DC has been through some rocky years lately; some people loved the movies, but most people hated them, with only a few exceptions. When fans heard James Gunn was going to build the new phase of the DC universe, no one could hold their excitement. It’s finally time to see how he will change DC and what he is planning for us!
All James Gunn’s DCU Slate Plans
Mark the day. January 31, 2023. That’s when DC’s phase started taking its first steps. James Gunn revealed an 8-10 year plan for the first phase, called Gods & Monsters, and the 10 projects that will be part of it. He wants a connected universe through movies, TV, and animation. But he also announced DC Elseworlds, with projects like Matt Reves Batman trilogy.
Creature Commandos
The first project is a seven-episode animated series written by James Gunn in which characters will move into and out of animation. They are a group of monsters tasked with fighting Nazis.
Waller
In this series, we will see Viola Davis teaming up with members of the Peacemaker team. It’s being created by Christal Henry, who did Watchmen, and Jeremy Carver, who made the Doom Patrol TV show. It’ll be a nice chance to see Amanda Waller’s ruthless and rational nature up close.
Superman: Legacy
The true beginning of the new DC Universe. The new Superman movie is being written by Gunn and will be released on July 11, 2025. We still don’t know who will be the new Man of Steel, nor which comics will inspire it, but this is definitely one of the projects that will get fans most hyped. It’ll not be an origin story, and fans are hoping it’ll take at least a bit of inspiration from All-Star Superman, a beloved comic by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely.
Lanterns
Lanterns will be a premiere HBO TV series following the Green Lantern Corps, mainly John Stewart and Hal Jordan, some of our favorite lanterns from the earth. It’s being pitched as a big terrestrial adventure, almost like True Detective. They will find on earth a great mystery tied to the whole DC Universe. It’s a huge announcement for those who have been waiting for a Green Lantern series for years.
The Authority
This is a James Gunn passion project. It’s based on the WildStorm superhero team that thinks the world is broken and tries to fix it by any means necessary. So this surely won’t be a story just about good and bad guys. It’ll be the first time they’ll be brought to cinemas and televisions, and they’ll be able to interact with the primary DC characters for everyone to see.
Paradise Lost
The TV show will focus on Paradise Island, mainly known as Themyscira, the place where Wonder Woman and the other Amazons grew up and trained for battle. We can expect a lot of action and politics as it was described as a Game of Thrones-style show.
The Brave and the Bold
The introduction of DCU’s Batman. It’ll be focused on Batman’s adventures with his son Damian Wayne, one of the Robins, and based on the comic of the same name by the brilliant Grant Morrison. The Batfamily is a massive part of the DC comics universe, and this will be the start of it. Damian wasn’t created by Bruce Wayne but by Ra’s Al Ghul, so he is much more violent and angrier than his father. Batman will have to deal with that and put him in line.
Booster Gold
The Booster Gold TV series will follow Booster Gold, one of our favorite and DC’s most popular cult hero. If you watched the Justice League Unlimited animation, you’re probably already familiar with him. He’s a loser who came from the future using technology to become a great hero so people would love him. Be prepared for one of the funniest heroes you’ve ever seen.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is based on one of the best comics from 2022 by the author Tom King. It’ll be a big science-fiction epic. The comic follows Supergirl, a more jaded character than her cousin Superman, as she was on Krypton for a major part of her life and saw everyone she loved die there. It’s a very emotional story about revenge and friendship.
Swamp Thing
The last story he talked about was Swamp Thing. The horror will be focused on the origins of the monster, which will be totally outside of the rest of the universe, but it’ll still feed into it. He fights to protect the environment in general and humanity from many supernatural threats. Fans would love to see glimpses of Constantine, Zatanna, or Justice League Dark in it.
But Gunn also stated that these are only some of the projects in Gods & Monsters, so be tuned for more.
DC Elseworlds
The Matt Reeves Batman trilogy is definitely one of the most anticipated movies of DC Elseworlds. The first movie’s sequel, titled The Batman – Part II, will be released on October 3, 2025. Other movies belonging to DC Elseworlds are Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Black Superman film and Joker Folie À Deux.
