DC fans, your time is now. DC Studios bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran unveiled the first chapter of the DCU’s newest slate on Tuesday for eager fans across the globe. Gunn posted a six-minute video on his social media wherein he laid out a concrete plan for the beginning of the DCU reboot.
In the video, Gunn explained the new approach to this universe is one of continuity. Like Marvel, everything within the DC TV, film, game and animation projects will be connected to tell a larger story. However, that’s not to say there won’t be singular stories outside the DCU. Gunn revealed those will be filed under “DC Elseworlds.”
The Marvel vet introduced Gods and Monsters, the first chapter, and, folks; it appears we’re in for an exciting adventure. Gunn and Safran are in the process of mapping out an eight to 10-year plan for the company. The objective is to release two movies per year, with two series on HBO Max per year in the aforementioned plan. Here’s everything you need to know from Gods and Monsters.
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Creature Commandos
Creature Commandos is a completed animated series written by Gunn himself. It’ll weave in and out of animation and live-action, with the same actors lending their talents to their roles regardless of the format. The show follows a team of military superbeings, including a vampire, a werewolf, a gorgon, Frankenstein’s monster and a human leader. Weasel from The Suicide Squad will also make an appearance. If there’s one thing everyone loves, it’s a merry band of havoc-wreaking misfits.
Waller
Waller, an HBO Max live-action series, is a spin-off of Peacemaker (which is a spin-off of The Suicide Squad). It’ll feature Amanda Waller, played by Viola Davis, who will team up with characters from Peacemaker. Christal Henry (Watchmen) and Jeremy Carver (Doom Patrol) will pen the story. Gunn provided updates on Peacemaker Season 2 to the press during the slate reveal:
“We’re using the same actors; this is a continuation of Peacemaker. I’m working on Superman, so we can’t do Peacemaker Season 2. We’re working on Waller in between.” Aw, nuts. I was looking forward to watching Season 2 soon. It sounds like it’s on hold. That said, I’m relieved we’re reuniting with these characters in the form of Waller. Plus, Viola Davis is a force of acting nature.
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Superman Legacy
Superman Legacy is a film marking the proper reset of the DCU, according to Gunn. Gunn is currently writing the script. As of now, no director is attached to helm the project. Gunn teased his movie to the press:
“It’s not an origins story; it focuses on Superman’s balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. He’s the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way; he’s kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned.”
Superman Legacy will soar into theaters on July 11, 2025.
SUPERMAN: LEGACY — Written by James Gunn, the film will hit theaters on July 11, 2025 and focus on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing: https://t.co/hhSUMs2v5R #DCStudios pic.twitter.com/4psxU15Zqi
— DC (@DCOfficial) January 31, 2023
Lanterns
Lanterns, an HBO Max live-action series, will focus on a handful of Green Lanterns, namely Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Gunn categorized it as akin to True Detective with “space cops.” These cops watch over Earth. They find themselves tumbling headfirst into a mystery that contributes significantly to the main story unraveling in the DCU.
The Authority
A new feature called The Authority spotlights an amalgam of antiheroes who feel the Earth is broken, so they set out to fix it using whatever means necessary. A bare-bones story is already mapped out. After StormWatch, a defense force against aliens, is destroyed, former StormWatch member Jenny Sparks creates The Authority with StormWatch Black teammates Jack Hawksmoor and Swift. The Authority boasts members such as Apollo, Midnighter, Jeroen Thornedike (the Doctor) and Angela Spica, a.k.a. The Engineer.
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Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost is an HBO Max live-action series in the vein of Game of Thrones. It’s about Themyscira, the birthplace of Wonder Woman and the Amazons. It’ll take place before Diana Prince’s birth. Safran explained the series to the press:
“It’s going to be a Games of Thrones-ish story about Themyscira, the home of the Amazons and the birthplace of Wonder Woman. This drama is really about the political intrigue behind the society of all women. How did that come about?”
The Brave and the Bold
The Brave and the Bold will serve as the DCU’s official introduction to Batman under Gunn and Safran’s watch. Matt Reeves’ The Batman sequel with Robert Pattinson is still in the works, though, but will exist as a DC Elseworlds property. It’s slated for release on October 3, 2025.
This feature film will showcase Batman and his son, Damian Wayne, who’s Robin. Damian Wayne is an “assassin, a murderer who Batman takes on, who is Batman’s actual son that he doesn’t know exists for the first 8-10 years of his life … it’s a strange father and son story about the two of them and based on Grant Morrison’s run of the Batman,” Gunn revealed.
Naturally, Gunn and Safran will seek a new Batman for the film.
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Booster Gold
Booster Gold, an HBO Max series, follows a “loser” from the future who utilizes future technology to become a superhero fixture in the present day. Of course, it’s all in the name of validation and love from outsiders. Gunn described Booster Gold as “imposter syndrome as a superhero.”
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will be an “epic science fiction film” adapted from Tom King’s 2022 comic book run. Here’s what Gunn had to say regarding the project:
“In our series, we see the difference between Superman, who was sent to Earth and raised by loving parents from the time he was an infant, versus Supergirl who was raised on a rock, a chip off Krypton and watched everyone around her die and be killed in terrible ways for the first 14 years of her life and then came to Earth when she was a young girl. She’s much more hardcore; she’s not exactly the Supergirl we’re used to seeing.”
Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing is a feature film chronicling the origins of Swamp Thing. Gunn billed it as a “dark horror story.” Swamp Thing will interact with the main DC players in this rebooted universe.
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Bear in mind we still have a few DC projects in 2023 to get through before this slate goes into effect. Shazam! Fury of the Gods releases on March 17, with The Flash film debuting on June 16. Blue Beetle is expected to hit theaters on August 18, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will finish out the year on December 25. Gunn teased that The Flash will definitively “reset everything.”
In case you were worried you’d never see Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jason Mamoa as Aquaman or Zachary Levi as Shazam again, Safran reassured the press with the following:
“These four movies are terrific. There’s no reason why any of the characters or the actors that play in those characters are not part of the DCU. There’s nothing that prohibits that from happening.”
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Other projects falling into the DC Elseworlds camp besides The Batman – Part II include Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie a Deux, The Penguin HBO Max series and the J.J. Abrams/Ta-Nehisi Coates Black Superman feature.
Gunn and Safran have a few golden rules they’ll adhere to when crafting this new DCU. Firstly, one actor will never play two parts. Secondly, an actor cast as a DC TV character will also portray the screen version of said character. Gunn is also committed to ensuring these projects’ directors, writers and creators can breathe life into their unique visions.
If Warner Bros. Discovery’s Great Content Cull of 2022 worries you, cast those fears aside. “Their investment in content creation is huge,” Safran said. “There’s no question we have the resources.”
Lastly, Gunn made one thing abundantly clear to fans, press and investors:
“Storytelling is always king. That always matters to us.”
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Holy news dump, Batman! That’s a lot of content reveals to absorb. I, for one, have been an avid fan of James Gunn since the first Guardians of the Galaxy film. I love Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad. My faith in him and Safran to reshape the DCU is firmly cemented. Everything mentioned today excites me. Bring it on.
What future project are you looking forward to the most? Sound off in the comments below!
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
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