What's next for Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and more in the new DCU
Since taking over the DC cinematic universe in 2022, DC Studios co-chairmen and CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran have overhauled Warner Bros.' comic book-to-screen strategy. The new DCU officially launched in 2024 with the animated series Creature Commandos, and Gunn and Safran have since built out an all-new universe for the likes of Superman, Green Lantern, and Batman to play in. There have been ups and downs so far, as well as big shifts in Gunn's original vision for the DCU, which imagined a 10-year plan to explore the DC Universe across films, television, and video games.
There are still some lingering projects left over from the pre-Gunn era of the DCU, including a new Matt Reeves-led Batman movie and the fate of Peacemaker, the series starring John Cena that spanned two eras of DC film and televsion — and left fans contending with a major cliffhanger.
So, what's next for the DCU? Here’s everything DC is currently planning to put in theaters and on TV screens, this year and well into the future.
The 2011 live-action Green Lantern movie starring Ryan Reynolds as original Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, was such a legendary flop, it scuttled DC’s plans at the time for a new interconnected superhero universe. A new take on the Green Lanterns, simply called Lanterns, is an intergalactic-cop TV series for HBO Max that attempts to revive Hal Jordan for the screen, this time played by Kyle Chandler (Zero Dark Thirty). Joining Chandler is Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge) as Green Lantern-in-training John Stewart.
Created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, Lanterns explores both the street level and cosmic aspects of the DCU. Lanterns is inspired by shows like slow-burn mystery shows such as True Detective and Slow Horses. The eight-episode series is currently airing on HBO Max.
Pierre's Green Lantern will also appear in next year's Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow.
Clayface, a solo outing for the venerable Batman villain, wasn’t originally in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s plans for the DCU. But writer and filmmaker Mike Flanagan (Midnight Mass, Doctor Sleep) nonetheless impressed the DCU heads with his “horror-thriller-tragedy” idea, and now we’re getting a Clayface movie!
The body horror movie will offer a new take on Clayface’s origin story, with Tom Rhys Harries (White Lines, Suspicion) starring as Matt Hagen, a rising movie star who is brutally disfigured and turns to an experimental treatment to restore his good looks — with horrifying results.
Clayface is directed by James Watkins and also stars Naomi Ackie and Max Minghella.
Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow will be a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together against a much, much bigger threat, according to Gunn. That big threat appears to be the alien Brainiac, who will be played by Lars Eidinger in the film.
Man of Tomorrow will see David Corenswet return as Clark Kent/Superman and Nicholas Hoult return as Lex Luthor. Also returning are Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., María Gabriela de Faría as the Engineer, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, and Milly Alcock as Supergirl. New to the cinematic Superman family are Aaron Pierre as John Stewart/Green Lantern and Adria Arjona, reportedly as the alien Maxima. Andre Royo, Matthew Lillard, and Sinqua Walls have been cast in unspecified roles.
The People v. Gorilla Grodd is a mockumentary-style series that will follow the Daily Planet's Jimmy Olsen investigating a murder case that centers on a psychic gorilla accused of patricide. HBO announced Friday has given the series an eight-episode, straight-to-series order for the new half-hour comedy that will draw comparisons to shows like The Office, Parks and Recreation, and American Vandal.
Superman's Skyler Gisondo will reprise his role as Jimmy Olsen and will costar alongside Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd. A handful of Superman actors will also return to the DCU for the series: Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White. The series also stars Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Dan Perrault, Andrew Leeds, and Tim Baltz. Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, who created American Vandal for Netflix, will serve as showrunners, writers, and executive producers.
The long, contentious history behind 2022’s The Batman didn’t leave much room for hope: As one of those movies that got bounced from team to team for years, changing shape at every bounce, it looked like a project destined to be driven more by market calculation than by a specific vision. But director and co-writer Matt Reeves found an effective take on The Dark Knight that resonated with audiences and landed solidly at the box office, and DC immediately greenlit a sequel, again with Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader.
