James Gunn has revealed new information about the upcoming DC slate including release dates for his Superman film, a Peacemaker spin-off about Amanda Waller, and more. Check out the announcements below.
Creature Commandos
The first project to be greenlit by the new CEOs Gunn and Peter Safran and written entirely by Gunn will be an animated series — Creature Commandos. The seven-episode series will center on the monstrous heroes who protected the world before superheroes.
Waller
Continuing her run as Amanda Waller for the new slate of DC projects is Viola Davis, who will reprise her Suicide Squad and Peacemaker role. The Waller series is set to of course center around the no-nonsense head of the Suicide Squad and will be a continuation of the Peacemaker series.
Lanterns
This series will focus on two versions of the Green Lantern — both Hal Jordan and John Stewart, and Gunn also states in the announcement that other Lanterns will be seen in this series as well. Lanterns will find a home on HBO Max.
Paradise Lost
Another series announcement, this time focusing on Wonder Woman’s home island of Themyscira. Gunn describes the project as a Game of Thrones-esque fantasy, and fans can expect to see content from the recent Kelly Sue DeConnick led Wonder Woman: Historia project from DC Black Label. The series will also find a home on HBO Max.
The Brave and the Bold
The DCU’s version of Batman will be introduced in this feature film, as well as Bruce Wayne’s son and eventual Robin — Damian Wayne. The Brave and the Bold will take inspiration from Grant Morrison’s Batman comics run, in which Bruce Wayne discovers he has a son he never knew existed that was raised by assassins, making one very strange father-and-son story.
Bruce Wayne will be played by a new actor — not Ben Affleck or Robert Pattinson, the latter who will continue his run separately in the Reeves-verse.
Superman: Legacy
As for Superman, the film, titled Superman: Legacy, will debut theatrically on July 11, 2025. The story is intended to reintroduce Clark Kent and his red cape wearing alter-ego. Gunn has promised that his version of the hero wouldn’t be another origin story film, and with Henry Cavill out of the picture, Gunn is aiming to cast a younger actor for the role.
Peter Safran further reaffirmed that statement by explaining the film “focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage, with his human upbringing. Superman represents truth, justice, and the American way. He is kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned.”
Booster Gold
The series will be based on Dan Jurgens’ fan-favorite hero and is right up Gunn’s alley. Booster Gold is a man who traveled back in time with one goal — to become the most famous superhero of all. Gunn describes the character as “imposter syndrome as superhero.” The series will also find a home on HBO Max.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Inspired by the recent Tom King mini-series, the studio heads promise this film will change what people think of when Superman’s cousin comes to mind.
“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.”
The Authority
Another film on the slate is The Authority, based on a team of superheroes with rather extreme methods of protecting the planet. The team originated in the late 1990s under Wildstorm, run by artist and now lead of DC Publishing Jim Lee. About the team, Gunn had the following to say:
“One of the things of the DCU is that it’s not just a story of heroes and villains. Not every film and TV show is going to be about good guy vs. bad guy, giant things from the sky comes and good guy wins. There are white hats, black hats and grey hats.” Added Safran: “They are kinda like Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men. They know that you want them on the wall. Or at least they believe that.”
Swamp Thing
Outside of the DCU (which is officially dubbed the DC Elseworld, containing other titles like Todd Phillip’s Joker-verse and Teen Titans GO!) will be a supernatural element, introduced with none-other than Swamp Thing. This feature film will introduce the avatar of the Green.
In addition to the slate of new announcements, Gunn confirmed the four films from the studio set to release this year — Shazam! Fury of the Gods on March 17, The Flash on June 16, Blue Beetle on August 18, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom finishing out the year on December 25.
While there is no official confirmation thus far, Gunn states there is nothing that would prohibit these actors from reprising their roles in the future, despite Ezra Miller’s continued personal and legal issues and Zachary Levi’s recent online controversy.
“Actors, filmmakers that I work with are going to say things that I agree with, and things that I don’t agree with,” said Gunn, who himself faced backlash and a loss of work in 2018 after controversial tweets surfaced. “I can’t be changing my plans all the time because an actor says something that I don’t agree with. At the same token, if someone is doing something that is morally reprehensible, that’s a different story. And we have to take that into account.”
Henry Cavill, who was tapped to return as Superman following his reprisal of the role in Black Adam, will not return to the role after all, as Gunn states he was “never cast.”
Stay tuned for updates and news on the upcoming DC slate, and watch Gunn’s announcement below.
