Despite having a sparse schedule of releases, a number of major announcements in 2024 made the upcoming DC Universe even more exciting. It was just nearly two years ago that the DCU was announced, and there have been a number of interesting developments since then. Creature Commandos officially launched the brand-new universe, debuting in December 2024, while James Gunn’s Superman – releasing July 11, 2025 – will be the first movie of the DCU.
Prior to the launch of the DCU, Warner Bros. struggled to maintain audience goodwill with the DCEU. Now that DC Studios is its own entity with Peter Safran and James Gunn at the helm, the hope is that the DCU could finally become what the DCEU was once promised, with a slate of upcoming DC releases set to pave a new path forward. Although there were a handful of hiccups along the way, 2024 proved to be a good year for the upcoming universe, as a number of developments hinted at what is to come.
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Superman’s Trailer Arrives And Smashes Past 250 Million Views
A Real First Look At The New Man Of Steel
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After months of dancing around the subject, James Gunn finally released the first trailer for Superman in December, with a special press event in Los Angeles that ScreenRant representatives were lucky enough to be invited to. We saw a preview of the main event a couple of days before DC Studios launched the trailer to major acclaim.
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The Superman trailer offered first official looks at Krypto, Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), and Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan) among others. There were some major story hints, including the reveal of a huge kaiju attack on Metropolis, and some sort of superhero prison, while it’s been suggested that the majority of the trailer footage comes from the early part of the movie only.
Days after its release, the Superman trailer past 250 million views, with James Gunn heralding the release as a record-breaking event: “Krypto really did take us home: With over 250 million views and a million social posts, Superman is officially the most viewed and the most talked about trailer in the history of both DC and Warner Bros.”
14
Joker 2 Bombs At The Box Office
A Disappointing Disaster After Todd Phillips’ Original Took In A Billion Dollars
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Joker was lightning in a bottle when it released in 2019, making over $1 billion at the box-office on a $55 million budget and seeing Joaquin Phoenix win an Oscar for his performance as the titular character. In fact, it was the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time until Deadpool & Wolverine dethroned it. Of course, this meant conversations about a sequel emerged, and the results following Joker: Folie à Deux’s release were a disaster.
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Joker Franchise at the Box-Office |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Movie |
Budget |
Worldwide Total |
|
Joker |
$55,000,000 |
$1,063,574,394 |
|
Joker: Folie à Deux |
$190,000,000 |
$206,382,773 |
Joker: Folie à Deux was a massive step-down from the first in terms of financial success. It made just over $206 million against a $190 million budget. With the basic idea that a movie needs to make about 2.5x its budget to break even, Joker: Folie à Deux is one of the biggest comic book movie flops of all time. It also received a D CinemaScore, the lowest for any comic book movie ever.
13
Mike Flanagan’s Clayface Movie Is Coming In 2026
The Horror Veteran Is Bringing Body Horror The DCU
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Just as Clayface made his debut in Creature Commandos (played by voice acting legend Alan Tudyk), James Gunn and Warner Bros announced that the iconic DC villain is coming to the DCU. Written by The Haunting Of Hill House creator Mike Flanagan, Clayface will release on September 11, 2026.
Flanagan previously said in 2021 that he was “really keen to do a standalone Clayface movie as a horror/thriller/tragedy.” There’s no director currently set, but speaking with io9, James Gunn revealed thatClayface has been in development for some time:
I didn’t plan on making a Clayface movie. Mike came in. He pitched this wonderful idea. I was like, ‘Damn, I can’t believe you got me to want to make a Clayface movie.’ But he’s got to write the script and who knows how that’s going to work. He goes and he writes the script. First draft is great. Second draft is even better. And then I’m like, ‘Let’s do it.’ So we found a place for it because if there’s quality stuff, we can find a way to work it in.
Gunn also confirmed that Clayface will be part of the DCU, rather than part of Matt Reeves’ DC offshoot. Asked about the project (as well as the status of a DCU Flash reboot), Gunn also revealed the reason why a supposedly lesser character has been given the slot as the third official DCU release:Gunn revealed
Because of the number one rule here at DC: No movie will be greenlit before the script is ready. And [Flanagan’s] script was ready. (And as for the Flash we’re holding a beat on development).
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DC Shows Will Premiere On HBO (& Will Probably All Release Weekly)
DCU Is Prestige Television
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One of the most exciting developments in 2024 is that some DCU projects will become HBO series when they were originally conceived as Max Originals. This is the best possible outcome for DC, as HBO has been generally synonymous with prestige television since its inception. Although the shows are simultaneously released on Max, the move to HBO allows a bigger budget that can do justice to these massive superhero properties.
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Every Way The Penguin Sets Up The Batman Part II
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The Penguin already had a successful run on HBO, becoming one of the best comic book series of all time, and showing that the future of DC on television could be very exciting. This success has led to talk about what other The Batman spinoff series could follow the success of The Penguin for HBO. Lanterns is also another DC project that has been picked up by HBO, which bodes well for the scope of storytelling that this side of the DC mythos needs.
Late in the year, James Gunn also dropped a huge hint that all DC shows will release weekly, avoiding the all-at-once binge-model drops that the MCU has favored on Disney+. Gunn replied to a DC fan on Twitter to confirm why he prefers that model:
Because it affords a quality show an opportunity to be discussed and grow from week to week. CC has gotten more popular from episode to episode because of the positive discussion around it and has cultivated an enthusiastic audience. If we had dropped all the episodes at once who knows what would have happened. I will likely always be in the one-a-week camp for our shows. For people who want to binge all at once they can wait until the end of the season.
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Hal Jordan and John Stewart Are Cast
Green Lanterns Are Getting A Lot Of Love In The DCU
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After Lanterns was announced to be coming to HBO, there has been an increase in news revolving around the upcoming series, namely regarding a handful of actors that have been cast in major DC roles. Perhaps some of the biggest news for the DCU is that the two biggest Green Lanterns have been cast. Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) will play Hal Jordan, while Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge) takes up the mantle of John Stewart.
Nathan Fillion will also be playing Guy Gardner, another human Green Lantern, in Superman and will return in Lanterns.
Kyle Chandler was a left-field pick for Hal Jordan, but should be amazing as a veteran Green Lantern having to mentor a younger John Stewart. Aaron Pierre took the internet by storm following his performance in Rebel Ridge, showcasing the physicality and acting prowess needed for John Stewart. With Hal Jordan being an older character, John Stewart looks to be the main Green Lantern for the DCU, and Aaron Pierre is perfect to carry that responsibility.
10
Daniel Craig May Be Joining The DCU In A Surprise Role
Not Every A-Lister Has To Put A Cape On
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In November, shock news broke that James Bond actor Daniel Craig was officially in talks to star in Sgt. Rock adaptation in the DCU. Even more surprisindly, the project would apparently reunite him with Queer director Luca Guadagnino. James Gunn is yet to respond to the reports.
Initially reported by Deadline, the Sgt. Rock movie is set to be written by Justin Kuritzkes, and will apparently be the next movie Guadagnino tackles. Rock was previously almost the focus of an Arnold Schwarzenegger DC war movie back in the 1990s, and recently appeared in an epsiode of Creature Commandos as part of GI Robot’s backstory.
9
Krypto Joins The DCU
The Best Boy Joins The Universe
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The DCU got a little more exciting after James Gunn announced, in a heartfelt ode to his own dog, that Krypto would be in the upcoming Superman film. James Gunn has heavily featured animals throughout his other comic book projects, with the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy leading the way on that front. It felt like a natural move that Gunn would try to incorporate Krypto into the DCU, and he dog unsurprisingly played a significant part in Superman‘s first trailer.
Krypto actually plays a significant role in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, so he has a chance to appear in that upcoming adaptation as well. With Krypto largely absent for most adaptations of Superman, it is refreshing to see James Gunn embrace the wholesome aspects of the Big Blue Boy Scout, and Krypto is the perfect character to help do that.
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Dynamic Duo Is In The Works
A Dick Grayson And Jason Todd Team-Up
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One of the biggest DC surprises for 2024 was the announcement of Dynamic Duo, a brand-new animated movie featuring two different Robins, Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. James Gunn has routinely shown that animated projects are a priority for DC Studios, and a film featuring Dick and Jason working together without the supervision of Batman could be a very good choice for the studio.
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Perhaps the most exciting part of Dynamic Duo is that it will be animated by Swaybox with co-founder Arthur Mintz directing, while Theresa Andersson is producing. The company is doing some truly innovative things within animation, including a mixture of stop-motion animation, puppetry, and CGI. That said, it is still unclear if Dynamic Duo will be in the mainline DCU or serve as its own seperate Elseworlds release.
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Creature Commandos Kicks Off The DCU & Is Quickly Renewed For Season 2
The First DCU Project Is Already Continuing
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Although James Gunn has positioned his Superman film as the first big cinematic event for the DCU, Creature Commandos kicked off the universe with an animated series that brings in some of the signature violence and vulgarity associated with many of James Gunn’s superhero projects. Written by Gunn, Creature Commandos is essentially a replacement for Task Force X after the government shut down that operation, with Amanda Waller still pulling the strings as they go on dangerous missions.
James Gunn has said that actors appearing in animated projects can also cross over into live action, which Creature Commandos‘ Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. will be doing with parts in both Superman and Peacemaker season 2. The expectations for Creature Commandos weren’t necessarily as high as for a project like Superman, but the show set the tone for some of the more R-rated parts of the coming DCU.
In December, as the first season still aired, Creature Commandos season 2 was officially announced by Max and James Gunn, with the director and writer announcing that the first run of episodes were “record-breaking”. There’s no word yet on which record its broken.
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Tim Burton’s Batman Universe Expands With Batman: Resurrection
Clayface, Hugo Strange & The Joker Unite For A New Sequel
While not a screen project, Batman: Resurrection released in 2024, continuing Tim Burton’s Batman universe with a new story set between Batman (1989) and Batman Returns. Written by John Jackson Miller, the sequel introduces a new take on Clayface to the Burtonverse, as well as bringing Hugo Strange out of the shadows. It’s an excellent addition to Batman movie lore, and will be followed by another sequel novel, Batman: Revolution in 2025.
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The Penguin Increases Viewership Week After Week
The Penguin Exceeded All Expectations
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After Colin Farrell appeared in The Batman as Oz Cobb, he received his very own spin-off show that follows the events of the film. The Penguin explores Oz taking over Gotham’s underbelly after Falcone is killed, and a power vacuum opens up. The Penguin provided a nuanced and engaging take on DC’s criminal world, exploring the titular character in an incredible way. Perhaps one of the most exciting parts about the series is the momentum it built over the course of its run.
The Penguin steadily increased in viewership as each episode went on, showing that it has staying power while building good word of mouth.
It was reported that The Penguin finale garnered 2.1 million viewers across HBO and Max during its Sunday premiere. This is a 50% increase from the series premiere, that saw 1.4 million viewers tune it to Matt Reeves’ world. In fact, The Penguin steadily increased in viewership as each episode went on, showing that it had staying power while building good word of mouth. The performance bodes well for The Batman – Part II and any other spin-offs this franchise has cooking.
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Batman: The Brave & The Bold Is Delayed
Andy Muschietti’s Batman Reboot In Development Hell?
While it was announced as part of the initial slate for the DCU’s Ghosts & Monsters chapter, Batman: The Brave & The Bold was never given a release date. That fits with James Gunn’s repeated assertion that no DCU project will be officially greenlit (i.e. announced with a release date, seemingly), until a script is ready. Quite when that will happen is unclear, but we do now know that Batman: The Brave & The Bold has been postponed.
Appearing in an interview with Vorterix, director Andy Muschietti announced that the upcoming reboot “been postponed a bit.” The Flash helmer announced that he’s now writing a new science fiction movie that he wants to make, potentially before he retakes the reins of a DC project:
I’m now writing a science fiction movie that I would like to do… Batman is a project that’s been postponed a bit. So there could be another film before it, possibly that one.
3
Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow Finds Its Kara
Kara Zor-El Is Coming To The DCU
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One of the first projects announced for the DCU was Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, adapting the fantastic limited series of the same name. Nailing casting felt crucial for the universe and DC Studios found the perfect Kara in Milly Alcock. She became a bigger name following her fantastic performance as Rhaenyra Targaryen in HBO’s House of the Dragon, the prequel to Game of Thrones. Though Milly Alcock’s main share of scenes is in the first half of season one, she left an impact on the show as a whole.
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Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is an incredible Supergirl story, featuring a rather jaded Kara who is trying to find her own place in the world. In a lot of ways, Milly displayed that same temperament during her time in House of the Dragon. With the film set to be released on July 26, 2026, it is possible that she could show up before then, most likely in Superman.
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Matt Reeves Confirms More Batman Spin-Offs Are Coming
More Of “The Batman Epic Crime Saga” Is Welcome
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The future of the Dark Knight is set to further expand with Matt Reeves’ Batman universe, as Reeves has announced that there will be more spin-offs following The Penguin. Details are scarce about what these other DCU Elseworld series could be about, but The Penguin was so successful in what it set out to do that it stands to reason Reeves and DC would want to continue fleshing out this universe.
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Matt Reeves has already talked about a number of spin-offs that were in the works, including a Gotham PD series as well as an Arkham Asylum series, both of which were scrapped. Now that The Penguin has exceeded all expectations and The Batman – Part II will continue to explore this universe, it will be interesting to see what projects emerge from the franchise, and whether these prior series may even be reconsidered. With Matt Reeves and James Gunn both doing fantastic things for the DCU, the future of the franchise seems to be in good hands.
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The Batman – Part II Gets An Official Release Date & Is Then Delayed A Whole Year
Matt Reeves’ Trend Of Long Productions Pushes The Sequel Back
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For a while, everything regarding The Batman – Part II went a little quiet following the announcement of the DCU and then the subsequent writer’s strike that delayed Matt Reeves’ script. It was originally slated for a 2025 release, but was officially pushed back until October 2, 2026. Although it is still two years away, the film is supposedly set to begin filming early in 2025, so more details about The Batman – Part II should ramp up once it starts.
Unfortunately, in Warner Bros announced that The Batman – Part II will now release on October 1, 2027 instead. Intriguingly, the production has also been temporarily untitled, suggesting it will now receive a new title. James Gunn took to Threads in the wake of the official delay announcement to explain the news, as certain parts of the DC fandom kicked off several rounds of conspiracy theories:
“Matt is committed to making the best film he possibly can, and no one can accurately guess exactly how long a script will take to write. Once there is a finished script, there is around two years for pre-production, shooting and post-production on big films.”
The Batman – Part II has massive expectations after Matt Reeves and other creative involved in the franchise have knocked it out of the park in back-to-back projects for what he calls “The Batman Epic Crime Saga.” The Batman was a fantastic, moody introduction to the world, while The Penguin explored Gotham in deeper ways that took full advantage of the TV medium to do so.
Upcoming DC Movie Releases
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Superman
Release Date
July 11, 2025
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Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Release Date
June 26, 2026
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The Batman Part II
Release Date
October 1, 2027
Source: The Numbers