The brand new DC Universe already has just a few characters showing greater than others, as 5 heroes are a part of each single launch within the franchise thus far. One of many most important criticisms in regards to the DCEU film franchise was that, after Zack Snyder left, there was no clear imaginative and prescient. A number of studies have since come out about “factions” preventing for management of DC.
The shortage of a unified imaginative and prescient for DC led to in style characters, corresponding to Henry Cavill’s Superman, barely showing all through the DCEU’s complete timeline. As DC Studios’ new inventive head, James Gunn was introduced in to make it possible for points like that might not occur with the studio going ahead. To date, the brand new DCU has seemingly made 5 characters its recurring stars.
Rick Flag Sr.
Whereas the characters usually are not listed in any specific order, Rick Flag Sr. is the DCU participant with the most important position within the franchise thus far. That could be a good change for actor Frank Grillo, whose Marvel villain, Crossbones, didn’t get to do a lot within the MCU. At Gunn’s DC, Rick Flag has performed just a few completely different roles.
Grillo was entrance and middle of the DCU’s first mission, the animated Creature Commandos. The TV-MA collection noticed Amanda Waller assemble a brand new squad now that she might solely use monsters. Flag was handpicked by Waller to function the staff’s discipline chief. The character performs a key position within the present, and Flag will get romantically linked to the villain.
Rick Flag Sr. then returned in James Gunn’s Superman film. Whereas the character was not within the movie as a lot as he was in Creature Commandos, Flag was nonetheless necessary. He was one of many members who weighed in on letting Lex Luthor imprison Superman after his dad and mom’ message was shared with the world. Flag was towards an anti-metahuman drive.
Now, Flag returns but once more to play an important position in Peacemaker season 2. As the brand new head of ARGUS, Frank Grillo’s DC character is straight answerable for the key group’s monitoring of John Cena’s Peacemaker. Whereas Flag is clearly involved in stopping one other interdimensional incident just like the one in Superman, the truth that Peacemaker killed his son performs a much bigger position.
Superman
Because of how Henry Cavill’s Man of Metal hardly appeared within the DCEU, regardless of the character being the primary within the franchise to steer a film, it was essential to the brand new franchise that Gunn’s DCU was in a position to make Superman have a much bigger presence this time round. That has labored out effectively for David Corenswet’s Superman, who led a profitable film.
Superman will finish 2025 because the highest-grossing superhero film of the yr, with a field workplace north of $600 million. Story-wise, the solo film did a unbelievable job of establishing a Man of Metal who was fully completely different from Cavill’s within the DCEU. This Superman movie was extra vibrant, with a hero who makes use of kindness as his largest energy.
Superman saved Metropolis and stopped Lex Luthor. Earlier than that, he made a cameo in Creature Commandos, proven lifeless in a nightmare sequence of what the longer term might appear to be if Princess Rostovic received. Just lately, Superman returned for an additional cameo in Peacemaker season 2’s premiere. He appeared alongside the Justice Gang because the staff changed the DCEU Justice League within the “Beforehand within the DCU.”
Supergirl
Milly Alcock’s Supergirl has additionally appeared within the first three tasks within the new DC Universe, all created by James Gunn, and is quickly set to make it 4, maybe changing into the only real character with that many appearances when 2026 comes. Alcock’s Supergirl was forged earlier than manufacturing on her solo film started, which led to rumors of her showing in Superman.
These turned out to be correct, as Alcock’s Supergirl made her DCU debut within the Superman film’s ending. The movie revealed that Superman was watching Krypto for his cousin, Kara, as he was Supergirl’s canine. It was additionally revealed that Supergirl likes to go to planets with pink suns, as they influence her powers and permit her to get drunk.
Earlier than her Superman look, Alcock’s Supergirl was additionally proven within the nightmare sequence in Creature Commandos. Like David Corenswet’s Superman, the hero has additionally returned to the DCU in Peacemaker season 2’s premiere. Whereas she by no means interacted with the Justice Gang in Superman, the collection revealed that she does staff up with them, like her cousin.
Peacemaker
Peacemaker is one more character who was proven lifeless within the Creature Commandos nightmare sequence. The anti-hero then appeared in Superman for one of many film’s largest shock cameos. There, Cena’s character was seen on TV as he went on a chat present to speak about his views on Superman. Fittingly, Peacemaker downplayed Superman to reward himself.
Now, the DC character is again in his largest position but because the lead of Gunn’s Peacemaker season 2. The collection rapidly explains how the present moved to the brand new DCU after which sends its characters on a journey that features one other dimension and a number of mayhem. By the top of Peacemaker season 2’s premiere, Christopher Smith kills his different self.
Hawkgirl
Lastly, Hawkgirl has additionally appeared within the DCU’s three tasks thus far. Like many of the characters on the checklist, Hawkgirl was a part of the intensive variety of DC characters proven deceased in Creature Commandos‘ nightmare sequence. Isabela Merced then got here again for Superman, the place her character had a much bigger position and helped the Man of Metal as a member of the Justice Gang.
Hawkgirl can also be a part of Peacemaker season 2. She seems alongside Man Gardner within the “Beforehand within the DCU” sequence at first of episode 1 for a joke about Inexperienced Lantern’s alleged puke fetish, changing Ezra Miller’s The Flash and Jason Momoa’s Aquaman. Then, she returns and mocks Peacemaker as he auditions to affix the Justice Gang.
With James Gunn writing and/or directing all three of the DCU’s first films and reveals, it’s fascinating that these 5 heroes have appeared in all of them. There could also be an ulterior motive to that, as one of many characters may very well be key to the DCU’s future. Supergirl leaps forward since 2026 will see her DCU solo film.
- Created by
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Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson
- Forged
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Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevingne, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Zachary Levi, Dwayne Johnson, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Robust, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett, Rosie Perez, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, Ewan McGregor, Idris Elba, John Cena, Michael Keaton, George Clooney, Xolo Mariduena
- Film(s)
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Man of Metal, Batman v Superman: Daybreak of Justice, Suicide Squad, Surprise Lady, Justice League, Aquaman, Shazam!, Birds of Prey, Surprise Lady 1984, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, The Suicide Squad, Black Adam, Shazam! The Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, Superman, The Courageous and the Daring
- Character(s)
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Superman, Batman, Surprise Lady, Aquaman, The Flash, Cyborg, Harley Quinn, The Joker, Shazam, Darkseid, Amanda Waller, Lex Luthor, Doomsday, Deadshot, Deathstroke, Black Canary, Black Adam