James Gunn DC film, TV plans include new Batman, Supergirl

“Storytelling is always king. That’s all that matters to us,” James Gunn, the co-CEO of DC Studios said Tuesday as he announced a new slate of film and TV projects that will be part of the next eight to 10 years of comic book content from Warner Bros. Discovery.

Gunn and Peter Safran were named as the new heads of the studio in October, and they are finally revealing their plans for the DC Extended Universe. In a taped video posted to social media, Gunn outlined nearly a dozen projects that will be part of the DCEU’s first new chapter, dubbed “Gods and Monsters.”

“So as many of you know, DC has been disconnected in film and television for a long time,” Gunn said in a video posted on Twitter. “And it’s one of our jobs, mine and Peter’s, to come in and make sure the DCU is connected in film, television, gaming, and animation that the characters are consistent, played by the same actors and it works within one story.”

The announcement comes as Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” which he made for Disney’s Marvel Studios, gets set to hit theaters in May.

Gunn noted that going forward projects will be clearly labeled as either part of the DCEU or part of “DC Elseworlds,” which is content that lives outside the mainstream continuity. This includes “The Batman – Part II,” a follow up film to Matt Reeves’ “The Batman.” The film is slated for release on October 3, 2025. A “Joker” sequel starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga is due next year.

Here is what is coming as part of the next wave of DCEU projects.

• “Superman: Legacy” – Due out in theaters on July 11, 2025, this film will be written by Gunn, and focus on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing.
• “The Authority” – WildStorm characters will join the DCU as members of The Authority take matters into their own hands to do what they believe is right.
• “The Brave and the Bold” – Inspired by Grant Morrison’s comic series, the DCEU will introduce Batman and Damian Wayne as Robin in this new film.
• “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” – Based on Tom King’s comic series, this film is a science-fiction adventure about Supergirl.
• “Swamp Thing” – The film will investigate the dark origins of Swamp Thing

• “Creature Commandos” – A seven-episode animated show in which Amanda Waller creates a black ops team out of monstrous prisoners.
• “Waller” – Starring Viola Davis as Amanda Waller this series will feature characters from “Peacemaker.”
• “Booster Gold” – Booster Gold uses basic technology from the future to pretend to be a superhero in present day.
• “Lanterns” – A “True Detective”-style show centered on intergalactic cops John Stewart and Hal Jordan as they uncover a dark mystery  
• “Paradise Lost” ­– A “Game of Thrones”-style show set in Themyscira, home of the Amazons and birthplace of Wonder Woman, this drama focuses on the genesis and political intrigue of an island of all women.

“One of the things that’s very important for me in all of these movies and TV series is that the director’s vision and the vision of the writers and all of the creators is unique,” Gunn said.

He noted that while the projects will have different tones, they will all feed into a greater over-arching story.

Remaining on the slate for 2023 are the theatrical releases of “Shazam: Fury of the Gods,” “The Flash,” “Blue Beetle” and “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.”