It's time to take the pulse of the developing DCU. With the release of James Gunn's Superman just days away, all eyes are on the future of the franchise that Warner Bros. and DC Studios hope will become a key part of the cultural landscape in the coming years. It must be said that their previous attempts were not crowned with success, with the majority of proposed adaptations being at best forgotten, at worst castigated by viewers and critics.
Exit Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, and Ben Affleck; all the superheroes of the Justice League and those who worked alongside them are in new hands. This goes for the son of Krypton, who will now be played by David Corenswet. For his first adventures, the character is expected to confront numerous figures from the DC Comics universe, paving the way for sequels and spin-offs.
James Gunn and Peter Safran, appointed heads of DC Studios in 2022, are expected to work on the development of all these films. When defining the contours of this emerging saga, the two men have suggested that they will be dividing the future of the DCU into several phases, an approach inspired by that of Marvel. There is no doubt that Warner Bros. aims to tread on the toes of the House of Ideas.
Phase 1 – 2025 ∼
To open up his universe, James Gunn is banking on Superman and the introduction of some of his antagonists. A god facing iconic villains, James Gunn and Peter Safran have opted for the name “Gods and Monsters” to evoke the first films that will be released in theaters and the first series that will be coming to HBO Max.
Creature Commandos – December 2024
If Superman opens the ball in cinemas, it is with Creature Commandos that James Gunn opened the doors to his cinematic and television universe. The animated series was offered at the end of last year on HBO Max and told the story of the reunion of supernatural beings under the leadership of Amanda Waller and Rick Flag Sr.. The latter is also an essential component of Superman in cinema, the animated series was the first stone of a building that DC hopes to build so that it lasts. A second season has already been confirmed.
Superman – July 2025
On July 9, Superman will immerse viewers in the life of Clark Kent and his alter ego. According to recent information shared by Gunn, the plot begins as the superhero has been saving the widow and the orphan for three years now with his red and blue costume. The project, which was supposed to be called Superman: Legacy before Warner Bros. changed its mind to simply focus on Superman, should evolve around the character's difficulty in finding his place.
Under the spotlight after intervening during an armed conflict, the superhero is in the authorities' sights. At the same time, an iconic enemy emerges from the shadows with the firm intention of bringing him down. Between his Kryptonian heritage and his human upbringing, Clark will have to question his place in the world.
Peacemaker Season 2 – August 22, 2025
This is a series that occupies a particular place within the new DCU. Born under Walter Hamada, Peacemaker is a spin-off of James Gunn's Suicide Squad. It revolves around the character played by John Cena as he forms a new team to thwart an international conspiracy. Its first season, although outside the theatrical releases, made obvious references to Justice League and Suicide Squad. The first season finale even featured some members of the team, Aquaman and The Flash were shown from the front while the others appeared in the shadows.
A critical success, the series was thus not abandoned with the reboot of the DC universe and will have to seize this inconsistency to continue. James Gunn promised that this question would be raised by the story and that it would not be a matter of business as usual.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow – June 24, 2026
Gods and monsters… DC will dedicate a film to Supergirl for the first time since 1984. After Helen Slater in front of Jeannot Szwarc's camera and Sasha Calle in The Flash by Andrés Muschietti, it is Milly Alcock who will don the costume in front of Craig Gillespie's camera. The director of I, Tonya and Cruella is expected to draw inspiration from a comic book with the same title as the film and follow Kara Zor-El as she meets a certain Rythye Marye Knoll, a young girl wanting revenge on Krem.
Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz and Emily Beecham will star in the film, which will hit theaters worldwide in June 2026. Jason Momoa is also expected to appear as Lobo. As a reminder, he played Aquaman in the previous DCU.
Clayface – September 2026
He could make an appearance in The Batman: Part II, he was at the heart of Bruce Timm's animated series, Clayface will also, and above all, be the headliner of an upcoming film written by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini. Set for release in 2026, Clayface will be the third film in the DCU and the first to tackle horror. The story will revolve around a B-movie actor who injects himself with a substance that allows him to remain attractive enough to land roles. The body-horror should offer a captivating dive into the ruthless world of Hollywood. It's not yet known who will play the main character, nor who will be opposite him.
Lanterns – 2026
Alongside the cinematic offerings, DC will expand its universe onto the small screen. This will be true with Peacemaker but also Lanterns, a live-action series promised for 2026 on HBO Max. Developed by Damon Lindelof (The Leftovers and Watchmen), it will revolve around two intergalactic cops, John Stewart and Hal Jordan, as they are confronted with a dark mystery on Earth. Deep in America, they will investigate a murder and find themselves in the middle of dangerous events.
After Guy Gardner, the DCU will feature two other famous Green Lanterns in a series that promises to be a fine blend of science fiction and crime thriller. Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler will appear opposite each other on the small screen. Filming has begun.
In development at the moment
Other projects have been mentioned by James Gunn and Peter Safran, without the duo saying anything more about the content of the story or the planned release window. This is particularly true for Batman: The Brave and The Bold, which promises to feature a new Bruce Wayne actor. Andy Muschietty will direct the project. The director of The Flash is set to tell the story of the reunion between Bruce Wayne and his illegitimate son Damian Wayne. The latter will appear as Robin, offering a fresh perspective on the duo. It has been promoted as "a strange father-son story."
Elsewhere in the franchise, the series about Amanda Waller has apparently been canceled. Her relationship with her daughter Leota was supposed to be the entry point, but it will apparently have to settle for the events depicted in Peacemaker. Another series worth mentioning is the series Paradise Lost, which is set to chronicle life on Wonder Woman's home island before her film is made. It was confirmed this week by James Gunn himself.
Movies and series to consider
- Paradise Lost – series on HBO Max
- Batman: The Brave and the Bold – film
- The Authority – film
- Swamp Thing – film
- Sgt. Rock – film
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