A few days ago, DC Studios revealed their plans for the first phase of their new unified Universe. Unlike how Marvel Studios started, not everything produced by the company is going to be in the same universe. Marvel has recently started to explore their multiverse with Loki, What If, and Multiverse of Madness. DC looks like it is ready to explore it, as well as time travel, right away.
Movies
Superman: Legacy
This is the first official movie of the DC Universe (DCU as confirmed by studio head Peter Safran). James Gunn is writing the movie that is set to be released July 11, 2025. No director is attached yet, but after a comment by Safran, there is a good chance that Gunn will also direct it. The movie won’t star Henry Cavill, but instead will focus on a younger Superman.
The Authority
The Authority is an ends justify the means superhero team. Safran likened it to Jack Nicholson in ‘A Few Good Men’. It sounds like this is going to be a little bit like Peacemaker, who wanted peace, no matter how many people needed to die. In the end, it sounds like they’ll be doing things that Superman and the other Justice League won’t do.
The Brave and the Bold
This movie isn’t connected to the highly successful Robert Pattinson universe or movie. This will feature the Bat family. It will be a movie featuring Batman and Robin, though this Robin will be Damian Wayne. Damian is Bruce’s son that in the comics he didn’t know about until he was eight years old. A director for the movie wasn’t named, but there are rumors that Ben Affleck, who was supposed to star in and direct his own Batman movie, is attached to direct the movie.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
The movie features Kata Zor-El, Superman’s cousin. Gunn explained “We see the difference between Superman, who was sent to Earth and raised by loving parents from the time he’s an infant, versus Supergirl, who was raised on a rock chip off of Krypton, and watched everyone around her die and be killed in terrible ways for the first 14 years of her life.” It sounds like this is going to be connected to the Superman movie, but will it revolve around a teenage Kryptonian? We saw Superman grow up in Smallville, seeing Supergirl grow and be a different kind of Kryptonian could be very interesting.
Swamp Thing
Gunn likened Swamp Thing to Guardians of the Galaxy in the MCU. How does Rocket Raccoon fit in with Iron Man? Well we saw how that worked out, though this movie is said to be darker and more horrific than the others. With this project Gunn reiterated “we’ll still have Swamp Thing interact with the other characters” which sounds like we will see some sort of meetups throughout the movies and shows.
Shows
Creature Commandos
This is the first project greenlit by Safran and Gunn. Gunn has already written every episode and it’s already in production. Weasel from Gunn’s Suicide Squad will be a member, as will Rick Flag Sr., who will also show up in other projects. Other members of the Commandos include Nina Mazursky, Doctor Phosphorus, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and G.I. Robot.
Waller
With Gunn busy working on other projects, season 2 of Peacemaker is on hold for the time being. Instead the characters will appear in Waller. We last saw Waller in Black Adam, in command of the Justice Society. Before that, we saw her get outed to the world by her daughter for running A.R.G.U.S. and the illegal stuff she’s been doing. How does she go from head of A.R.G.U.S. to the Justice Society? The series takes place after Peacemaker season 1, so it’s possibly the show answers this.
Lanterns
This show “plays a really big role leading us into the main story that we’re telling across our film and television.” Safran said. It will see Hal Jordan and John Stewart investigating a mystery. It sounds like it will be an origin story and possibly see both Green Lanterns working together.
Paradise Lost
This is a Game of Thrones kind of story. It is set on the island of Themyscira, before the birth of Wonder Woman. It will be about the origin of an island of all women. How it came about, what are the truths behind it?
Booster Gold
Booster Gold is from the future. He travels back in time and pretends to be a super hero. We saw Donald Faison play Booster Gold in the finale of Legends of Tomorrow, but this one sounds like he will be doing more than just playing golf.
The Multiverse
While these movies are all connected, there are still projects outside these that are still happening. The Batman 2 and Joker: Folie à Deux are both still coming. Before Superman, we will be getting Shazam Fury of the Gods, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and The Flash. Gunn has stated the Flash is what creates the DCU. The end of the movie makes some things different and some things the same. This means that Jason Momoa and Gal Gadot could reprise their roles. When asked about Gadot, Gunn said she was not let go and had a meeting with her weeks ago.
I for one am excited that there’s finally some direction to the universe. While I liked Black Adam and Wonder Woman 1984, it felt like it was supposed to be part of a larger universe that was loosely held together. Now it sounds like the strings will be much stronger, possibly even stronger than some of the Marvel projects have been lately. Are you excited for this new DC Universe?
