James Gunn, Co-CEO of DC Studios has shared his plans for a connected DCU. This is expected to span over film, television and gaming.
While the MCU has now had an interconnected franchise spanning various movies and TV series for some time, DC has struggled to replicate the same magic. Instead, the DC approach has been rather disconnected.
We have seen attempts at establishing a connected universe with the likes of Batman v Superman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman and eventually a Justice League movie. However something just didn’t click right with critics and fans, the process felt rushed and therefore the payoff wasn’t as huge as some had expected.
A new DCU
With Gunn now at the helm, the DCU has new creative ideas and we recently heard plans for content that could span the next 8 to 10 years. So DC fans let’s dive into all of the announcements.
First up is Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which is a sequel to the 2019 movie. This character is now expected to be fully introduced as part of the DCU. Then the upcoming Flash movie will act as a convenient great way to reset the DCU. This movie is expected to set up the DCU moving forward and is scheduled to release on June 16, 2023. This will be followed by the new Blue Beetle film, hitting cinemas on August 18, 2023. Aquaman is then scheduled to finally make his next solo appearance in Aquaman 2, pencilled in for the end of the year, December 25.
That means we are getting four DCU instalments just this year! But there’s more on the horizon. This is where the extended plan for the DCU comes into play, not all of these projects were given dates but we have a clear idea of what to expect. This first chapter has been dubbed, Gods and Monsters. These projects are intended to fill part of chapter one, but not all.
The following are all confirmed:
- Creature Commandos – Animated series
- Waller – TV/Live action
- Superman: Legacy – Film
- Lanterns – TV/Live action
- The Authority – Film
- Paradise Lost – TV/Live action
- The Brave And The Bold – Film
- Booster Gold – TV/Live action
- Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow – Film
- Swamp Thing – Film
That is a lot of content! It’s also worth noting that Gunn says that characters will move in and out of projects such as animation. However, when doing so it is expected that they maintain the same voice actor to keep the DCU connected. Fans will also be getting a new Batman as the story follows Bruce and his son Damien Wayne. Who fans will know held the mantle of Robin. Batman will not be played by Ben Affleck and in no way is Matt Reeves iteration, played by Robert Battinson, sorry Pattinson involved. These projects, along with the likes of Joker: Folie à Deux will all fall under the DC Elseworlds category which is not connected to the wider DCU.
Gunn commented that Superman Legacy is “the big one, the true beginning of the DCU” this was given a release date and is expected to release on July 11, 2025. One thing that was interesting during the presentation was that Gunn mentioned a connected DCU through TV, film and games. However, not a single video game was mentioned.
What’s next for gaming in the DCU?
We all know that this huge DCU reboot is down to the original attempt to replicate the MCU magic falling flat. Yet it now seems the DCU is trying to take things a step even further. Despite the massive success of the MCU, it never tried to incorporate video games into its connected world. If the DCU pulls this off then it will feature a whole new medium for its interconnected world.
While no video games were mentioned, Gunn has spoken about including them in the DCU in the past. It would seem that no current projects such as the upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League are intended to be part of the DCU. While It’s possible a DCU connected game is in development, it’s also likely that Gunn’s comments are more of a promise of things to come.
Paige Cook is a writer with a multi-media background. She has experience covering video games and technology and also has freelance experience in video editing, graphic design, and photography. Paige is a massive fan of the movie industry and loves a good TV show, if she is not watching something interesting then she's probably playing video games or buried in a good book. Her latest addiction is virtual photography and currently spends far too much time taking pretty pictures in games rather than actually finishing them.