DC Universe (franchise)

Warner Bros. Pictures was deemed to be "lagg[ing] behind" rival company Marvel Studios and their shared universe of superheroes, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), by late 2012. Warner Bros. began planning for Man of Steel (2013), based on the DC Comics character Superman, to start their own shared universe,[1] which became known as the "DC Extended Universe" (DCEU).[2][3] They announced a full slate of DC films in October 2014. Man of Steel director Zack Snyder was set to return for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017), and spin-off films were planned for the Justice League members and other DC characters.[4]

Batman v Superman did not meet Warner Bros.' box office expectations and received negative responses from fans and critics for its dark tone.[6] Warner Bros. felt they could no longer give Snyder the "long leash" he had on Man of Steel and Batman v Superman,[7] and reorganized future DC projects under the new DC Films division.[8] Executive Jon Berg and comic book writer Geoff Johns were set to run DC Films and wanted to make Justice League more optimistic and hopeful.[8][9] When the studio was not satisfied with their efforts, Joss Whedon was hired to write reshoots for the film.[9] Snyder left the film after the death of his daughter in March 2017,[10] and Whedon completed the film with significant changes.[10][11] Justice League was another critical and commercial disappointment for Warner Bros., and the studio was again rethinking its approach to DC in late 2017. Berg and Johns left DC Films, and a planned Batman spin-off film was reworked into director Matt Reeves's The Batman (2022), a film separate from the DCEU.[12]

Warner Bros. intended for future DCEU films to be more standalone than their previous interconnected plan.[13] Walter Hamada was appointed the new president of DC Films in January 2018.[14] That October, James Gunn was hired to write and direct The Suicide Squad (2021),[15][16] a standalone sequel to the earlier DCEU film Suicide Squad (2016) which retained some cast members but otherwise told its own story.[17] He worked with producer Peter Safran, who also produced the DCEU films Aquaman (2018) and Shazam! (2019).[18] In May 2020, Warner Bros. and Snyder announced that his original vision for Justice League would be released on the streaming service HBO Max as Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021).[11] By the end of 2020, Hamada was planning spin-off DCEU television series for HBO Max,[19] including Gunn's The Suicide Squad spin-off Peacemaker (2022–present).[20] At that point, there were around 25 other live-action and animated DC-based series in addition to the various film projects. Hamada planned to connect all of these using the multiverse,[19] which was introduced in The Flash (2023).[21]

In April 2022, Discovery, Inc. and Warner Bros.' parent company WarnerMedia merged to become Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), led by president and CEO David Zaslav. The new company was expected to restructure DC Entertainment so the film, television, and video game divisions of the company could be aligned. Even before the merger was complete, Zaslav began meeting with candidates to take over DC—including film executive Emma Watts—with the hope of finding an equivalent to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. Despite some recent successes with DC films and series, Zaslav and WBD felt DC lacked a "coherent creative and brand strategy" and were underusing key characters such as Superman.[22] Hamada was still contracted until 2023, and his supporters felt Zaslav was not giving him enough credit for his DC plans and successes.[23] In June, Zaslav announced that DC Films would be separated from Warner Bros. within the WBD structure but would be overseen by Warner Bros. film chairs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy until a new DC head was appointed.[24]

At the start of August, WBD decided not to release the DCEU film Batgirl on HBO Max or theatrically, stating that it "simply did not work" and went against Zaslav's mandate to make DC films "big theatrical event films".[25] Soon after, Zaslav said he wanted a new 10-year plan for DC films,[26] and he had enlisted the help of Disney executive Alan F. Horn in finding a new leader for DC. Hamada was reportedly upset by the cancellation of Batgirl and tried to leave DC Films, but was convinced by De Luca and Abdy to stay through the release of Black Adam in October 2022.[27][28] Around that time, Henry Cavill reprised his role as Superman from Man of Steel for a cameo appearance in Black Adam. This was against Hamada's wishes, and was approved by De Luca and Abdy when they were approached directly by Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson. Johnson began promoting the idea of a Black Adam vs. Superman film co-starring Cavill in the future, and Warner Bros. began pursuing a sequel to Man of Steel starring Cavill.[29] At the end of August, producer Dan Lin emerged as a potential candidate for taking over DC,[30] but exited talks weeks later.[31] Todd Phillips, director of the standalone DC film Joker (2019), was also considered for the role but remained focused on directing the sequel Joker: Folie à Deux (2024).[30]

Director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran were named co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios in October 2022 and began planning the new DC Universe with a group of writers.

James Gunn and Peter Safran were announced as the co-chairs and co-CEOs of the newly formed DC Studios at the end of October 2022 and were set to take over from Hamada on November 1. It was considered a shocking and unprecedented decision to have a high-profile director like Gunn move into a top executive position at a film studio. Gunn was expected to focus on the creative side of the company while Safran focused on the business and production side, and their deal was reportedly for four years. Gunn and Safran were both expected to continue directing and producing projects, respectively, in addition to their new roles, though other projects would be exclusively with WBD. They would report directly to Zaslav and work closely with De Luca and Abdy.[32] A week after starting their new roles, the pair said they had begun working with a group of writers to develop an eight-to-ten-year plan for the new DC Universe (DCU).[33][34] Zaslav said they had begun work on a bible for future DC projects that would be finished soon. He also said the new plan would emulate Marvel's model of having a single, unified approach to each character, specifically highlighting new approaches to Batman and Superman. By mid-November, Gunn had already begun writing the script for a new DC film while Safran had been "fixing" the upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023).[35]

In early December, Gunn and Safran were finalizing their plans ahead of a meeting with Zaslav. Patty Jenkins was no longer developing a sequel to her DCEU films Wonder Woman (2017) and Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) after being told by Gunn and Safran that such a film did not fit within their new plans. Various rumors about the plans were circulating, including that the DCU would be a complete reboot of the DCEU that moved away from the actors cast by Snyder,[36] that Matt Reeves's The Batman films would be integrated with the DCU,[37] and that Aquaman actor Jason Momoa would be recast as the character Lobo.[36] These reveals and rumors led to concerns within the industry and among DC fans about the direction Gunn and Safran were taking the franchise, and Gunn put out a statement saying they "were coming into a fractious environment" and there would be an "unavoidable transitional period as we moved into telling a cohesive story across film, TV, animation and gaming".[37][38] A week later, Gunn announced that he and Safran had a slate of projects "ready to go" and more details would be provided in 2023, but he did reveal that he was writing a new Superman film that would not star Cavill. Ben Affleck was also confirmed to not be reprising his DCEU Batman role moving forward. Gunn and Safran had discussions with Cavill and Affleck about returning to the DCU to respectively portray a new character and direct a project,[39] but Affleck later said he was not interested in directing a DCU project.[40]

In January 2023, the DCU was reported to be a "broad but not blanket reset" of the DCEU.[41] On January 31, Gunn and Safran unveiled the first projects from the DCU slate.[5] They revealed the writers who had been working with them on the overall story for the DCU: Drew Goddard, Jeremy Slater, The Flash writer Christina Hodson, Christal Henry, and comic book writer Tom King.[42] The group had planned two "chapters" of story for the eight-to-ten-year plan, with the potential for more chapters after that.[43] The first chapter is titled "Gods and Monsters", and its first five films are Superman: Legacy (2025), The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and Swamp Thing. Its first five television series will be Creature Commandos, Waller, Lanterns, Paradise Lost, and Booster Gold.[42] Gunn noted that this slate combined DC's "diamond characters", such as Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, with lesser known characters who they hoped would become just as popular. Any DC projects that did not fit within the shared universe would be labeled "DC Elseworlds".[5] The writers took inspiration from the Star Wars franchise, which has "different times, different places, different things", as well as from the series Game of Thrones (2011–2019) and its morally complex characters.[44]

Gunn said The Flash would "reset" the DCEU continuity,[44] making the DCU a "soft reboot" that retains certain cast members and elements of the DCEU while replacing others.[45] Gunn and Safran primarily selected the elements that are carried over based on actors.[46] The pair expected characters to be portrayed by the same actors across mediums, including animation.[44] They said Viola Davis (Amanda Waller) and John Cena (Peacemaker) would reprise their The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker roles in the DCU, and a "rough memory" of the events of those projects would remain. There was potential for Momoa, Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Ezra Miller (the Flash), and Zachary Levi (Shazam) to also reprise their roles, but decisions on those characters had not been made. No actor would be playing multiple characters, so if they did cast Momoa as Lobo he would not portray Aquaman in the DCU as well.[44] Gunn added that the then-upcoming DCEU film Blue Beetle (2023) was disconnected from previous DCEU entries and could connect to the DCU,[44][47] which was reiterated by the film's director Angel Manuel Soto, who said it was part of future DCU plans.[48] Gunn and Safran soon clarified that Xolo Maridueña's Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle would continue in the DCU but the film itself would stand on its own.[46][49] In July 2023, following the commercial failure of the DCEU film Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Levi cast doubt on his return in the DCU.[50] In August 2023, Gadot said she would be developing a new Wonder Woman film with Gunn and Safran,[51] but this was soon reported to not be the case. No decision had been made on if Gadot would be reprising her role in the DCU.[52][53] A Variety report in October 2023 stated that none of the cast of Justice League would reprise their roles in the DCU.[54]

Safran said they were being flexible with the DCU's release order, though some projects key to the overall story would need to be released in a specific order. He added that they were aiming to release two films and two HBO Max series a year.[44] Gunn felt studios being "beholden to dates" was an industry-wide issue and wanted to focus on getting the screenplays right for each project before putting them into production. He said this happened with The Suicide Squad and that film did not require any reshoots unlike other DCEU projects.[5] Contrasting the DCU with the MCU, Gunn said the former was set in a "fictional universe" with an alternate history and locations such as Metropolis, Gotham City, Themyscira, and Atlantis, while the MCU is set in a version of the real world;[44][55] he expected the DCU to be more planned out from the beginning than the MCU was due to the group of writers working on the DCU's overall story;[44] the DCU focuses on traditional superheroes with secret identities;[55] and DCU projects were announced to be based on specific comic book runs and story arcs compared to the MCU approach of taking different elements from throughout Marvel Comics history.[56] The day after the slate announcement, several of those comics appeared on best-selling lists and some had sold out.[57][58]

Although it is not an origin story, the film focuses on a young version of Superman as a reporter interacting with key characters such as Lois Lane[62] as he goes on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human family in Smallville, Kansas.[59] Safran described Superman in the film as "the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way; he's kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned".[42] Gunn and Safran consider the film to be the true beginning of the DCU.[63]

After becoming co-CEO of DC Studios on November 1, 2022,[32] Gunn was already writing a new DC film by the middle of that month.[35] In December, he said Superman was a big priority, if not the biggest priority, for DC Studios,[64] before announcing that he was writing a new Superman film with the potential to also direct.[65] He said it would not star the DCEU's Henry Cavill because the script focused on a younger version of Superman.[65] When Gunn and Safran unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate in January 2023, the film was revealed to be titled Superman: Legacy and was given a release date of July 11, 2025.[5] Gunn said the film would take specific inspiration from the comic book All-Star Superman (2005–2008) by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely,[66] with inspiration also taken from other comic books.[67] In March, Gunn confirmed he would direct, with Safran producing.[59] David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan were cast as Superman and Lois Lane in June.[68] Filming is scheduled to begin in January 2024[69] in Atlanta.[70]

By June 2023, members of the Authority were expected to be introduced in the film ahead of their own film.[71] Other superheroes are also set to be introduced in the film,[72] including Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, one of the Green Lanterns. Fillion previously portrayed Cory Pitzner / T.D.K. (The Detachable Kid) in The Suicide Squad.[46]

Gunn described the Authority as a team who thinks "the world is completely broken. And the only way to fix it is to take things into their own hands, whether that means killing people, destroying heads of state, changing governments, you know, whatever they want to do to make the world better".[73] Safran compared the morally complex team to Jack Nicholson's character in A Few Good Men (1992).[42]

When Gunn and Safran unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate in January 2023, they included a film based on the superhero team the Authority, which was created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch for the independent comic book publisher WildStorm. WildStorm was acquired by DC Comics, and its characters, including the Authority, were introduced to the DC Comics continuity in 2011. Similarly, Gunn and Safran intended to include WildStorm's characters in their own DC Universe continuity, starting with the Authority.[42] Gunn said the film was a passion project of his and that he had been working on an outline for it with the other DC Studios writers.[73]

Gunn said the film would have connections to Superman.[5]

The film explores members of the "Bat-Family", including introducing Batman's son Damian Wayne as a version of Robin. Gunn said the film would be a "strange father and son story" about Batman and Robin.[5][42]

After Gunn and Safran were hired, Zaslav said of their new plan for the DCU, "There's not going to be four Batmans".[35] In December 2022, Gunn said Batman would be "a big part of the DCU".[74] When Gunn and Safran unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate a month later they included The Brave and the Bold which introduces the DCU version of Batman. Gunn said the film was based on Grant Morrison's 2006 to 2013 run on the comics.[5][42] Ben Affleck was confirmed to not be reprising his DCEU role of Batman,[39] while Matt Reeves's version of Batman was expected to continue separately from the DCU's version under the DC Elseworlds label.[42] The Flash director Andy Muschietti was hired to direct the film in June 2023,[60] with Barbara Muschietti co-producing alongside Gunn and Safran.[60]

Described by Gunn as "a big science fiction epic film",[75] the film contrasts the jaded character Kara Zor-El / Supergirl, who was raised on a chunk of the destroyed planet Krypton and watched everyone around her die, with her cousin Superman who was raised on Earth by loving parents.[42][75]

When Gunn and Safran unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate in January 2023 they included a film adaptation of the comic book miniseries Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (2021–22) by King and Bilquis Evely.[5][42]

A Gothic horror film that explores the "dark origins" of Swamp Thing.[5][42][76]

In December 2022, James Mangold was reported to be interested in working with Gunn and Safran on a DCU project.[38] When the pair unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate in January 2023, they included a new Swamp Thing film.[42] Gunn said it would take specific inspiration from Alan Moore's 1984–85 The Saga of the Swamp Thing comic book run.[77] After the announcement, Mangold posted a picture of Swamp Thing on social media. He was confirmed to be in negotiations to write and direct the film the next day, but was not expected to start work on it until he had completed Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) and a Bob Dylan biopic.[78] Mangold's involvement was confirmed that April when he had begun writing. He was working on a planned Star Wars film at the same time, and was unsure which project would move forward first. Gunn described Swamp Thing as a passion project for Mangold.[61]

Despite being tonally darker than other DCU projects, Gunn and Safran intend for Swamp Thing to be interconnected with the rest of the DCU.[5][42]

Amanda Waller assembles a black ops team of monsters consisting of Rick Flag Sr., Nina Mazursky, Doctor Phosphorus, Eric Frankenstein, the Bride of Frankenstein, G.I. Robot, and Weasel.[79]

In January 2023, Gunn revealed that he was in the middle of writing a new DCU television series.[84] When Gunn and Safran unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate later that month, the first project was Creature Commandos, an animated series for HBO Max based on a black ops team of the same name featuring various monsters from DC Comics. Gunn had already written the seven episodes and the series had started production.[42][79] Warner Bros. Animation co-produces the series.[85] The main cast was confirmed in April,[86][81] including Frank Grillo and Indira Varma, who respectively headline the series as Rick Flag Sr. and the Bride of Frankenstein—the latter is the main protagonist of the series.[86][81][80] Voice recording began by May 2023.[87] It is scheduled to be released on the streaming service Max in 2024,[80][87] as an "aperitif" for the DCU before Superman: Legacy.[42][79]

Waller, Weasel, and Flag's son Rick Flag Jr. previously appeared in The Suicide Squad.[42] Sean Gunn reprises his role as Weasel from the film, while Viola Davis and Steve Agee reprise their respective roles as Waller and John Economos from the film and Peacemaker.[86][81][79]

Following the events of Peacemaker's first-season finale, Waller continues the story of Amanda Waller and "Team Peacemaker".[42][88]

In May 2022, a Peacemaker spin-off series was revealed to be in development featuring Amanda Waller, with Christal Henry writing and serving as executive producer alongside Gunn and Safran.[88] When Gunn and Safran unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate in January 2023, the second project was Waller, which Gunn said would be a continuation of Peacemaker because that series' second season was delayed while Gunn focused on the rest of the DCU slate. Henry was set as co-showrunner of Waller alongside Jeremy Carver, and Viola Davis was confirmed to be reprising her role as Waller from Peacemaker and the DCEU.[42] The series is scheduled to be released in 2024,[81] as an "aperitif" for the DCU before Superman: Legacy.[42]

Additional Peacemaker cast members reprise their roles in the series,[42] including Steve Agee as Economos.[89]

Hal Jordan and John Stewart, two Green Lanterns (intergalactic heroes who wear rings that give them extraordinary powers), investigate a mystery on Earth.[42]

Gunn confirmed in December 2022 that the Green Lantern characters would be an important part of the new DCU.[90] When he and Safran unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate later that month they included Lanterns, a new iteration of a long-in-development Green Lantern series. Safran said the series would be an Earth-based detective story and "a huge HBO-quality event" in the style of the series True Detective (2014–present).[42]

Safran said the mystery that Jordan and Stewart investigate in the series leads into the main storyline for the DCU.[42]

This series is a political drama about the scheming and power struggles on the all-female island of Themyscira before the birth of Wonder Woman.[42]

In December 2022, Jenkins was revealed to no longer be developing a sequel to Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984 after being told by Gunn and Safran that such a film did not fit within their new plans.[36] When Gunn and Safran unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate a month later, they included Paradise Lost, which they compared to Game of Thrones (2011–2019). The title is similar to "Paradise Island Lost", a comic book story arc by Phil Jimenez and George Pérez about a civil war on Themyscira.[42]

Mike Carter / Booster Gold is a disgraced former football star in the 25th century who travels back in time to pose as a superhero using basic future technology.[42]

When Gunn and Safran unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate in January 2023, they included Booster Gold, an "outright comedy" series set in the DCU.[42]

HBO Max announced a second season of Peacemaker in February 2022, with Gunn set to write and direct all episodes.[83] He said it would explore the repercussions, good and bad, of the first season's events.[91] When Gunn and Safran unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate in January 2023, they said Waller was being worked on instead of Peacemaker's second season because Gunn was busy writing Superman: Legacy.[42] In February, Gunn confirmed that Peacemaker was not canceled and said work on the second season would continue after Waller had been made,[92] later saying the season was his next project and would be released after Superman: Legacy.[93][94] Gunn was writing the season by that October,[95] when he confirmed it would take place in the DCU continuity and that it would address this change.[82]