DC / Warner Bros. Discovery
Weeks ago, Warner Bros. Discovery appointed James Gunn and Peter Safran as the new co-CEOs of the newly created DC Studios. Both James Gunn and Peter Safran have been working very hard to create the DC Universe from scratch, and now fans have officially received an update on the upcoming slate from executives.
Let’s get into it!
On Monday, James Gunn held a private press conference with news outlets on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, CA, then released announcements on the upcoming DCU slate the next day via social media and news reports. The first slate from the studio will be called “Chapter 1: God and Monsters,” consisting of several theatrical films and tv series on HBO Max.
In addition, James Gunn also stated that characters will now be played by the same actors in live-action and animated projects, as well as video games and other media.
While the duo cautioned that the Chapter 1 slate may shift, here is a rundown of the upcoming DC slate and what was confirmed/announced:
DC Universe
- Superman: Legacy – Superman: Legacy will feature the Man of Steel that is being written by James Gunn (“The Suicide Squad“). Instead of being an origin story, the film will focus on Superman’s Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. The film is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 11, 2025.
- Creature Commandos – Creature Commandos is a 7-part animated series, written by James Gunn, that is already in production. Originally a team of classic monsters assembled to fight the Nazis, this is now a modern take on the concept. More details have yet to be announced. This series is coming soon to HBO Max.
- Waller – Waller is a spin-off of the popular HBO Max series Peacemaker, which is a spin-off of 2021’s The Suicide Squad. Written by Christal Henry (“Watchmen“) and Jeremy Carver (“Doom Patrol“), Viola Davis will return as the ruthless and morally ambitious leader of a government task force. This series is coming soon to HBO Max.
- Lanterns – Greg Berlanti’s long-in-the-works Green Lantern series has officially been scrapped. Instead, this new series, written by James Gunn, and will be a new take on the space corps with power rings. Set to feature the prominent Lantern heroes Hal Jordan and John Stewart. This series is coming soon to HBO Max.
- Paradise Lost – Paradise Lost is a prequel series set to take place before the events of the Wonder Woman films. The series will focus on the all-female island that is Wonder Woman’s birthplace. The duo described it as a “Game of Thrones-style drama.” This series is coming soon to HBO Max.
- The Brave and the Bold – The Brave and the Bold is a brand-new Batman film, and “an introduction of the DCU Batman.” The film will center around the popular DC characters Bruce Wayne aka Batman, and Damian Wayne, also known as Robin. The story will follow a strange father-and-son storyline. No release date for this film has been announced yet.
- The Authority – The Authority is a film based on a team of superheroes “with extreme methods of protecting the planet,” first originated in the late 1990s under an imprint known as Wildstorm, run by artist and now head of DC publishing Jim Lee. No other details have been announced yet, and no release date for this film has been announced.
- Booster Gold – Booster Gold is a series based on a unique and lesser-known superhero created in 1986. The series is about a “loser from the future” who uses basic future technology to come back to today and pretend to be a superhero.”
- Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow – Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is a film about Superman’s cousin, Supergirl, and audiences will “see the difference between Superman, who was sent to Earth and raised by loving parents from the time he was an infant, versus Supergirl, raised on a rock, a chip off of Krypton, and who watched everyone around her die and be killed in terrible ways for the first 14 years of her life and then come to Earth,” according to Safran. No release date for this film has been announced yet.
- Swamp Thing – Swamp Thing is a horror film that promises to close out the first part of the first chapter in a great way! No other details have been announced yet, and no release date for this film has been announced.
DC ‘Elseworlds’
- The Batman Part II – The Batman Part II is the sequel to 2022’s The Batman and is a part of ‘DC’s Elseworlds.’ The story will follow Batman, portrayed by Robert Pattinson for the last time, prior to Batman’s DCU introduction. No other details about the film have been announced yet. This film is scheduled to be released in theaters on October 3, 2025.
- Joker: Folie à Deux – Joker: Folie à Deux is the sequel to 2019’s Joker and is also a part of DC’s new ‘Elseworlds’ brand. The movie will feature Joker and Harley Quinn, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga. No other details about the film have been announced yet. This film is scheduled to be released in theaters on October 4, 2024.
Please note, this list does not include the upcoming DC projects that are already scheduled to release soon including: Shazam! Fury of the Gods (March 17, 2023), The Flash (June 16, 2023), Blue Beetle (August 18, 2023), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 25, 2023) Peacemaker season 2 and the previously announced The Batman spin-off series “The Penguin” set to release on HBO Max.
What are your thoughts on the first part of the DCU’s Chapter 1 slate?
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Photo Courtesy: DC Studios / Warner Bros. Discovery
