DC Studios has announced ten new movie and tv projects that will be a part of Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters, the first wave of content in the rebooted DCU.
With DC Studios Co-Chairmen and CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran now running the show, the fragmented DCEU is being transformed into the DCU, an interconnected story that will span across films, tv series, animations and video games. Today’s announcement on the DC Website revealed the first step for this new venture with Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. Within this first chapter, there will be five feature films and five tv shows that will all connect in various ways.
Gunn also pointed out that standalone films and series such as Matt Reeves’ The Batman and the animated Teen Titans Go will still be produced but will now fall under the Elseworlds umbrella, clearly labelling them as being outside the core narrative being told in the DCU.
Now, let’s have a look at all of the exciting announcements:
Creature Commandos
Following the adventures of the titular team, Creature Commandos will be the first series in Chapter One. The animated show has already been written by Gunn himself and will feature the supernatural team of Doctor Phosphorus, Frankenstein, G.I Robot, Nina Mazursky, The Bride of Frankenstein, Weasel and Rick Flag Sr. The series will air on HBO Max and will star voice actors that are willing to play the characters in live-action down the road for consistency, a staple for all animated shows in the DCU going forward.
Waller
The next HBO Max series is live-action, focused on everyone’s least favourite warden. Waller will act as a follow-up to Peacemaker, with some of the characters from that series making an appearance in this one. Viola Davis will reprise her role as Blackgate’s ruthless leader, with the series leading into the second season of the John Cena-led show.
Superman: Legacy
Safran mentions in the announcement that this “is really the launch of the DCU.” Superman: Legacy is the first feature film in this rebooted DCU, but it won’t be a strict origin story. It will, however, explore Superman balancing his dual identity as a Kryptonian raised as a human. The movie is currently being written by James Gunn, who will likely direct the film as well, and has a release date of July 11, 2025.
Lanterns
Good lord, now I’m getting properly excited. The second live-action HBO Max series, Lanterns, will follow Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart as they investigate a mystery on Earth that will have ramifications seen throughout the overarching DCU story. While Green Lanterns are often seen galivanting across the cosmos, Hal and John are designated to Earth’s quadrant, so seeing them on our big blue ball makes sense.
The Authority
When unveiling the slate for Chapter One, this is the project that seemed to excite James Gunn the most. The Authority will be a live-action film that focuses on the superhero team of the same name. Where the Justice League are your stereotypical good guys, the members of the Authority, such as Moonlighter, Grifter, Deathblow and Apollo, have a more cynical view of the world and will take more extreme measures to bring about change. This will likely be a fairly violent and morally grey film, and I can’t wait.
Paradise Lost
Another live-action HBO Max series, Paradise Lost is described by Safran as a “Game of Thrones-type story” that centres around Wonder Woman’s home of Themyscira, an island inhabited by an all-female group of Amazons. This series will take place before the birth of Diana, exploring the political and cultural side of the Amazons. If the series takes any inspiration from the Wonder Woman: Paradise Lost comic run, we could see a conflict between Themyscira and the Amazons of Bana-Mighdall, but we’ll have to wait and see.
The Brave and the Bold
Acting as the DCU’s introduction to The Dark Knight, The Brave and the Bold will be a live-action film based on Grant Morrison’s incredible run with the Batman comic. This film will give us our first big screen appearance of Damien Wayne, Batman’s assassin son, as Robin. Featuring other members of the Bat Family, Brave and the Bold will depict the relationship between Batman and his young son, whom he knew nothing about for the first ten years of his life. Oh, did I mention that Damien’s mother is Talia al Ghul and that the League of Assassins trained him? This movie is going to slap.
Booster Gold
Honestly, I couldn’t be happier that this show exists. Another live-action HBO Max series, Booster Gold follows the out-of-time exploits of history’s most successful loser. The character of Booster Gold is a nobody from the future who decides to travel back in time with a bunch of advanced tech in hopes of becoming a renowned superhero in our time. Comedic and occasionally earnest, Booster Gold is an amazing character that will hopefully translate perfectly into a tv series.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
This one will likely take some folks by surprise. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will be a live-action movie based on the comic run of the same name, written by Tom King. Rather than the happy and bubbly version of the character that many are used to, this iteration of Kara Zo-El had to witness the destruction of Krypton from a chunk of the planet that drifted into space for 14 years. It’s safe to say that she’s a bit more hardened because of that.
Swamp Thing
This might actually be my most anticipated pick from the bunch. Swamp Thing will be a live-action film that delves into the origin of one of DC’s most intriguing supernatural characters. While many would be quick to assume that Swamp Thing is just a big, lumbering plant man, those who have read stories from the incredible Hellblazer comics or the twisted tales during the New 52 will know that the Protector of the Green is a brilliant, layered character.
If you’re keen to know more or want to feel the excitement emanating from the man himself, DC posted a quick video that has James Gunn running through all of the announcements one by one.
You can watch the introduction to Chapter One: Gods and Monsters here:
Are you a DC fan? What is your most anticipated announcement? Let us know in the comments or on our social media.
