By George Bate & Josh Bate
At a press event on Monday, leaders of DC Studios James Gunn and Peter Safran revealed their plans for upcoming films and television shows based on DC comics.
The first slate of revamped movies and TV shows will be titled “Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.” Gunn and Safran discussed the messy history of DC projects and championed a unity of vision moving forward, in which projects will not be greenlit unless they are ready to do so.
The following are the projects announced by Gunn and Safran.
Creature Commandos
An animated seven-episode series is already in production. Written by Gunn himself, the series is based on a team of monsters who assembled to fight Nazis. Voice actors have yet to be chosen, but the characters may eventually appear in live-action as well.
Waller
VIola Davis will lead an Amanda Waller spin-off series on HBO Max. The series is written by Christal Henry (Watchmen) and Jeremy Carver (Doom Patrol)
Superman: Legacy
Superman: Legacy, a new film written by James Gunn, will release on July 11, 2025. It is unclear if Gunn will direct however. Regarding this project, Safran said, ““It’s not an origin story. It focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way. He is kindness in a world that thinks that kindness as old-fashioned.”
Lanterns
A Green Lantern detective series, inspired by True Detective, is also in the works. It will feature Hal Jordan and John Stewart, who will be playing “a really big role” in DC moving forward. Of note, Safran said that television shows will not necessarily stream on HBO Max, saying the likes of Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix are potential homes for future DC shows.
The Authority
Another new superhero team will feature in an upcoming DC movie. The Authority will follow a group of superheroes from the Wildstorm imprint of DC in the 1990s.
Paradise Lost
A Game of Thrones-esque Wonder Woman prequel set on the all-female island of Themyscira is in development. This will take place before Patty Jenkins’ films.
The Brave and the Bold
A new Batman movie is in development that will mark the “introduction of the DCU Batman,” separate from Robert Pattinson’s character. Bruce Wayne is accompanied by his son Damian Wayne, who is Robin, described by Gunn as a “little son of a bitch.” The film will draw inspiration from Grant Morrison’s Batman run in which the caped crusader was introduced to a son he never knew.
The Batman 2
Matt Reeves is writing and directing a sequel to The Batman, which will release on October 3, 2025. This is part of a separate collection of projects, grouped under the title “DC Elseworlds.”
Booster Gold
An HBO Max series will feature the beloved Booster Gold character.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
A Supergirl solo movie is also in development. “We 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. She is much more hardcore and not the Supergirl we’re used to.”
Swamp Thing
Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters of the new DC Universe will conclude with a horror movie – Swamp Thing.
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James Gunn and Peter Safran were surprisingly transparent to the press about the future of DC films and television shows, and how they hope to correct the wrongs of the past.
Before the new DC Universe is launched, there are still various films from the old regime. Shazam! Fury of the Gods releases March 17, Blue Beetle releases on August 18, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom releases December 25. In addition, The Flash will release on June 16, a film Gunn called “probably one of the greatest superhero movies ever made.”
Safran spoke about how the studio is committed to Ezra Miller’s recovery, following various controversies over the last few years. It is unclear if Miller will feature in their upcoming plans.
Regarding the divisive return and then swift exit of Henry Cavill as Superman, Gunn said, “We didn’t fire Henry. Henry was never cast. “For me, it’s about who do I want to cast as Superman and who do the filmmakers we have want to cast. And for me, for this story, it isn’t Henry. I like Henry, I think he’s a great guy. I think he’s getting dicked around by a lot of people, including the former regime at this company. But this Superman is not Henry, for a number of reasons.”