Superhero cinema needed a jolt, and James Gunn delivered one wrapped in a bright red cape. Audiences adored seeing Superman fly again with earnest hope, while the story gained an irresistible bite from the unfiltered villainy of Lex Luthor. No tragic backstory, no misunderstood mastermind, just a bald billionaire plotting chaos because he believed he could. His rivalry with Clark Kent felt sharp, fresh, and deliciously hostile. As Gunn prepares a sequel, viewers are already asking what menace could top Lex Luthor.

Through casting hints, rumors strongly believe that the next challenger could be the cosmic tyrant Mongul, a galactic despot so ambitious that conquering worlds is simply his warm-up routine. But who is he?

Mongul stands among Superman’s most overwhelming adversaries, a towering alien warlord who believes mercy is a design flaw in intelligent life. As ruler of the mobile battle planet Warworld, Mongul has transformed intergalactic cruelty into a full-time profession. He has challenged Superman, Wonder Woman, and the entire Justice League with strength that makes Kryptonian bones feel optional. His methods include psychological torture, technological overkill, and turning planet-wide conquest into a performance sport for spectators who fear applause may get them vaporized.

Multiple incarnations of Mongul have appeared throughout DC Comics history, each determined to prove that tyranny is a family business. Mongul I gained notoriety by trapping Superman in a parasitic dream using the Black Mercy plant, while Mongul II escalated the brutality by seizing control of the Yellow Lanterns during the Sinestro Corps War. Regardless of era, every Mongul arrives with the same mission: humiliate Earth’s heroes and enjoy the view from the throne.

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Few enemies have wounded Superman’s body and hope at once, but Mongul’s brutality proves why he ranks among the strongest threats Superman has ever faced.

Mongul has long stood out as one of Superman’s strongest and most terrifying adversaries because he challenges every part of the Man of Steel: body, mind, and hope. In battle, Mongul has overpowered Superman so severely that Clark Kent admitted Mongul was physically stronger. Wonder Woman once bruised her hands hitting him. His résumé includes ruling Warworld, firing weapons that make extinction feel personal, and gifting Superman the Black Mercy, a botanical prank so cruel it made the hero renounce happiness and wake up furious. Clearly, subtlety has never been invited into Mongul’s house.

Introducing Mongul in Superman: Man of Tomorrow would replace Lex Luthor’s clever capitalism with planetary-scale authoritarian chaos. Warworld looming over Earth would certainly refresh everyone’s appreciation for gravity and survival. Superman would finally face an enemy who does not argue; he conquers. If James Gunn, who his preparing for a big new development in the DC world, seeks a sequel villain with theater flair, devastating punch, and zero patience for joy, Mongul is available and ready to audition with explosions.

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Do you want Mongul to be the next villain in the Superman movies? Let us know in the comments!