It’s been greater than two years since DC Studios co-chief James Gunn introduced the official lineup for Chapter One of his rebooted DC Universe (DCU). Since then, not quite a bit has modified – certainly, just one venture has been launched (that being Creature Commandos season 1) whereas two extra (Clayface and Dynamic Duo) have added to the DCU’s present slate.
That was the case till the newest DCU press occasion was held final Friday (February 21), anyway, with Gunn and fellow studio CEO Peter Safran offering essentially the most vital replace but on their DCU Chapter One plans. Here are the six greatest takeaways from the presentation:
1. Robert Pattinson will not be the DCU’s Batman
After months of hypothesis, Gunn and Safran confirmed that Robert Pattison’s Bruce Wayne/Batman will not be built-in into the DCU. The pair’s stance on the matter comes after quite a few reviews that Matt Reeves’ Batman Universe, dubbed The Batman Epic Crime Saga, can be folded into the DCU. Apparently, that will have seen Reeves put in as the primary inventive voice for the Caped Crusader’s big- and small-screen variations at DC Studios, and seen forthcoming movies like The Batman Part II merged into Chapter One’s lineup.
That will not be occurring, although. Gunn informed reporters (per IGN) that Reeves’ Bat-Verse will proceed to take a seat independently of the DCU, and that progress is being made on the DCU Chapter One’s upcoming Dark Knight film, aka The Brave and the Bold. Indeed, a author has been employed and, as soon as they’ve filed a script, it’s going to be regarded over by Gunn, Safran, and the movie’s director Andy Muschietti to find out whether or not it is ok to enter full manufacturing.
2. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and Lanterns get vital filming updates
Gunn’s Superman film is the following DCU venture that will probably be launched – it’s going to fly into theaters on July 11 – however two different Chapter One productions I’m actually enthusiastic about acquired large manufacturing updates eventually week’s presentation.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which is able to launch in cinemas worldwide in June 2026, is halfway by way of its taking pictures schedule (per Deadline). That flick will star House of the Dragon alumnus Milly Alcock because the titular hero, who we obtained our first take a look at in a picture that’ll be very acquainted to DC comedian e-book followers, with Jason Momoa just lately solid as immortal anti-hero Lobo.
On the TV entrance, Lanterns, which is being billed as a ‘new bizarre’ sci-fi tackle HBO’s acclaimed anthology crime collection True Detective, simply wrapped its first week of filming. According to the identical Deadline article within the earlier paragraph, it may very well be launched on Max in early 2026. It’ll star Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler as co-leads Jon Stewart and Hal Jordan, too, who’re two of essentially the most recognizable characters to have held the Green Lantern moniker.
3. New particulars emerge about Mike Flanagan’s Clayface film
One of the newer initiatives that was greenlit for DCU Chapter One, horror auteur Mike Flanagan’s Clayface movie is because of begin filming in mid-2025, in response to Gunn and Safran. Per IGN, it’s going to even be an R-rated flick, with Gunn including that it will be “pure f***ing horror, like, completely actual. Their model of that film, it’s so actual and true and psychological and physique horror and gross.”
Gunn and Safran confirmed reviews that James Watkins, the filmmaker behind 2024’s Speak No Evil film, is on board to direct Clayface. It’s at the moment penciled in for launch in September 2026.
4. Paradise Lost, Booster Gold, and Swamp Thing are all nonetheless in improvement…
Given the size of time that is handed since DCU Chapter One’s lineup was revealed, followers have began to develop involved that a few of the introduced initiatives will not get made in spite of everything. Well, Gunn and Safran have moved to allay a few of these fears.
For starters, the duo revealed that Paradise Lost, a Game of Thrones-esque collection that might introduce Dian Prince/Wonder Woman to the DCU, remains to be within the works. No author has been discovered to pen its scripts but, although.
Meanwhile, whereas a showrunner/head author had been discovered for Booster Gold, one other DCU TV present, Safran revealed (per The Hollywood Reporter) that the unnamed particular person finally walked away from the venture. A brand new scribe has been discovered, so it sounds prefer it’s full steam forward on this one once more.
Then there’s Swamp Thing, one other horror-fueled movie that is coming from James Mangold (Logan, A Complete Unknown). Safran mentioned (by way of Deadline) that the ball is firmly in Mangold’s court docket about its improvement, however added that he and Gunn are assured he’ll get round to it within the close to future.
5. …but it surely’s not nice information for Waller or The Authority
Two DCU productions which are in bother, nonetheless, are Waller and The Authority.
Where the previous is anxious, Safran admitted: “We’ve taken a few cracks at it however nonetheless haven’t been in a position to land [it]”, so this follow-up to 2021’s The Suicide Squad, final yr’s first season of Creature Commandos, and this yr’s Peacemaker season 2 (it is set to reach someday in August) is on ice in the interim.
As for The Authority, Gunn informed the assembled press: “(It’s) the one which obtained messed with by way of all the different issues that have been occurring. The script had a tougher time coming alongside”. The cause? Gunn and Safran mentioned it is tough to make a superhero film or TV present that takes a cynical method to the comedian e-book medium, which The Authority‘s supply materials does. Despite the massive success that The Boys‘ TV adaptation has had at Prime Video, the pair added that audiences could have grown uninterested in such initiatives, therefore the choice to place The Authority on the again burner.
6. There may very well be as much as seven DCU releases yearly
Ever since he grew to become DC Studios’ co-CEO, Gunn has constantly said that DCU initiatives will not be greenlit until he and Safran consider they’re able to go.
It appears that the pair are slowly altering his tune. In quotes attributed to Safran by Collider, there may very well be as much as seven (!) DCU productions launched yearly. That contains new motion pictures of the live-action and animated selection (two of the previous, one of many latter) and 4 TV reveals (two live-action and two animated) each 12 months. It was no nice shock to be taught, then, that Gunn and Safran have greenlit quite a lot of new animated productions, together with My Adventures With Green Lantern and Starfire.
Given the present local weather round superhero fatigue, the potential for seven DC Studios initiatives launching every year will increase just a few eyebrows. Of course, there will probably be individuals who do not watch each single a kind of however, contemplating that some Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) followers have misplaced curiosity in it, there’s each likelihood that potential DCU followers could develop weary of feeling like they must devour each movie and collection for worry of lacking key storylines, character introductions, and extra. Hopefully, we’ll get some readability quickly as as to if all of those motion pictures and TV reveals are formally a part of the DCU or not.
