Director and writer James Gunn has taken over the DC Universe and revealed the first batch of projects under his supervision. His partner, Peter Safran helped craft the vision and each of the men will oversee different projects as the franchise continues to grow. On the video, Gunn makes a strong push for “artistic vision” so it will be interesting to see how that shakes out. Through a video posted on his personal Twitter, he laid out the plans. Below, we include a link to the video and a batch of the projects of note.
New Movies
Superman: Legacy – Anticipated Release Date for July 2025
Written by Gunn, this one looks to be the first real film to hit theaters in his vision. While Peacemaker and “leftover” DCEU films will hit theaters first, this is the big one. How it shakes out may decide the future of the comic-book company.
The Batman – Part II – Anticipated Release October 2025
Gunn mentions the purpose of the “Else Worlds” branding to help differentiate the projects that will be unaffiliated to the DC Universe he’s building. The biggest of these projects is undoubtedly Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson‘s return to the Bat-Verse they’re building. Coming off a handful of Oscar nominations, the early-year release scored more than $369 million at the US Box Office. It’s a far stronger start than Nolan’s Batman Begins, making The Batman – Part II one of the most anticipated comic book movies in some time.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
It’ll be awesome to see Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow adapted for the big screen. Tom King‘s story rules, and this could be one of the big breakthroughs for Gunn and Safran. While Supergirl has been active on the small screen, mass audiences will be thrilled to see her in action. Fingers crossed.
The Brave and the Bold
Glad we are exploring new options with our Batman titles (not sarcasm, I promise). What is most exciting about this one is the inclusion of Damian Wayne, a little assassin Robin that will definitely take on a vastly different tone than we’ve seen in the past. By default, this means older Batman, so look at actors over the age of 40 that could conceivably wear the cowl.
Swamp Thing
This one could be very cool if there’s an actual commitment to make this a horror film. If they take the edge off, it could likely be a bomb. DC has proven itself willing to push boundaries in terms of bloody and violence. They’ll need to continue that here. Cautiously our personal most anticipated, but we need to see who gets the tap to direct.
The Authority
The most obscure of the film’s on the slate, Gunn and co. are bringing the Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch comic to life. First released in the late 1990s, the title was something of a re-launch for the Stormwatch characters that Ellis wrote during the early 1990s. This has Guardians vibes all over it and seems primed to explore some interesting territory. The “By any Means Necessary” vibe was handled well by Peacemaker in Season 1, so it will be curious to see if Gunn pushes it with this team.
TV Series
Paradise Lost
It feels odd to relegate the potential arrival of Woman Woman to the small screen. Still, the world of Themyscira is rich, and if the Game of Thrones-speak gets a Game of Thrones commitment from HBOMax/Discovery, there’s plenty to be excited about. Let’s get the sword and sandals epic that Themyscira deserves.
Green Lanterns
Finally getting our alien friends back in the mix, this time mixing up Hal Jordan and John Stewart. The description Gunn offered is “True Detective,” which feels like director-speak we’ve seen from the MCU in the past (looking at you Captain America: Winter Soldier). Still, Sarfan oversees the project, and the promise to cross these two into the larger mystery of the DC Universe is exciting for John Stewart alone.
Waller
Viola Davis is in. We’re in. Fingers crossed.
Creature Commandos
More Gunn silliness, which bodes well. Think more of Suicide Squad, but animated. These characters are supposed to cross into live-action in the future, but the intro will be via an animated series.
Booster Gold
Another wild choice, but Gunn and Safran are ready to take some unknown characters and get them into the lexicon. Booster Gold feels like “what if Syndrome became a superhero instead of a villain,” which again opens the door for some interesting moral quandaries. I’d expect it to take on a tone similar to Peacemaker‘s, and an action-comedy would be an excellent addition to this slate.
