Warner Bros. Discovery revealed last year that Guardians of the Galaxy And peace director James Gunn and Aquaman producer Peter Safran has been hired to lead as co-CEO of DC Studios. Since that reveal, DC fans have been speculating what the new DCU of Gunn and Safran, the duo are calling the new DC cinematic universe, will look like in the years to come.
Gunn has repeatedly teased on Twitter that he, Safran, and others are building their long-term plans for DCU and now, today, the duo has closed the curtain on the first 10 projects. All 10 of these projects, including film and television, will be featured in Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.
“DC Studios is unprecedented,” Safran told the press during a private meeting, where he and Gunn revealed what’s coming for Gods and Monsters, as reported by Diversity. “It’s an independent studio and production unit. For the first time, everything related to DC – film, TV, live-action, animation, games – has all come together under one vision. creative, visionary James and I.”
Before diving into the 10 individual projects that make up the first chapter of DCU, it’s important to note that no director has been involved in any of the following projects, nor has any actors been chosen. (except for Viola Davis, who will return to play Amanda Waller as she did in both suicide squad movies and peace). Diversity reports that Gunn and Safran also left the door open for Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa’s Aquaman, Ezra Miller’s Flash, and Zachary Levi’s Shazam, without confirming exactly what roles they will have in the new DCU. However, unfortunately for Man of Steel fans, the duo have confirmed that Henry Cavill will not be returning as Superman.
Gunn and Safran brought together writers like Drew Goddard (Mars), Jeremy Slater (Moonlight Knight), Christina Hobson (Lightning, Bat Lady), Christal Henry (the guard), and comic book author Tom King (Batman) to help build DCU’s list of movies and TV shows.
“We sat in the room for a few days and started working out what the basic master plan could be,” says Gunn. “Not so much that it ties your wrists, but enough for us to know what the basic story is, where we’re going. And that’s what we’ll continue to do.”
Safran and Gunn want to release about two movies and two TV series into DCU each year, according to Diversitybut the duo say they won’t sacrifice quality of writing or production to meet this timeline.
“People have become attentive [release] dates, to get movies made no matter what,” says Gunn, Diversity report. “Honestly, I’m a writer, and we’re not going to make the movie until the script is done.” He added, “The screenwriters were completely removed from the loop to make room for the actors and directors. [in Hollywood]and making the writer stand out and matter more in the process is really important to us.”
10 movies and TV shows in chapter 1 of DCU
Superman: Legacy
Movie
Superman: Legacy will hit theaters on July 11, 2025 and be “the beginning of the DCU,” according to Safran, as reported by Diversity. It is being written by Gunn, and although this is the official opening of the DCU, it will not be an origin story. Safran said the film will focus on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing, before addressing the decades-old theme of heroism: “He’s the one the embodiment of truth, justice, and American style. He’s kind in a world that thinks kindness is old-fashioned.”
No director is attached, but Safran hopes Gunn will direct it. Meanwhile, the Superman movie, produced by JJ Abrams and written by Te-Nehisi Coates, is still in development and will exist outside of the DCU.
authorization
Movie
Superman: Legacy will lead straight in authorization, Diversity reports, and is a compilation film about superheroes who “basically believe you can’t fix the world easily and they do everything on their own,” according to Gunn. Originally Wildstorm comic book characters, they were introduced into DC with DC’s New 52 comic book line, which debuted in 2011.
Brave and daring
Movie
Brave and daring will introduce the Bat family to the DCU, and will introduce a Batman completely separate from Matt Reeves’ “Elseworlds” Batman universe starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne. The first Batfamily character will be Damian Wayne as Robin, whom Gunn describes as “our favorite Robin”, “ab***h’s little child”, “assassin” and “murderer” , according to Diversity.
Brave and daring will be based on the Batman comics by Grant Morrison, and will be a father-son story about Bruce and Damian Wayne.
Supergirl: Woman of tomorrow
Movie
Supergirl: Woman of tomorrow will be based on King’s comic book series of the same name running from 2021 to 2022. The film will feature Superman’s cousin, Kara Zor-El.
“We see the difference between Superman, who was sent to Earth and raised by loving parents as an infant, and Superman, who grew up on a rock off the coast of Krypton. , and watched people around them die and be horribly killed. The way in the first 14 years of life,” Gunn said, according to Diversity.
swamp thing
Movie
DCU’s swamp thing will “investigate the dark origins of the Swamp Thing,” according to Safran, and it will do so through the lens of horror. The film will also aim to give fans the excitement of the experience Guardians of the Galaxy brought the cosmic aspect of the MCU to DC, a universe rooted in life here on Earth.
creature commando
Animated TV show
creature commando will be an animated TV show for HBO Max and the first project to get the green light from Gunn and Safran. Gunn wrote each episode and the show is currently in production. Featuring characters like Frankenstein monsters, vampires, gorgons, and werewolves, the original Creature Commandos that debuted in the 1980s teamed up to fight the Nazis during World War II, according to Diversity. by Gunn creature commando will introduce Weasel from his 2021 movie suicide squad along with Rick Flag Sr., the father of Rick Flag appeared in the same movie.
Gunn said the voice actors who voice the characters in the animated show will also play live-action roles later in the DCU’s life.
creature commando expected to come out first Superman: Legacy.
wall maker
Live action TV show
season 2 of peace was paused while Gunn worked on Superman: Legacy, Diversity report, and in its place will be Wall builder. This series will take place between the first and second seasons of peace and will see Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller return.
wall maker expected to come out first Superman: Legacy.
lantern
Live action TV show
Based on Diversity, lantern would be “an HBO-quality big event…very similar to True detective.” It will focus on Hal Jordan and John Stewart as the famous Green Lantern, who will investigate a mystery that Safran says “plays a really big role leading us into the main story we’re telling.” on his film and television.” He added that “[Lanterns] It’s a very important program for us.”
The long-running Green Lantern series developed by Greg Berlanti for HBO Max is no longer in development. Safran said Berlanti’s series is more like a “space opera”, while lantern Is one “true detective, investigation story on the ground.”
Heaven is lost
Acton live TV show
Heaven is lost will be one Game of Thrones-esque story set on Themyscira, the island of Wonder Woman’s birthplace. “It’s really about the political intrigue behind an all-women society,” Safran said, before Gunn added, “How did that happen? What are the origins of an all-women island? is the beautiful truth and the evil truth behind it all? And what kind of conspiracy between the different power players in that society?”
Gold Enhancement
Live action TV show
Diversity write that Gold Enhancement will allow DCU to incorporate comedy into its stories. Safran says Booster Gold is “a loser from the future who uses the underlying technology of the future to come back today and pretend to be a superhero.” Gunn added that “[Booster Gold] is the imposter syndrome as a superhero.”
And that’s the 10-project lineup for Chapter 1: Gunn’s Gods and Monsters and Safran’s new DCU.
[Source: Variety]
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