Five upcoming movies and five television shows will lay the foundation for the new DC Universe. Anticipation has run wild regarding the 8-10 year plan being overseen by DC Studios CEOs Peter Safran and James Gunn. While a few teased tidbits have been revealed since the dynamic duo was placed in charge of the superhero projects owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, little has been confirmed beyond the fact that James Gunn was writing a Superman reboot movie.
The wait for information came to an end with a video released by James Gunn, in which he laid out the plan to “make sure the DCU is connected in film, television, gaming, and animation” while still allowing for various Elseworlds projects like Matt Reeves’ The Batman trilogy. The premiere section of the new DCU, titled “Gods and Monsters,” will act as the prelude to the first chapter of the larger DCU storyline, offering an expansive look at everything the DC Comics setting has to offer across time and space. Here is the breakdown of everything that is known about the movies and shows kicking off the new DCU.
10 Creature Commandos (Series)
The only animated series announced as part of “Gods and Monsters,” Creature Commandos is based on one of DC Comics’ most obscure teams, which first appeared in 1980’s Weird War Tales #93. The show centers upon the titular team of monsters, who are employed by a secret branch of the American government called Project M for missions outside the scope of normal military operations. The series will be written by James Gunn and is set at some point in the recent past of the DCU, as evidenced by the team being led by Rick Flagg Sr., who is the father of Rick Flagg Jr. from The Suicide Squad.
9 Waller (Series)
Viola Davis will return as Amanda “The Wall” Waller for a new HBO Max series centered around the imposing woman who manages Task Force X. Following up on the events of Peacemaker season 1, the cast of Waller will include members of Team Peacemaker. Beyond that, nothing is known about the cast or storyline. However, it promises to be strange and steeped in comic book lore, given that the series is being overseen by Watchmen television series writer Crystal Henry and Doom Patrol showrunner Jeremy Carver.
8 Superman: Legacy (Film)
The first film set in the new DCU, Superman: Legacy is scheduled for a July 11, 2025 release. Legacy doesn’t have a director or a lead actor yet, but James Gunn is writing the script. The DCU Superman reboot will be focused on a young adult Clark Kent, already established as Superman, as he tries to balance his life as Clark with his responsibilities as Superman. One of the key themes will be Clark’s difficulty in embodying hope in a cynical world that sees kindness as weakness and has a harder time believing in a truly selfless hero than the idea that a man can fly.
7 Lanterns (Series)
Described by James Gunn as “a terrestrial-based TV show… like True Detective,” Lanterns will feature the Green Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan as the space cops assigned to protect Earth. It is unclear if Lanterns is meant to replace the upcoming HBO Max Green Lantern Corps series that was already in pre-production or if it will lead into it, given the Green Lantern Corps cast didn’t include Hal Jordan or John Stewart. In either case, the science fiction police procedural will center around the Green Lanterns’ investigation into a terrifying mystery that will tie into the larger story of the new DCU.
6 The Authority (Film)
Originally created for DC Comics’ Wildstorm imprint in 1999, The Authority is a team of antiheroes who, in the words of James Gunn, “think the world is broken and… want to fix it by any means necessary.” Originally intended to be a dark satire of how vigilantes with superpowers would operate in the real world, The Authority was introduced into DC Comics’ Universe in 2011’s New 52 revamp. Their inclusion in the new DCU is interesting given the optimistic bend of Superman: Legacy, suggesting a coming conflict between The Authority and the Man of Steel.
5 Paradise Lost (Series)
Set in the Amazon homeland of Themyscira, Paradise Lost will be set before Wonder Woman’s birth and explore the intrigue at the heart of Amazon society. James Gunn likened the series to Game of Thrones, teasing an element of dark fantasy along with the politics. This suggests that the series may draw off of recent comics, like Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons, which explored the conflict between the Olympian Amazons ruled by Hippolyta, the Egyptian Amazons of Bana-Mighdall, and the Amazons of Atalanta.
4 The Brave and the Bold (Film)
Centering upon an older Batman and the Damian Wayne Robin, The Brave and the Bold will offer a unique take on the classic Dynamic Duo. Based on the Batman comics of Grant Morrison, the film will explore the father and son relationship between Bruce Wayne and Damian, the son he never knew he had, who was raised in secret as an assassin. No cast or creative team has been confirmed, but James Gunn said The Brave and the Bold will feature other members of the Batman family and could feature actors who previously played those parts, such as TItans’ Brenton Thwaites as Nightwing.
3 Booster Gold (Series)
Billing himself as “The Greatest Hero You’ve Never Heard Of,” Booster Gold started out as a glory hound more concerned with fame and fortune than saving lives. In time, Booster grew into one of the foremost guardians of DC Comics’ timeline. No creative team or cast has been announced for the HBO Max series, but Nathan Fillion has dreamed of playing Booster Gold for years and is a frequent collaborator of James Gunn. The series could also be made as a vehicle for Donald Faison, who was cast as Booster Gold in the final episode of Legends of Tomorrow and intended to have a major role before that series’ cancelation.
2 Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (Film)
Based on the comic book series of the same name by Tom King and Bilquis Evely, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will offer a drastically different take on Kara Zor-El than the Arrowverse Supergirl series that ran for six seasons. Described by James Gunn as “a big science-fiction epic,” the story will follow Kara as she explores the galaxy, seeking new purpose and an identity outside of being Superman’s cousin. She will also cope with the survivor’s guilt born of being the last person who remembers Krypton.
1 Swamp Thing (Film)
The final film to establish the new DC Universe, Swamp Thing will explore the origins of the monster called Swamp Thing and delve into the dark horror side of the DCU. James Gunn claims that while Swamp Thing will seem “tonally outside of the rest of the DCU,” it will tie into the larger story tying all the television series and movies together. This suggests the new film will draw from the comics of Alan Moore, which revitalized the character in the 1980s and established a new cosmology for DC Comics based around mystic forces like The Green and The Red.