For the past decade, Warner Bros. Discovery failed to create a cinematic universe that lived up to DC’s beloved comic book characters. That will hopefully change with James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DCU.  8i5o

Gunn and Safran were given complete control over DC Studios in 2022 and tasked with creating a decade-long storyline spanning movies, TV shows, and video games. So far, Gunn and Safran have been keeping the new DCU under an absolute veil of secrecy, and no one can tell what their ambitious storyline will look like. However, we already have an extensive list of movies and TV shows that are currently being developed.

Gunn and Safran revealed that their decade-long storyline will be split into two chapters. The first chapter, aptly named “Gods and Monsters,” comprises multiple theatrical releases and TV shows. While not everything has a hard release date yet, there’s a lot to be excited for as a DC fan.

Creature Commandos 362h5d

• Release date: December 5, 2024 (Max)
• Showrunner: James Gunn

Creature Commandos is based on an obscure DC superteam made entirely of classic monsters. Gunn has already proven that he’s the master of using relatively unknown characters to create deeply emotional stories, a feat he managed with both the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and The Suicide Squad. So, since he wrote all seven episodes of the show, it’s only fair to assume that he’ll manage to make us also fall in love with the Creature Commandos. 

Although their series will be animated, Gunn and Safran have already decided that whoever voices a DCU character will play the same role in any live-action project reusing the same heroes and villains. Considering that Creature Commandos has a star-studded voice cast, the show will give fans an appetizer of exciting things to come. 

Notable voice talent includes Sean Gunn as G.I. Robot/Weasel, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana Rostovic, Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus, and David Harbour as Eric Frankenstein. Additionally, Steve Agee will appear as John Economos, and Viola Davis will return as Amanda Waller. Since these characters were part of The Suicide Squad, Gunn’s first DC movie will probably be incorporated into the new DCU.

Superman 1zn4k

• Release date: July 11, 2025
• Writer/Director: James Gunn

If Creature Commandos is the new DCU appetizer, Superman is the main dish. Previously known as Superman: Legacy, the next cinematic adaptation of the Man of Steel will set the tone for the whole DCU and potentially show Warner Bros. Discovery that Gunn and Safran can pull off a massive box office haul. Or the movie will flop, and the new DCU might be buried right as it starts. The stakes have rarely been higher for a single cinematic project, so Gunn himself took the task of penning the script and directing the movie.

Instead of a new origin story, Superman takes place years after the Son of Krypton revealed his existence to the world. That explains why the movie will star multiple heroes and villains, including Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer, Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord, and Milly Alcock as Supergirl.

As for the titular character, David Corenswet was chosen as the DCU’s Man of Steel, with Rachel Brosnahan playing Lois Lane. Nicholas Hoult will portray the villainous Lex Luthor.

Peacemaker (Season 2) 563e2d

• Release date: 2025
• Showrunner: James Gunn

While the first season of Peacemaker was aired before the DCU reboot, Gunn has already written the script for the eight episodes of Season 2. That means Peacemaker will be absorbed into the new DCU, a smart movie from DC Studios. Peacemaker is a direct spinoff of Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, starring John Cena as the titular vigilante. The first season balanced comedy and character growth perfectly, so it would be a shame if the story went to the trashcan after the DCU reboot. 

Since Steve Agee’s John Economos and Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller are coming to Creature Commandos after appearing in The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, we expect Season 2 of Peacemaker to be more entangled with the general DCU. The season is already in production, with Season 2 scheduled to premiere after Superman.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow 2226m

• Release date: June 26, 2026
• Writer: Ana Nogueira
• Director: Craig Gillespie

Inspired by the comic book miniseries of the same name by King and Bilquis Evely, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will follow the tragic story of Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin. While Superman was sent to Earth to be raised by a loving family, Kara grew up in a fragment of Krypton, watching everyone she loved die while she floated through space. As such, the will explain the different personalities of the two Kryptonians.

Gunn and Safran described Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow as a “sci-fi epic,” which means the movie will most likely take place in space and explore Kara’s journey. Gunn has publicly praised the script, penned by Ana Nogueira, and went as far as to give her a second DCU project to write, Teen Titans. Plus, the fact that Supergirl was put ahead in the production pile means that DC Studios is quite confident in its success.

Lanterns 4z2p25

• Release date: TBA
• Showrunner: Chris Mundy

According to Gunn and Safran, Lanterns will work as a detective story in which the Green Lanterns investigate a cosmic mystery on Earth. Instead of focusing on a specific iteration of the hero, the TV show will feature Hal Jordan and John Stweart. Hal Jordan is the original comic book Green Lantern, while John Stweart became famous thanks to the fan-favorite animated Justice League animated series. Since Nathan Fillion will appear as Guy Gardner in Superman, he will likely reprise this Green Lantern in the series, too.

Gunn and Safran have been playing coy about the new DCU. Still, they revealed that Lanterns is one of the main projects they are developing, and other mysteries at the show’s core will help fans understand the overextending DCU storyline. It’s good, then, that the show is already going into production in January 2025, which means we can expect a late-2025/early-2026 release date.
Lanterns stars Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan.

The Authority 1k6vp

• Release date: TBA

In 1992, comic book legend Jim Lee created the WildStorm universe to write superhero stories outside the constraints of Marvel/DC. DC eventually bought the WildStorm universe, using the Multiverse as an excuse to incorporate some characters into their main line of comic books. That’s precisely what happened with The Authority, a superteam getting their own movie in the new DCU.

The of the Authority believe that the ends justify the means when pursuing world peace, which leads them to take villainous actions against crime, such as killing certain social groups or depositing elected leaders. So, while the Authority thinks of itself as a team of heroes, they are often portrayed as antagonists to the Justice League. The Engineer is one of the core of the Authority, and she will appear in the Superman movie, played by María Gabriela de Faría. That means even before The Authority hits theaters, Gunn will already use its characters in other stories.

Waller 484p1

• Release date: TBA
• Showrunner: Christal Henry & Jeremy Carver

Waller will give Viola Davis her own TV show as the ruthless Amanda Waller after many years of playing the character in multiple DC projects. Initially, Gunn had planned for Waller to take place after the events of Peacemaker Season 1 when Amanda Waller’s dark deeds were exposed to the whole world. However, the DCU-specific needs have changed these plans.

Waller will be back for Creature Commandos, and Peacemaker will get its second season before Waller appears in her titular show. That’s probably why the series is still in the early stages of development, as Gunn needs to rework the story so it makes sense in the DCU continuity.

The Brave and The Bold 1p3y2v

• Release date: TBA
• Director: Andy Muschietti

The Brave and the Bold will introduce a new Batman to the DCU, accompanied by the Damian Wayne iteration of Robin. For those needing a reminder, Damian is the biological son of Bruce Wayne, who was initially trained by the League of Shadows before being rescued and turned into a hero by his father.

The Brave and the Bold will focus on the extended Bat Family and draw inspiration from Grant Morrison’s 2006-2013 run of the Batman comic books. After directing The Flash, Andy Muschietti was chosen to helm The Brave and the Bold. While that might concern fans, since The Flash is horrible, Muschietti deserves the benefit of the doubt. The disastrous result of The Flash was due to many years of development hell and the constant meddling of Warner Bros. Discovery executives. Nevertheless, Muschietti proved to be a good soldier and took the blame for the movie. So, he deserves the chance to show what he can do when granted proper creative freedom.

The DCU version of Batman is expected to be more fantastical than the ones from Matt Reeves or Christopher Nolan. Proof of that is Clayface, a fan-favorite, albeit not realistic, Dark Knight rogue who already appears in Creature Commandos.

Blue Beetle 4a6dr

• Release date: TBA
• Showrunner: Miguel Puga

While Blue Beetle, starring Xolo Maridueña as the titular character, failed to impress at the box office, the character was mainly well-received by fans. Fortunately, DC Studios has plans for the hero, with an animated series currently developing.

Miguel Puga is helming the Blue Beetle animated series. The live-action movie’s director and writer—Angel Manuel Soto and Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, respectively — will serve as executive producers. However, that doesn’t mean anything else from the live-action movie will be salvaged, as there’s no official news of Maridueña returning to voice the hero.

Paradise Lost 6g4x2z

• Release date: TBA

Paradise Lost takes place in Themyscira, the all-female island where Wonder Woman is born. Set before the birth of Diana, the series promises to deliver a gripping political drama not unlike Game of Thrones. The TV show’s title references Paradise Island Lost, a comic book story by Phil Jimenez and George Pérez about a civil war on the fabled island.

Since Wonder Woman is canonically hundreds of years old, Paradise Lost will occur in the DCU’s far past. The choice to go back in time so much allows Gunn and Safran to create a healthy distance from Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, who will not be back in the new DCU after Wonder Woman 3 got canceled. That way, the new DCU can explore Themyschera’s history and mythology while taking the time to find Gadot’s replacement.

Swamp Thing 276k5r

• Release date: TBA
• Writer/Director: James Mangold

Swamp Thing explores the origins of one of DC’s most beloved horror characters. The movie will be written and directed by James Mangold, the man behind the fan-favorite Marvel adaptation Logan. 

Swamp Thing is mainly inspired by Alan Moore’s The Saga of the Swamp Thing comic book run, an unsettling body horror story that could result in the scariest DC movie ever. Thanks to Alan Moore, Swamp Thing became a fan-favorite character, so Mangold has the massive weight of expectations over his shoulders. However, according to Gunn, Swamp Thing is a pet project for the director, which is always good to hear.

Booster Gold 5j1d6k

• Release date: TBA

Booster Gold is the last DCU series in the “God of Monsters” story arc. In DC Comics, Booster Gold is a disgraced football star from the 25th century who travels back in time to gain fame as a superhero. Thanks to the advanced technology he brings back in time, Booster Gold has the power to face supervillains and team up with other superheroes. However, he lacks the know-how of the superhero business, which often leads to comedic situations.

It’s worth noting that Booster Gold frequently teams up with Blue Beetle in the comic books. No one knows if Xolo Maridueña’s version of Blue Beetle will be incorporated into the DCU, but the Booster Gold TV show is an excellent vehicle to bring the hero back to live-action.

Teen Titans 182026

• Release date: TBA
• Writer: Ana Nogueira

Even if Gunn and Safran laid out their whole plan for the “Gods and Monsters” arc, a Teen Titans movie is also being developed by DC Studios. That means it might be a while before Teen Titans hit theaters. Even so, the project already has a writer attached to it, Ana Nogueira, who’s also penning the Supergirl movie.

The Teen Titans are a supergroup classically formed by the sidekicks of DC’s greatest heroes and other young crimefighters. While there’s a popular animated series about the team currently airing, Teen Titans Go!, the grounded nature of the DCU indicates the live-action movie should draw inspiration from adaptations such as Young Justice.

Untitled Bane and Deathstroke movie 6r313w

• Release date: TBA
• Writer: Matthew Orton

While there’s little information about it, DC Studios is working on a script for a Bane and Deathstroke team-up movie. Both characters are major villains in Batman’s mythos, men capable of pushing Bruce Wayne to the brink. Plus, both have close ties with the League of Assassins, the organization shaping up to be the leading foe of Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Bane was last adapted for the big screen by Christopher Nolan, with Tom Hardy playing the part in The Dark Knight Rises. Deathstroke, in his turn, had multiple live-action versions over the past decade, from TV shows such as Titans and The CW’s Arrow to Joe Manganiello’s short-lived tenure as the assassin in the defunct DCEU.

Dynamic Duo 6k3o2v

• Release date: TBA
• Writer: Matthew Aldrich

DC Studios is planning to expand the Dark Knight corner of the DCU further with an animated Dynamic Duo movie. Batman: The Brave and the Bold revolves around Bruce Wayne’s relationship with Damian, which means the Dark Knight has already had multiple Robins over the years. So, Dynamic Duo will help bridge the gap by following two fan-favorite of the Bat Family: Dick Grayson and Jason Todd.

Dick is the original Robin, who later becomes Nightwing, protector of Bludhaven. Jason is the Robin the Joker murders in cold blood. Jason eventually returns from the dead and takes up the mantle of the Red Hood, a bloody antihero. The movie will explore Dick and Jason’s formative years before they were pushed to different paths.

Matthew Aldrich, the writer of Pixar’s Coco and Starlight, is penning the project. New Orleans-based Swaybox will handle the animation.

The shiny new DCU hasn’t even released a single feature and yet it’s already becoming a pretty crowded place. New DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has begun his relaunch of the cinematic universe in earnest, as the currently ongoing casting process for Superman: Legacy has already raised the hype for the summer 2025 reboot of the Man of Steel’s adventures through the roof in the DC fan community.

Gunn has promised that Legacy will introduce us to “a world where superheroes exist and have existed for quite a while,” so this isn’t going to be a slow drip-feed of familiar characters like both the MCU and the DCEU before it but a crash-course into the rich, storied DC universe that comic book readers are already familiar with. So who are all the superheroes and villains cast and/or confirmed to appear in the DCU to date? Here’s everything you need to know.

Cast 5xg5v

Blue Beetle 4a6dr

It’s true, although Superman: Legacy is being pegged as the true beginning of the DCU, James Gunn has confirmed that Blue Beetle is the first real DCU character. Cobra Kai‘s Xolo Maradueña was cast as Jaime Reyes back in August 2021, well over a year before Gunn was even hired himself, and yet its release in August 2023 means it’s in prime placement to be retconned as an early sign of the coming franchise reboot. With any luck, then, Maradueña will be invited back for more projects.

Superman 1zn4k

Just like Henry Cavill kicked off the DCEU, and Christopher Reeve pioneered the whole superhero movie craze in the first place, Superman is launching the DCU. After an exhaustive search, David Corenswet — a man who looks the part so much he could be an AI rendering of the comic book character brought to life, and I mean that in a nice way — was hired in June 2023 to star in Legacy, opposite Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Let’s hope he has a more straightforward career as Kal-El than Cavill.

Lex Luthor 4f254n

Nicholas Hoult might’ve failed to land the leading role in Superman: Legacy, but it’s hard to argue that he’s found the role better suited for him in Kal-El’s nemesis himself, Lex Luthor. Similar to Jesse Eisenberg before him, Hoult perhaps is perhaps a little younger than we’d expect Lex to be, but if you’re wondering how he could play a bald villainous character, look no further than Mad Max: Fury Road. Mark my words, he could turn out to be one of the best Lexes.

Mr. Terrific 5w372n

This is James Gunn we’re talking about so obviously he’s not wasting anytime in bringing more obscure comics characters to the big screen alongside the usual suspects. For starters, Michael Holt aka Mr. Terrific will appear in Superman: Legacy, with Edi Gathegi cast as the scientific genius and Olympic-level athlete, who’s known to be the third-smartest man in the DC universe (behind Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor). This is Gathegi’s second time in a superhero film after 2011’s X-Men: First Class, in which he played Darwin.

The Engineer 1w5y27

The Authority are coming. Don’t know who they are? Don’t worry, you will soon enough. The first member of the underrated DC superhero team has been cast in the form of María Gabriela de Faría, who will be playing tech expert The Engineer. The Venezuelan actress is best known for Nickelodeon series Isa TKM and for her work on prior comic book adaptation, the tragically short-lived Deadly Class. She’s making her DC debut in Superman: Legacy, but expect her to return in The Authority movie.

Hawkgirl 2f4x1g

We just met Aldis Hodge’s Hawkman in Black Adam, and while Dwayne Johnson’s anti-hero is unlikely to factor into the DCU, it seems Gunn has plans for the Hawks. Isabela Merced, essentially poached from Sony as she’s already due to start in Spider-Man spinoff Madame Web, has likewise ed the cast of Superman: Legacy as Hawkgirl. Kendra Saunders, most known from the Justice League animated series, is either a reincarnated Egyptian princess or an alien warrior, depending on the continuity.

Metamorpho u2p3l

When adventurer Rex Mason discovered the Orb of Ra, he was transformed into a shifting mass of chemicals and reborn as Metamorpho. In the DCU, Metamorpho is to be played by Barry star Anthony Carrigan, who already has history in the DC multiverse after playing Victor Zsasz in Gotham. With Metamorpho’s entrance, Gunn has brought together two out of four of The Terrifics, DC’s answer to the Fantastic Four.

Green Lantern (Guy Gardner) 584f1w

It’s fair to say the DCEU well and truly wasted the vast potential of the Green Lantern Corps, so it’s encouraging that Gunn looks not to be repeating that mistake. First of all, one of Gunn’s best pals and most frequent collaborators, Nathan Fillion, will return to DC — after his cameo as TDK in The Suicide Squad — in Superman: Legacy. This time, he’s playing Guy Gardner, a Green Lantern who most had his time in the spotlight in 1980s comics. And, yes, he will have the red-headed bowlcut.

Creature Commandos 362h5d

A bit like the Suicide Squad mixed with Universal’s Dark Universe, the Creature Commandos animated series will introduce Amanda Waller’s other black-ops team comprised of classic monsters. Their number includes Eric Frankenstein (David Harbour), the Bride of Frankenstein (Indira Varma), the amphibious Nina Mazursky (Zoë Chao), the radioactive Doctor Phosphorous (Alan Tudyk), and original-to-the-screen character Princess Illana Rostovic (Maria Bakalova). Sean Gunn plays both android G.I. Robot. and Weasel, returning from The Suicide Squad. Frank Grillo is Rick Flag Snr.

Confirmed 4q26w

Batman and Robin 4k1vy

That’s it for the characters who have been cast at the time of writing, but there are plenty more coming. At the top of the pile, of course we have the Dark Knight himself, plus the Boy Wonder, returning to live-action cinema for the first time since 1997. As helmed by The Flash‘s Andy Muschietti, The Brave and the Bold will focus on Bruce Wayne’s bond with his long-lost son, Damian Wayne, who becomes Robin. Fans are hoping other Bat-Family , such as Dick Grayson and Tim Drake, will likewise appear.

Swamp Thing 276k5r

The only other DCU project to have a director attached at this point is Swamp Thing, which will be written and directed by Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny‘s James Mangold. The star of two 1980s B-movies and a sadly short-lived streaming series, Swamp Thing is the living lump of green sludge that Dr. Alec Holland becomes when he falls into a mutagenic swamp. The guardian of the Green, the force that binds all plant-life, Swamp Thing is a mystical, tragic character with oodles of potential to explore.

Green Lanterns (Hal Jordan and John Stewart) 6d2u4f

Fillion’s Guy Gardner is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the DCU’ exploration of the Green Lantern Corps. After years of being stuck in development hell, Gunn is finally working on a reboot of the franchise. Specifically, a Lanterns TV series is in development, described as True Detective-style buddy cop show in which John Stewart and Hal Jordan will team up to solve an Earth-based mystery. Don’t expect Ryan Reynolds to be involved back as Hal. Or for their suits to be CGI.

The Authority 1k6vp

Perhaps the most left-field project Gunn greenlit for the DCU’s Chapter One is The Authority, a movie based on the superhero team who originally hailed from the WildStorm universe that was eventually folded into DC canon. Their roster includes the electrokinetic Jenny Sparks, Jack Hawksmoor — he bonds with cities to draw power from them, it’s kinda hard to explain — Tibetan winged warrior woman Swift, and fan-favorites Apollo and Midnighter — essentially Superman and Batman analogues who are a married couple.

Booster Gold 5j1d6k

James Gunn has said he’s open to casting all his Guardians of the Galaxy buddies in the DCU, and if he’s looking to hire Chris Pratt anywhere then he really needs look no further than Booster Gold. The star of his own self-titled TV series, Booster is a failed football player from the 25th century who travels back in time with some future tech to become a glory-seeking superpowered pin-up, only to learn what it really means to be a hero. The character previously appeared on both Smallville and Legends of Tomorrow.

Supergirl 6q3533

Last but not least, we just met Sasha Calle’s Supergirl in The Flash, and wouldn’t you know it, Gunn has plans to give the Girl of Steel her own solo outing in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, as based on the Tom King comic of the same name. However, it’s currently unclear whether Calle will be invited back for this project or not, although she’s naturally interested. Given that Muschietti is being kept around, though, the chances of Calle being transferred over to the DCU alongside him are decent.

Superman: Legacy director and DCU head, James Gunn has backtracked the rumors that suggested we would see an appearance from The Authority in the reboot.

Ever since the new Superman film was announced, rumors and speculation have gone wild as to what heroes and villains might make an appearance. One popular rumor suggested that The Authority would be featured in Superman’s first solo movie since 2013. However, when asked by a fan via Threads, the director seemed to shoot the rumor down.

“(I never said The Authority would be present).”

While it’s possible he could be bluffing so as to avoid spoiling details about the movie, this is all we have to go off right now, so it’s probably best to temper expectations regarding that particular hero team making their big screen debut.

However, we do know that they’re confirmed to be getting their own movie in the future. Gunn revealed as much when he laid out his plans for the DCU back in January, so this might have been where the rumors began, although Gunn definitely did not say the team would be featured in Superman: Legacy.

“The Authority is a ion project of mine […] we are now bringing [it] into the DCU and will interact with all of our primary DCU characters.”

Whilst it kind of sucks that we’ll have to wait longer to see these guys make their cinematic debut, at least we can all rest easy knowing that The Authority will eventually get the onscreen treatment they deserve. We don’t know exactly when that will be yet, so for now we’ve just got to wait and see.

As well as the inevitable appearance of some very familiar faces from the James Gunn repertory, Superman: Legacy has also been heavily rumored to feature the debuts of some brand new characters set to play a pivotal role in the DCU’s future.

A recent report offered that the reboot being written, directed, and produced by the co-CEO will boast some surprising additions, with The Hollywood Reporter revealing that “ of supergroup The Authority, which are to be introduced in the movie, will be cast after.” Needless to say, the lack of awareness of the team among mainstream audiences and even comic book connoisseurs alike led to precisely the reactions you’d expect.

While it’s definitely true that causal cinemagoers more than likely have no idea who The Authority are, what they do, or why they’re appearing in a Superman blockbuster, let’s not overlook the fact that Gunn has literally made a career out of taking lower-rung heroes and turning them into household names. In fact, it’s part of what landed him the top job at DC in the first place.

Guardians of the Galaxy was predicted by many to be the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first flop, but it was instead a runaway smash hit that introduced a bevvy of favorites that are now recognized the world over. The Suicide Squad‘s roster didn’t boast any name value outside of Harley Quinn, but turned out to be one of the DCU’s best-reviewed entries ever.

Peacemaker took that sentiment and ran with it by throwing even more weird and wonderful people into the mix, and what were the results at the end of the day? Billions of dollars at the box office and respective Rotten Tomatoes scores of 92, 85, 90, 93, 94, and 82 for his six comic book adaptations to date. The Authority? No idea who they are, but they’re in the safest pair of hands imaginable.

The new DC Universe is warming up as a concerted effort to transfer DC’s decades of comic book storytelling to movie theaters, TV, games, and more. 

Of course, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) stands in front of DC like Galactus. Marvel’s decade-plus experience of creating a shared universe on screen may not always please everyone, but it’s undoubtedly the most successful Hollywood franchise in history. 

When Iron Man’s armor was being welded and oiled in 2008, few could have foreseen the sprawling multimedia saga that 15 years later would be releasing multiple projects yearly and generating billions. Marvel famously farmed off some of its hottest properties before taking its own tentative steps into movie theaters. They’d lost their first family, the Fantastic Four comic book titans X-Men to Fox. Spider-Man was crawling around the top of Sony Pictures’ HQ, with no sign he was swinging their way. 

Marvel launched the franchise to rule them all with a lesser-known superhero, and DC can draw confidence from that as they warm up for another run. In fact, the ties between the early MCU and DC’s new approach are stronger than you might think. A clue is in the comic creators working at DC and Marvel as the 21st century arrived. 

The Authority 1k6vp

Hard-hitting superteam The Authority was a surprise addition to DC Studios co-chair James Gunn’s announcement of the DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, but it shouldn’t have been. The live-action Justice League is mired in on- and off-screen controversy and the complicated continuity of the former DC Extended Universe. It remains a mighty brand name, capturing the imagination of millions of moviegoers, but they aren’t the only superhero team in town. 

Gunn’s approach is to draw back to concentrate on two central figures of the Justice League, exploring the icons as individuals and as part of generations. The Last Son of Krypton will be reconfigured as a child of two worlds in Superman Legacy, while the Dark Knight will meet his son in The Brave and the Bold. This time, it doesn’t look like DC will rush to form its most famous superteam.

Filling that gap will be the harder and more confrontational Authority, part of the Wildstorm imprint that DC purchased before being folded into the comic universe during the New 52 reset.

The Authority was a hard-core exploration of what would happen if the Justice League enforced its will on the planet. The idea had made comics before, particularly in the parallel foes of the Justice League, the Crime Syndicate of Earth-2. The Authority went hard on that idea on a more familiar Earth. They don’t hold back in their ongoing mission to improve the world, and no amount of force or collateral damage is too much. The original team included openly gay couple Apollo and Midnighter and immortal leader and energy manipulator Jenny Sparks. They were ed by the powerful mage, The Doctor, and Jack Hawksmoor, who could form a symbiotic relationship with any metropolis.

Creating a new kind of superteam 5pp

Writer Warren Ellis and artist Bryan Hitch created the team from of an earlier Wildstorm superteam Stormwatch. The Authority was a natural continuation of the so-called British Invasion that had helped dramatically change American comics in the 1980s. British comics had long preferred dystopia, social commentary, and satire (see Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog, and other long-running strips in 2000 AD). The Authority was a fascinating turn for DC, mashing Silver Age ideals with Modern Age nihilism. 

After launching the comic in 1999, the duo departed after 12 issues, handing the uncompromising team over to writer Mark Millar and artist Frank Quitely. The new pair’s controversial run lasted 17 issues. During that run, DC intervened to change several covers, order redraws of graphic scenes, and censor some violence after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The Authority would run through many other creators as it merged into the DC universe and beyond, while Millar departed DC Comics in 2001 (his final work for the publisher so far is the superb Superman: Red Son in 2003). A rapid ascent over at Marvel awaited, and one year after he ed DC’s rivals and launched Ultimate X-Men, Millar ed Authority co-creator Bryan Hitch to revolutionize Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

The Ultimates 2w4g3g

The Ultimates was a revelation in many ways. The two architects of The Authority took a predictably uncompromising approach to assemble the Ultimate version of the Avengers. 

Marvel’s Ultimate Universe was a bit of a paradox. Set on Earth-1610, a younger Earth, it was designed to open up decades of Marvel continuity to new readers, but could never last as long as its inspiration. As the need to continue its continuity lessened, the risks increased, and finality came closer. Miles Morales was one of a few select characters too successful to disappear along with the Ultimate continuity, but other aspects proved to have a lasting influence. 

The Ultimates was a dysfunctional task force, not united against “a common threat” like the Avengers but assembled from tactically chosen superheroes and elite agents by S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Nick Fury. The emphasis fell on complex and flawed people working together to save the planet from diverse terrestrial and non-terrestrial threats. 

Hitch would later describe their approach to reimaging the favorite team as “though nothing has happened before and tell the story fresh from the start.We had to get to the core of who these people were and build outwards, so Cap was a soldier, Thor is either a nut case or a messiah. Banner an insecure genius, and Fury, the king of cool.”

If that approach sounds familiar, it’s even more apparent in the artist’s cinematic style, which playfully cast actors in familiar roles. After all, the Ultimate Universe is where Samuel L. Jackson first appeared as Nick Fury. 

Reinventing a superteam 3t3a23

The Ultimates hugely influenced the Avengers the MCU assembled, although it left behind many of the harder aspects Hitch described. The Ultimates’ Tony Stark was an alcoholic womanizer who developed his tech to limit the effect of an inoperable brain tumor. Banner is a talented scientist saddled with the guilt and fear of his Hulk persona. Pacifist Thor was a former psychiatric nurse institutionalized when he realized he was the Norse god. Wasp Janet Pym was a mutant abused by her schizophrenic ex-husband Hank “Giant-Man” Pym. Captain America was the freshly thawed tactical genius who lacked his counterpart’s sense of morality and fairness. This Steve Rogers was happy to use firearms and kill to defend his country — a pro-America status that meant he was less likely to analyze his actions or question his orders. 

The comics achieved widespread acclaim, although its emphasis on human flaws, mature themes, and heightened politicization was considered cynical by some.

The MCU fused these aspects with their better-known Earth-616 versions, but elements are evident in 2012’s The Avengers and 2015’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron. It’s fair to say that approach was a success — the four Avengers movies alone have taken $8 billion worldwide.

From the MCU to DCU 334c4e

A clear link runs from The Authority to The Ultimates and on to the MCU. With The Authority, a surprise tent-pole addition to the first part of the first chapter of DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, it feels like that cycle is complete. The DCEU had previously taken the Justice League to some cynical places, but it often took considerable effort to tie it back to the comics.

On the page, the Authority and the Ultimates have survived against enormous odds, not least the nihilism and expiry date their Silver Age forbears never had. In the reality of filmmaking, time moves quickly, and teams can’t stay together. The MCU’s Avengers may not have taken the destructive path of the Ultimates, but it couldn’t hang on to its core hip forever. That uncertainty has had a noticeable effect on the MCU’s fourth and fifth phases. 

The new-look DCU has an opportunity to balance the diverse approach to superheroes in DC comic books and shape a narrative around these teams. Possibly one where the arrival of new superheroes representing justice and hope emerge from the cynicism and control of existing superteams. It’s a scenario explored from one side in Grant Morrison’s recent Superman and the Authority.

Apollo and Midnighter may be analogs of Superman and Batman (who have a confirmed place in the DCU), but they promise different spins on familiar archetypes that can take the DCU in radically different directions.

Superteams are at the heart of any successful comic book universe. By drawing from the creators who defined comics over the last two decades, DC may be able to have their cake and eat it, adding to what the MCU has accomplished and not just copying it with their gods and monsters.

Despite the Batfleck fandom’s tendency to blame all problems on new DCU architect James Gunn, he wasn’t the cause of Ben’s frowny face. Also, a word of warning about one of the new DCU creator’s troubling past, and a definite “no” from James Gunn when it comes to Superman: Legacy‘s source materials.

Whatever Ben Affleck and James Gunn have discussed, it didn’t give him sadboy face during his Grammys date night 4v45

Ben Affleck may have turned into Ben Sadfleck during Sunday’s Grammys ceremony, but the blame can’t be lain at the feet of James Gunn. Poor Ben looked like he had been dragged to a work party at his wife’s office (which, kinda was the case) but the fact that he got sat at the same table as fellow DC exile Dwayne Johnson had some thinking Ben might have been on the bum due to a little shoptalk with The Rock regarding their mutual gig loss. However, it seems like the real reason might be that Ben was just plain old tired.

Don’t let the excitement over ‘The Authority’ make us forget creator Warren Ellis’s sexual abuse allegations 4w654n

On a more somber note, while Wildstorm fans may be celebrating The Authority‘s inclusion into the DCU, it should be ed that the comic’s creator comes with a more than standard amount of bad baggage. Warren Ellis was one of the most respected comic book writers in his native U.K., as well as in the States, known for his creation of The Authority, as well as his political dystopian cult hit Transmetropolitan, as well as for stints on Marvel titles such as the X-Men and Iron Man. According to the website SoManyofUs, “there is clear evidence of Warren Ellis using his celebrity status and vast public platform as catalyst and shield to manipulate and groom targets under false pretenses, and to coerce private pornography and sexual exchanges.” Ellis has issued a partial apology for his behavior, but claims that he never purposely coerced anyone, and that he did not consider himself to be famous. SoManyofUs.com have been in a mediated dialogue with Ellis since August 2021 in an attempt to undergo a guided transformative justice process.

You can count on seeing a different Superman in the DCU than you’ve seen before, but you can count out seeing an appearance by Superhobo n145z

Superman: Legacy is easily the most anticipated of the new slate of DCU feature films announced by co-CEO James Gunn. Although Gunn has stated that writer Grant Morrison’s Superman miniseries All-Star Superman will be at least one thing influencing Gunn’s script for the movie, that doesn’t mean it won’t contain other super-takes on the character over the years. But Gunn has ruled out using Supes’ “hobo phase.” Gunn tweeted out what appeared to be the cover of a Silver Age-era Superman comic that featured the Man of Steel dressed as a stereotypical depression-era “hobo,” complete with a broken-down top hat, stubble, and a bindle over his shoulder.

Gunn tweeted, “No current plans to adapt.” But he’d actually have a hard time adapting that “issue” in any case — it doesn’t really exist. The cover was made as a gag by Comics Alliance.com poking fun at the “Superman: Grounded” storyline by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Roberson, in which Superman walks across the entire United States in order to regain his sense of humanity. Actually, the idea doesn’t sound like a bad movie. If you leave off the hat and let the man grab a shave, that is.

The DCU is already on its way to forming up, and DC Studios’ James Gunn is pointing out what the building blocks will be, while still having to point out just what, exactly, a “Universe” entails. And at the same time, the brand is also cutting off some dead weight that likely sounded better on paper than it did on the small screen.

James Gunn reveals 4 comic titles that will serve as ‘touchstones’ for the DCUs worldbuilding

Gun revealed four influential DC comic titles that he claims will be used as guideposts as the DC Cinematic Universe takes shape. Gun has discussed Grant Morrison’s All-Star Superman in the past, and The Authority is less of a reveal than a no-brainer, as it was the inevitable source material for the newly-announced film of the same name. But selecting Grant Morrison’s Batman run seems to indicate that the Scottish writer will leave a large thumbprint on the narrative feel of the new DCU. Lastly, and perhaps most intriguing, is the announcement that Alan Moore’s acclaimed and award-winning run on Swamp Thing will inform the latest movie version of the character.

Gunn helps out DCEU diehards by showing what a ‘universe’ can actually be used for

After a Twitter thread that featured much head-scratching over just how Amanda Waller and Peacemaker will fit into the newly- crafted world of the DCU, one grumbling commenter sounded off with this hot take: “The question you should be asking is how does a show that has a something perverted being said every 5 minutes [alluding to Peacemaker] exist in the same universe with big screen big budget PG-13 CBMs that must cater to a large audience">DC’s latest canceled television program. Pennyworth, the prequel that told the backstory of Batman’s loyal butler, Alfred Pennyworth, has been canceled after running for two ten-episode seasons on Epix and one on HBO Max. The series retweeted the butler’s “origin” as a period spy thriller, but despite occasional appearances by Thomas and Martha Wayne — the Dark Knight’s parents — many failed to realize it was associated with the comic book character at all, leading the producers to tack on the unwieldy subtitle “The Origins of Batman’s Butler” during the final season.

After unveiling the full slate for DCU Chapter One: Gods & Monsters earlier in the week, James Gunn has provided further aid for budding DC detectives looking to decipher the direction of the rebooted franchise. Thanks to projects such as Superman: Woman of Tomorrow and Creature Commandos already having titles lifted wholesale from comic books, we already knew where to start with digging into the relevant source material, but now Gunn has pointed us to exactly what we should be reading to uncover his secrets.

Gunn took to Twitter today to name the four key comic books that he stresses are the major touchstones for the new DCU. “That doesn’t mean we’re adapting all these comics,” he noted, before fans got the wrong idea, revealing that it is rather “the feel, the look, or the tone” of these classic DC stories that will act as guiding lights for Gunn and his team as the franchise takes shape.

So what are these comics? First up, we have All-Star Superman by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely, which shouldn’t come as a surprise, as Gunn has already championed this particular work on social media. Next, there’s The Authority Omnibus by writer Warren Ellis and artist Bryan Hitch. Again, another obvious pick there, considering The Authority movie that was just announced.

Thirdly, Gunn highlights another Grant Morrison effort — their run on Batman alongside artist Andy Kubert. It was during this run that Damian Wayne first appeared on the scene, so we can expect these comics to be a big influence on The Brave and the Bold. Last but not least, there’s Absolute Swamp Thing, Alan Moore’s groundbreaking DC debut that changed the titular character forever.

That’s a lot of pages of comics goodness Gunn has outlined there, so that should keep DC fans plenty busy while we wait for the DCU to officially kick off with Superman: Legacy on July 11, 2025.

James Gunn kept us waiting until the last day of January to announce DC Studios’ new DC Universe (DCU). The co-chair of DC Studios was at pains to stress early on that he and co-chair Peter Safran have a critical responsibility — to ensure continuity between DC movies, TV shows, games, and animation that’s not been there before. That kind of intricate continuity can only recall the phenomenal effort of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). 

While DC has struggled to replicate its comic book properties on screen, its great comic book rival has built a shared universe that’s the most successful franchise in Hollywood history.

However, the MCU is now 15 years old and has faced issues reinventing and diversifying its ever-growing story despite its inspired saga and phase approach to storytelling. DC has a fresh start and a new emphasis that could trample all over MCU’s Phases Five and Six. 

1. Lines of justice are instantly going to blur 554m46

A surprise in Gunn’s announcement was a movie of The Authority, the dark and violent superteam from DC’s Wildstorm imprint that sits at a polar extreme to the Justice League. It’s a bold call, setting up the tantalizing prospect of the League forming to overthrow and return optimism to an Earth controlled by authoritarian superheroes. 

The superteam’s history since Wildstorm’s characters folded into DC continuity in 2011 has been far more complicated and interesting than that. Still, there’s much to be said for establishing this uncompromising team of antiheroes first. Over in MCU’s Phase Five, we’ve got the rag-tag Thunderbolts, one villainous superteam that has, it’s fair to say, left fans cold.

2. It’s going to represent 215t2h

The Authority always has comments to make on broad comic book history, and two of its prominent are analogs for Batman and Superman. Even better, they’re a married couple with a long backstory in the comics. Just a hint of Midnighter and Apollo knocks the MCU’s approach to LGBTQ+ into relief. 

For all its series and movies, the MCU has yet to represent the community like that. The next two phases are slow to confirm any characters who could. Xochitl Gomez’s America Chevez may return after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but the MCU character is far from the comic version. Michaela Coel’s Aneka and Florence Kasumba’s Ayo are yet to be confirmed for a return after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. There’s also a question about whether King Valkyrie will return any time soon. So far, the two phases’ representation is left to Loki and variant Sylvie in Season 2 of Loki.

3. It’s a clean slate 2v6a26

It’s a sign of success more than anything, but there’s no forgetting that MCU’s Phase Five picks up with the 31st film of the franchise. Even as it heads to a new realm, that’s a lot of baggage to honor and trade on. 

The DCU won’t have that problem for a long while as it resets and concentrates on introductions. While the threat of Kang in the MCU promises to pull on the franchise’s past, the DCU is readymade to look forward.

4. It’s big on double-acts 2g3u56

Gunn and Safran have realized the potential of DC’s teams, and particularly their double-acts. Retelling Grant Morrison’s Batman and Son promises a fresh approach to the much-adapted Dark Knight with an odd-couple father-and-son dynamic. It’s no mistake the movie’s picking up The Brave and the Bold for its title — a watch-phrase for legendary Batman team-ups. Booster Gold is set to come to HBO Max, and as everyone will soon know, that charismatic walking imposter syndrome is nothing without his partner Blue Beetle (although which version remains to be seen). 

There’s also the fascinating prospect of Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart playing True Detective. Over in the next two phases of the MCU, you have to really look for a good double-act, especially since Cap and Buck’s partnership is set to be split between Captain America: New World Order and Thunderbolts.

5. Multiple continuities are fine 2f6ch

The MCU’s strengths and weaknesses are in its continuity. True, the explosion of the multiverse has let other continuities come to play — most notably in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home — but Earth-616’s connections still define the story. Nothing in the MCU can sit outside that continuity. 

Gunn and Safran have inherited a mixed bag of DC successes and curated content. Matt Reeves’ Batman is an excellent example of a series designed not to operate in a shared DC universe (but to establish its own). Todd Phillips’ Joker is another Bat property that sits parallel to other incarnations of the Dark Knight in time and theme. Well, the planned sequels to both hits aren’t going anywhere. 

The solution lies in DC history. The Elseworlds imprint that explored tales of familiar characters out of continuity will be applied on screen. Multiple continuities are guaranteed, with at least four Batmen appearing in the next few years.

6. It has James Gunn 70176p

7. It’s playing a better game with generations 9s12

The MCU competently assembled its Avengers during Phase One, which inevitably left later phases looking for repeat talent. It’s been particularly acute since the clear-out of Avengers: Endgame. We’ve been waiting for the Young Avengers to appear for ages, and we think we’ve met a few in Kate Bishop’s Hawkeye and Kamala Khan’s Ms. Marvel, but… there’s no sign of them. 

The DCU will introduce a new Batman just as he discovers he has a son. Damien Wayne isn’t just the heir to the world’s greatest detective and the world’s most infamous terrorist (Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter Talia is his mother), he’s also one of the greatest Robins and a Teen Titan.

8. It’s a new kind of connected universe 625253

There’s a sense that the MCU’s Multiversal Saga has quickly taken a formulaic approach to the multiverse, letting individual characters discover it one by one. After Phase Four let Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and Scarlet Witch in on existence’s worst-kept secret, Phase Five will take it to the next level as Ant-Man and Wasp head to the Quantum Realm. It’s been the formula since Asgard made its presence felt in Phase One. 

Aside from signposted Elseworlds diversions, rebooting the DCU with the flagship movie Superman Legacy is a sign that multiple worlds will exist from the start. A crucial building block will be young Kal-El balancing his Kryptonian heritage and human upbringing while Supergirl brings a wholly different alien experience to her epic space opera.

9. It’s going supernatural straight away 3d44k

We may have to wait until Phase Seven for things to get supernatural in the MCU. We’ll know more when Blade sets us straight on vampires at the end of Phase Five. The dark side of the MCU feels like a long overdue cog, as Doctor Strange has pretty much gone it alone on the dark side. Hints like Werewolf by Night have been relegated to Disney+ specials. It will be a long two phases, given there’s already a clamor for Man-Thing and Ghost Rider’s return. 

The DCU won’t have any such worries as it drops the origin of the elemental Swamp Thing straight into its opening chapter.

10. We don’t know who the villain is (and nobody’s talking about them) 134a4a

Right now, we’re pumped to dissect the broad range of projects that Gunn has promised will represent a new continuity (or will be signposted as Elseworlds), and that’s just about enough. 

Is there a shared villain behind this opening chapter? An inevitable slide to assembling Avengers (check), ending in an epic timeline mashing fight (probably check)? No, we don’t even know the chapter’s destination, and you know what? That feels good. 

The World’s Finest could rise to take down the Authority, the Flash could mess everything up, or Swamp Thing could spend an entire movie just hanging out in the Green. We just don’t know! We only know there’ll be monsters to go with the gods…

Whenever new DCU films are announced, it is impossible to not compare them to Marvel’s MCU offerings. While this can sometimes lead to unfair comparisons, if one of James Gunn’s announcements becomes a reality, it’s clear that the DCU will be at the forefront of mainstream LGBTQ+ representation – something that Marvel has repeatedly dropped the ball on. 

One of the films announced today was The Authority, a movie about the fan-favorite superhero team from DC’s now-defunct Wildstorm imprint. Making their debut in The Authority #1 in May 1999, this team presented a different take on the superhero format, featuring a group of heroes who, rather than stopping crime, aimed to prevent it from happening by shaping world events by any means necessary. This often led to the group toppling governments and getting involved in other shady schemes to guarantee society progressed as they saw fit.

The Authority officially entered the DC universe in 2011, when the New 52 event started to merge the two continuities. In 2021, the Superman and the Authority series launched, fully bringing The Authority into the mainline DC canon and to the eyes of a new generation of fans. 

This team had many interesting characters, but two who stood out were Midnighter and Apollo. These characters were unmistakable parodies of Batman and Superman, but they were also an openly gay couple. Which, for the 1990s, was a big deal as LGBTQ+ representation was nowhere near as common or as widespread as it is today. On top of this, one of the core storylines of the original comics was the build to Apollo and Midnighter’s marriage, something that happened in 2002’s The Authority #29, meaning that Apollo and Midnighter are the first same-sex superhero couple to get married.

Even though the team’s move into the DC universe during the New 52 undid the marriage, it didn’t undo the relationship. It also led to another widely praised comic, the Steve Orlando and Fernando Blanco-created Midnighter and Apollo miniseries from 2016. This further built on the couple’s relationship, showing them fighting to protect each other with all they had. 

And this is what makes the film so exciting. While the original comics may have dated poorly, it is impossible to tell the story of The Authority without telling Midnighter and Apollo’s love story. Their relationship is one of the foundational elements of the team, and their love for one another informs all of their actions in a way that can’t simply be relegated to the background.

Compare this to Marvel’s LGBTQ+ representation. While the franchise has been running for 15 years, viewers didn’t see an LGBTQ+ hero until Valkyrie was introduced in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, the 17th film in the franchise. To make this more annoying, she was only confirmed to be an LGBTQ+ woman in interviews, with any visual proof of her LGBTQ+ status being cut from the final film. Viewers wouldn’t get on-screen, in-universe confirmation of her bisexuality until Thor: Love and Thunder in 2022. 

The first on-screen LGBTQ+ kiss didn’t happen until 2021’s Eternals — the 26th movie in the franchise — where hero Phastos is shown interacting with his husband, Ben. While Marvel should be commended for depicting a gay married couple on screen, this whole element felt surface-level and wasn’t given the depth of exploration it deserved. Especially as the characters and plot points in Eternals haven’t been built on since this movie’s release, making it feel like the franchise has tried to brush the film under the rug. Since then, there has been an increasing amount of LGBTQ+ representation in the MCU, with America Chavez’s lesbian mothers being shown in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but it still feels very surface-level, with Marvel never building on or around these LGBTQ+ characters or their storylines, often reducing representation down to blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shots. 

Hopefully, James Gunn’s movie version of The Authority will show how powerful good LGBTQ+ representation can be. We can also hope this film spurs Marvel and other studios to do better with their LGBTQ+ representation – leading to more superhero films featuring LGBTQ+ narratives at their core rather than making LGBTQ+ representation something the audience needs to comb through the movie frame by frame to find. 

The full slate for the DCU‘s Chapter One — officially subtitled “Gods and Monsters” — has been unveiled, and while it is stacked full of must-see projects starring everyone from Superman to Swamp Thing, DC fans may be somewhat disappointed to discover that there isn’t a Justice League movie or TV series among them. In a curious move, however, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has announced a solo vehicle for a Justice League pastiche instead.

Namely, a movie based on The Authority is in the works. For those not in the know, which is understandably pretty much every casual DC fan who doesn’t have an encyclopedia knowledge of the comic book world, the Authority were created by writer Warren Ellis and artist Bryan Hitch and originally hailed from future DC Comics chief Jim Lee’s Wildstorm universe, before later being folded into the mainline franchise.

Here’s how the project, which is said to focus on “a team of superheroes with rather extreme methods of protecting the planet,” has been described by Gunn and co-producer Peter Safran:

“One of the things of the DCU is that it’s not just a story of heroes and villains,” said Gunn. “Not every film and TV show is going to be about good guy vs. bad guy, giant things from the sky comes and good guy wins. There are white hats, black hats and grey hats.” Added Safran: “They are kinda like Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men. They know that you want them on the wall. Or at least they believe that.”

The most famous of the Authority have to be Midnighter and Apollo, two characters closely modeled after Batman and Superman, but with one key twist — they are a gay married couple. The pair have long been one of the most popular LGBTQ+ couples in DC Comics, so fans should be excited to see them finally brought into live-action. Honestly, the franchise making this big stride is probably even better than bringing the real Batman and Superman together in a movie yet again.

As expected, James Gunn and Peter Safran’s bombshell announcements have rocked the DCU to its very core, with the duo dubbing the first chapter as Gods & Monsters.

Combining grounded (or as grounded as they can get) superhero stories with some fantastical adventures set to shake the franchise to its very foundations, the new co-CEOs have immediately swung for the fences, and the incoming roster of film and television titles is every bit as exciting as you could hope for.

You can catch the full listing below, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out which are the gods, and who are the monsters. Then again, there are several who dwell firmly in the middle ground.

• Booster Gold
• Swamp Thing
• Paradise Lost
• The Authority
• Lanterns
• Waller
• Superman: Legacy
• Creature Commandos
• The Brave and the Bold
• Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

The Batman sequel has also been confirmed for an October 2025 release date, and the non-canon offshoots of the mythology have also officially been dubbed as Elseworlds. Naturally, you can expect some sections of the internet to sh*t all over the entire operation, but the unbiased comic book aficionados should ratchet their hype levels up accordingly, because this is big.

Where do we go from here? Into a bold new age of what’s hopefully top-tier storytelling that does what the previous regime couldn’t do, and manages to transform the decade-old saga into a cohesive whole that’s defined by consistency and acclaim, instead of being repeatedly blasted for spending so long trying to find its footing without never managing to do so.