dano’s Riddler in The Batman was one of the movie’s many highlights. The character differed from the villain’s usual style in the comics, with Riddler being known as a more vibrant and flash villain in the source material. The Batman‘s choice to have Dano’s Riddler be inspired by real-life criminals like the Zodiac Killer helped the movie, as the more manic portrayal of the character in the comics would not have fit the film’s realistic and somber atmosphere.
2 Mr. Freeze
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s performance as Mr. Freeze in Batman & Robin was a far cry from how the villain is in the comics. Freeze is one of Batman’s most cerebral foes, with the character having a particularly compelling backstory. In the movie, Schwarzenegger played Mr. Freeze as a walking pun machine, with his tragic backstory being undercut by the character’s frequent use of low-level comedy. Batman & Robin as a whole is a poor adaptation of the character, with the movie changing Freeze’s personality to fit director Joel Schumacher’s goofier vision for his Batman world.
1 KGBeast
Anatoli Knyazev was poorly adapted in Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The character could easily be labeled as a common Russian goon if it were not for him being named after the comic book villain known as the KGBeast. In the comics, KGBeast is a cybernetically enhanced villain that works mainly as a mercenary. The character got some publicity in recent years for shooting Nightwing in the head in DC comics. In the movie, KGBeast was nothing more than muscle working for Lex Luthor, a choice likely due to the packed movie not having time to flesh him out. Perhaps the new DC Universe can redeem him.
