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Does the DCEU Need Arnold Schwarzenegger? Six Villains Schwarzenegger Could Become in The DCEU

Arnold Schwarzenegger says he's up to play another DC villain: which one of these six suits him best?

By Allie Z.Published 6 years ago 5 min read
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'Terminator: Genisys' [Credit: Paramount Pictures]

In the modern age of superhero movies, Joel Schumacher's attempt at Batman And Robin gets a lot of criticism from fans, for good reason. The movie was judged harshly for its use of cheesy villains, specifically Mister Freeze. Playing Mr. Freeze, Arnold Schwarzenegger was hard to believe, ultimately leaving a bad impression on many fans. But despite that controversial experience, Arnold Schwarzenegger says he's up to play another DC villain.

'Batman And Robin' [Credit: Warner Bros.]

Fandango asked Schwarzenegger if he'd play another DC villain, and his response was enthusiastic:

"Absolutely! I think all of those movies, if they're written well, they're entertaining. If it's Batman or Batman and Robin, or X-Men or Spider-Man – all of them. If they're written well, they have a great life. People enjoy them, and you can see the grosses that they make worldwide. So, yes, of course I would."

Schwarzenegger's comments are probably those if a smart actor not turning down a job in public, rather than announcing he's ready to sign up for a DC movie. But who knows, maybe he's ready to shout-out to Warner Bros, what with the increasing size of the DCEU and all. If that's the case, several upcoming DC movies need actors to portray iconic villains, and Schwarzenegger could fill a slot in one of those movies.

Here are the top six roles Schwarzenegger could play in the still expanding DCEU.

The Batman: Bane

While the plot of Matt Reeves' The Batman is still unknown, it presents a perfect opportunity to theorize on the ideal villain for Batman to face in his standalone film. Any past villain could show up, and while most fans would want Batman to take on Jared Leto's Joker, he'd be too predictable as the villain in another Batman movie. That said, Ben Affleck's version of Batman could have an interesting conflict with another villain who's already been seen on screen: Bane.

[Credit: DC Comics]

A Bane introduced in the DCEU, however, would probably be a bit older. Since Affleck's version of Batman is in the late stages of his superhero career, Bane would have aged as well. This elder Bane could be a perfect part for Arnold Schwarzenegger. He has the physique for the role and could easily portray a strong, yet aging Bane.

Portraying Bane against Affleck's Batman, the two would be able to entangle in fisticuffs without an age difference being advantageous to either of them. Schwarzenegger is a few years older than Affleck but he could still put on an entertaining spectacle as an aging Bane.

The Batman: Ra's Al Ghul

[Credit: DC Comics]

Some may be critical of this choice for Schwarzenegger to portray a DC villain but Ra's Al Ghul seems like a good possibility for The Batman. One would think that an actor portraying Ra's would need to be more artistic than Schwarzenegger typically appears to be, but Ra's is a subtle character in the comics. Schwarzenegger is adept at delivering subtle one-liners that shock and deliver a message at the same time.

'The Terminator' [Credit: Paramount Pictures]

Just take a look at all the memes made from Schwarzenegger's famous one-liners. They may seem humorous now but when Schwarzenegger was first delivering those lines, fans were impressed by his intensity. He could bring that same intensity, with some subtlety, to the role of Ra's Al Ghul in The Batman.

The Batman: Hush

Hush would be a decent role for Schwarzenegger. He could easily play a figure from Bruce's childhood who turned out to be a criminal.

In the comics, Hush is the criminal alias of Tommy Elliot, one of Bruce Wayne's childhood friends. Tommy takes on the Hush persona in an elaborate revenge plot against Bruce. After Bruce's father saved Tommy's mother from dying, Tommy had to wait to inherit the fortune he felt he was entitled to. The period of time Tommy had to wait before inheriting his family's fortune drove him to plot against his old pal, Bruce. Still, Tommy planned out an elaborate plot that involved plastic surgery and didn't get to exact his revenge until years later.

[Credit: DC Comics]

Being a character who is around the same age as Bruce, Schwarzenegger could easily fill the role of Tommy Elliot. And with Bruce presumably returning to street-level threats in the upcoming standalone Batman movie, a frenemy like Hush could be right up Batman's alley.

The Flash: Captain Cold

[Credit: DC Comics]

Since The Flash is expected to feature the Rogues from the comics, we can expect Captain Boomerang to be among the movies' villains. Aside from Boomerang, Schwarzenegger could be believable as Captain Cold. He already has experience with "cold" puns so it wouldn't be too much of a challenge for Schwarzenegger to bring some charm to a Captain Cold persona. Playing Captain Cold would also present an opportunity for Schwarzenegger to make a nod to his past role as Mister Freeze in Batman and Robin.

Cyborg: Alfa

As one of the main villains who Cyborg fought in the comics, it would seem logical for Deathstroke to show up in the Cyborg standalone film. We know Joe Manganiello is playing Deathstroke but that doesn't mean there won't be another villain thrown in. And that villain may be Alfa, the leader of the Technosapiens.

[Credit: DC Comics]

With Cyborg's origins in the DCEU stemming from the Mother Boxes, an alien technology from Apokolips, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to believe more aliens with a penchant for technology will be introduced. Among those alien species, the Technosapiens are the most likely, especially since they went head-to-head with #Cyborg in the comics.

In the comics, the Technosapiens were made from a cybernetic parasite that traveled from planet to planet, attaching itself to the different races on those planets, the goal being to assimilate every race into an extension of its cybernetic form. When the Technosapiens arrived on Earth, they located Cyborg via his tech. Cyborg fought them off before he could be assimilated. The remaining Technosapiens were freed of the parasite while most fled the planet.

[Credit: DC Comics]

The DCEU version of Cyborg could face a similar threat, in which case he could be up against a villain like the Technosapiens' leader, Alfa. Arnold Schwarzenegger could play Alfa, seeing as how he already has experience playing psychotic robots in the Terminator movies.

'Terminator: Genisys' [Credit: Paramount Pictures]

Green Lantern Corps: Atrocitus

At the moment, not much is known about Green Lantern Corps movie. Presumably, we'll see the Green Lantern Corps taking on the Sinestro Corps or another Lantern Corps. In that scenario, a major fight between Lantern Corps would be believable. But, seeing as how the Sinestro Corps might be too predictable of a choice for villain, a more intimidating group like the Red Lantern Corps could be a fitting replacement. If so, they'd be lead by Atrocitus.

[Credit: DC Comics]

Atrocitus is characterized by his hell-bent mission to destroy the Guardians of the Universe. And since the Guardians of the Universe have the Green Lantern Corps under their employ, the GLs would step in if Atrocitus showed up seeking vengeance on the Guardians. That said, Schwarzenegger could be believable in the role of Atrocitus. He shares a similar body build to the character's likeness and could also bring something unique to Atrocitus, who is fairly new to the DC universe.

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About the Creator

Allie Z.

I cover most entertainment related topics and am venturing into journalism.

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