Exciting New Additions: A Look at the Upcoming Films and TV Shows in the DCU

With the release of Creature Commandos, I wanted to share an overview of the upcoming films and TV shows for the newly started DCU (DC Universe). December 2023 marked the end of the original DCEU with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. James Gunn then took over as the head creative executive to oversee the new DC universe. The DC universe is a soft reboot as some actors will be keeping their roles and reference events in the DCEU while others will be completely recast. It is an odd choice in my opinion. I think they should either reboot the entire franchise or not. The biggest draw here is that the DCU will tie together all TV shows, video games, and movies under its banner with the same actors playing the characters across all media. Regardless, we are here now so I want to enjoy it. There are also several DC films and TV shows that are not a part of the DC and are deemed Elseworlds. This includes The Batman and its sequels and spinoffs, Joker, Teen Titans, and The Harley Quinn show. James Gunn has titled the first chapter of DCU Gods and Monsters which will consist of six TV shows and six movies. No video games have been announced as of yet. With that explanation, here is the overview of chapter one of the DCU.

Creature Commandos: This is the first entry in the new DCU and just finished airing on Max. It is an animated TV show by James Gunn centered that is essentially the Suicide Squad but with non-human characters. It has characters like Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, Weasel, GI Robot, Dr. Phosphorus, and Nina Mzursky. The team is led by Rick Flagg Sr. and was created by Amanda Waller.

Superman: James Gunn labeled Superman as the "official" start to the DCU. This is the first theatrical film of the DC universe and stars David Corenswet as Superman. The movie looks to be a story about Superman in a fully occupied DC universe meaning the heroes are already present in the universe and there are no origin stories. This movie is written and directed by James Gunn and will be released on July 11th, 2025.

Peacemaker Season 2: This is the next release in the DCU and continues the story of John Cena's peacemaker. This is where the connection to the original DCEU gets a little murky. Season one was a part of the DCEU while season 2 is part of the rebooted universe meaning some elements of the first season will connect while others won't. Basically what I am seeing is that elements of the DCEU that James Gunn was a part of, get to stay in the new universe (Peacemaker, The Suicide Squad) while everything else gets an axe. At this point, I'm just waiting to see what happens. Season 2 of Peacemaker will air on Max in August of 2025.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow: This looks to be the second film of the DCU and has been described as a "big science fiction epic film" and "a beautiful star-spanning tale". It has Milly Alcock (Young Rhaenyra from House of the Dragon) as the titular character and also looks to feature Jason Mamoa as Lobo (so no more Jason Mamoa as Aquaman). James Gunn described this movie as showing the difference between Superman, who was raised on Earth by loving parents, and Supergirl, who was raised alone and watched everyone around her die. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is currently scheduled to release on June 26th, 2026.

Clayface: This is the final entry of the DCU that has a release date. This movie centers around the Batman villain who can shapeshift because of his magical clay body. The film was originally introduced as allowing the character to not be the villain like he is in the comics. Peter Safran (the other head of the DCU) has compared the film's tone to that of 1986's The Fly. The film is set to release on September 11th, 2026, and is being written by Mike Flanagan (the writer and Director of Doctor Sleep).

Waller: This is a TV show that is centered around the character Amanda Waller. Amanda Waller was first introduced in Suicide Squad played by Viola Davis and is one of the few characters that will make the transition over to the DCU. The show is said to be set after the second season of Peacemaker and is essentially a continuation of the Peacemaker series as several of the cast members of Peacemaker will reprise their roles.

Lanterns: This is a TV show focusing on Earth's two Green Lanterns, John Stewart and Hal Jordan. The show is described as an Earth-based detective story similar to True Detective. Peter Safran says that the mystery the Lanterns are investigating will tie into the greater DCU story and that the Lanterns would be an important part of the DCU. The cast includes Kyle Chandler as John Stewart and Aaron Pierre as Hal Jordan. The show is planned to have 8 episodes and is currently scheduled to be released around the same time as Supergirl.

The Authority: This is the next movie currently planned and is about a team that sees the world as currently broken and thinks that the only way to fix it is to take matters into their own hands. James Gunn used this film as an example when he said he wanted the DCU to showcase lesser-known characters and teams while still having the big names that everyone loves. Peter Safran compared the morally complex team to Jack Nicholson's character in A Few Good Men. The movie is also said to have ties to Superman.

Paradise Lost: This is another new show to be released on Max and takes place on the island of Themyscira. This show has been described as a political drama about the scheming and power struggles on the all-female island before the birth of Wonder Woman. James Gunn described Paradise Lost as similar to Game of Thrones. The show is also potentially inspired by the comic book story arc, Paradise Island Lost.

The Brave and the Bold: This is the next big-name movie that is planned and the introduction of Batman in the DCU. This movie is described as being a strange father and son story centered around Batman and his son Damien Wayne as a version of Robin and is said to explore the "Bat Family". The Brave and the Bold will be directed by Andy Muschietti, the director of The Flash, It and It: Chapter 2.

Booster Gold: This is the final series that was announced. The show centers around Booster Gold, a former football star from the 25th century who travels back in time and pretends to be a superhero with his basic futuristic technology. The show is described as being an "outright comedy" series.

Swamp Thing: This is the final film to be announced in the DCU. This movie is described as a gothic horror film about the origins of Swamp Thing. It is said to be tonally darker than any of the other films but is still planned to be interconnected with the DCU. Swamp Thing will be written and directed by James Mangold, director of Ford Vs Ferrari, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Logan, and A Complete Unknown.

If you want to hear from more than just me. Here is the video from James Gunn that he released a couple of years ago, describing his plans for the DCU.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY8XcmrIujE