With the end of Zack Snyder‘s DCEU, new co-CEOs Peter Safran and James Gunn have taken over with an entirely new direction in mind. After Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the DC universe, as fans know it, is officially over. While Gunn has retained some characters, most main heroes, like Superman and Batman, are being recast in new movie and TV projects.
Gunn isn’t new to the superhero genre of filmmaking and has had several successes in Marvel films like The Guardians of the Galaxy movies and Suicide Squad. His intention with the new DCU is to start afresh with a more collected storyline. Gunn also noted that certain stories such as the Robert Pattinson-led Batman and Joaquin Phoenix-led Joker will be categorized as “Elseworlds” stories. In January 2023, Gunn shared on social media that this new era of the DCU will begin with Chapter 1 – Gods and Monsters. Here are some of the upcoming movies and TV shows in the main DCU timeline and Elseworlds catalog that fans are excited about.
1. Superman Legacy
Superman Legacy is Gunn’s most awaited project, with a release date of July 11th, 2025. Superman Legacy is a Superman movie expected to follow the Man of Steel in his early days at the Daily Planet as he struggles to balance his Kryptonian and human life. This might sound like the script for Snyder’s 2013 Man of Steel. The one major difference is that Henry Cavill won’t be reprising his role as Kal-El. Instead, Gunn is going for a much fresher cast with David Corenswet as Clark Kent. Other cast members include Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hault as Lex Luthor, and Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen.
2. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
While fans fell in love with the version of Supergirl in the Flash movie, the actress Sasha Calle will not return to DC for that role. The Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow movie is inspired by Tom King and Bliquis Evely’s comics that follow Kara Zor-El as a Kryptonian adolescent. She won’t be the fun-loving character that fans have come to know her as in previous renditions because, in this storyline, she will experience through a lot of trauma, making her a much darker Hero.
3. Peacemaker Season 2
For a while, fans were scared that with Gunn and Safran taking over, they would cancel some of the anticipated TV shows and movies in the DCU. While this was true for several shows, Gunn revealed that John Cena’s hit TV series wouldn’t get the same treatment. With the butterflies being defeated in the first season, Peacemaker Season 2 could show viewers what happened next with Task Force X and Argus exposed to the public. Peacemaker season 2 will return for a second season with its original cast but a different but still exciting theme song than the ones fans loved in the first season.
4. Waller
Waller (Viola Davis) was first introduced to DC fans in the DCEU film The Suicide Squad. And with the success of Peacemaker, Waller is the character fans will be excited to know more about. She is a more sinister version of Nick Fury tasked with using villains to commit noble but deadly acts for the greater good. With expected cameos from characters in Peacemaker, like her daughter, this will be a fun ride for DC fans.
5. The Brave and the Bold
Batman fans will certainly be excited with Gunn’s DC Universe because he loves the bat. Aside from Matt Reeves’ Batman II, fans should expect another Batman film, The Brave and the Bold. This Batman film will focus on Bruce Wayne as Batman and his estranged son Damian Wayne as Robin. The inspiration for this film comes from Grant Morrison’s comics, but unfortunately, Ben Affleck will not reprise his role as Batman in the DCU. Casting for the lead actor of this movie is still ongoing.
6. The Batman 2
While Reeves’ The Batman storyline takes place in the Elseworlds, it is one of the most successful DC projects in the last few years. This dark noir investigative film follows a young Bruce Wayne as he tries to solve crimes in Gotham with the help of Detective Gordon. The film received critical acclaim and quickly earned itself a sequel, The Batman II, with new villains and more dark knight. Batman fans must wait until 2025 to see Robert Pattinson wear the Dark Knight suit again. But before then, fans can expect to catch up with what’s happening in DC’s Gotham with the first Batman spinoff series, The Penguin.
7. The Penguin
Another exciting entry on the James Gunn’s list of upcoming movies and TV shows in the DCU is the Colin Farrell-led The Penguin. The upcoming series is a spin-off of The Batman and will air on HBO later in 2024 following Oswald Cobblepot, aka the Penguin, played by the talented and unrecognizable Colin Farrel, as he rises the ranks of Gotham’s crime world after the death of Carmine Falcone in the first Batman movie. This series will feature more Gotham villains as the Penguin finds himself in politics with the recent tragedy in Gotham. This is one of DC’s most highly awaited series.
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