Warner Has Big Plans For DC, But Can We See How Superman Does First?

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Summary

  • Superman will launch the new DC Universe, but other projects, such as Lanterns and Supergirl, are already underway.
  • Warner Bros. is taking a big gamble with an unproven universe that Superman has yet to establish.
  • DC may be repeating past mistakes by rushing to establish the interconnected universe, potentially leading to costly pivots.

Warner Bros. has grand ambitions for its upcoming DC Comics universe, however, the debut of their lead character, Superman, is yet to grace movie screens. Following the collapse of DC’s previous interconnected series of superhero films, they transferred control of DC Studios to James Gunn and Peter Safran. Gunn will pen and direct a new Superman film, kick-starting the latest DC Comics universe, with a variety of projects announced that span television, cinema, and possibly video games.

A significant number of their projects are currently underway. The second season of “Peacemaker” will air in August. Filming for the movie “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” has been completed, and the “Lanterns” TV series is being produced. The animated series “Creature Commandos” was the initial project to launch, acting as a precursor to their broader universe, including characters such as Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. Nevertheless, with numerous DC shows and films in development, Warner Bros. is risking a lot on an untested universe, even before Superman has established his foundation.

The DC Universe Already Has Substantial Plans In Motion

As a die-hard movie enthusiast, I can’t help but be thrilled about the burgeoning DC Universe on the big screen. The Creature Commandos has already made its debut with an impressive first season, earning rave reviews from both critics and fans alike. Not only has it been renewed for another season, but it seems that this motley crew will continue to entertain us.

While Superman may have been initially planned as the starting point for the cinematic DC Universe, there’s a whole lot more brewing behind the scenes. For instance, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow has recently wrapped up filming, with Milly Alcock of House of the Dragon fame stepping into the title role.

What’s even more exciting is that Supergirl boasts an accomplished director at the helm – Craig Gillespie! With a diverse career under his belt, directing Colin Farrell in Fright Night, receiving Academy Award nominations for I, Tonya, and masterfully bringing Disney’s Cruella to life, he’s certainly the right man for the job.

In August, the second season of “Peacemaker” is set to introduce some complexities into the storyline because its initial season was part of a previous unsuccessful DC universe. Upon its return, viewers are anticipating that “Peacemaker” will clarify the links and characters that were previously introduced. However, given that the DC Universe aims for a fresh start, there’s a risk that “Peacemaker” might make an already extensive plan even more convoluted. Despite the positive response to the first season, some people might argue it would have been wiser not to bring it back.

The TV series titled “Lanterns” is currently being made and is set to chronicle the stories of Green Lanterns Hal Jordan (played by Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (portrayed by Aaron Pierre). Additionally, Nathan Fillion’s character, Guy Gardner, will make his first appearance in this series before moving on to be featured in season 2 of “Peacemaker.

As a devoted fan, I’m excited about the intriguing developments in the DC universe! Gunn and Safran are working on Elseworld projects, which are stories set outside the main DC Universe continuity. This includes the anticipated sequel to The Batman, starring Keanu Reeves in a planned Constantine sequel, and the fifth season of the animated Harley Quinn series. Additionally, there’s a Clayface movie in the works, penned by Mike Flanagan, currently undergoing rewrites before production begins later this year. However, it’s worth noting that the DCU hasn’t established Batman yet. Introducing Clayface into this uncharted territory is daring, especially since Matt Reeves might incorporate the character in The Batman II.

There are multiple proposals for Teen Titans, a Waller TV series, an animated Robin film, a take on Batman’s The Brave and the Bold, and even a movie about the less famous group, The Authority. Already, some projects like the Sgt. Rock movie have been scrapped. Despite numerous unproven factors, Warner Bros has made a substantial investment in these plans.

Superman Is Meant To Kick Off An Unproven Universe

Despite the established plotlines within the DC Universe, the trailers for the upcoming Superman film have hinted at the introduction of numerous new characters. Not only will we see familiar faces like Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, and Metallo making their DCU debut, but the movie promises to showcase other heroes such as Guy Gardner (Green Lantern), Hawkgirl, and Mr. Terrific. Fans are eagerly anticipating these characters getting their moment in the spotlight, given the film’s jam-packed content. Moreover, Superman is taking a significant risk by bringing Krypto the Superdog into live-action for the first time, a move that could potentially make or break the movie.

The upcoming Superman movie carries a significant burden as it strives for both financial success and positive reception among critics and viewers. Previously, movies like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice have demonstrated substantial financial success but were met with harsh criticism that ultimately disrupted DC’s plans. Given the ambitious choices made in the new adaptation of Superman, a repeat of these negative outcomes could mirror past mistakes and potentially hinder DC’s efforts to establish a cohesive universe.

The DCU May Repeat The Mistakes That Doomed The DCEU

As a die-hard fan of DC Comics, I’ve always been excited about their cinematic universe, fondly known as the DCEU or the DC Extended Universe. My journey began in 2013 with Zack Snyder’s epic, ‘Man of Steel’, which aimed to establish the tone and lay the foundation for the franchise if it found success. The box office earnings convinced Warner Bros. to unveil their DCEU roadmap, which included a sequel, the much-anticipated ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’, followed by ‘Suicide Squad’, ‘Wonder Woman’, and a ‘Justice League’ film. Other projects were also announced, like a standalone ‘Cyborg’ movie, the ‘Green Lantern Corps’, and it was hinted that the ‘Justice League’ would span across multiple films.

After the release of Batman v Superman, several other DC films like Justice League, Suicide Squad, and Wonder Woman were already in the process of being made. However, when the film received negative feedback from both critics and viewers, DC decided to significantly change their approach. This choice sparked a series of controversial changes on set, including the overhauling of Justice League and the cancellation of several projects. Some of these abandoned films included Ben Affleck’s standalone Batman movie, Henry Cavill’s sequel to Man of Steel, and Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke film. Even Suicide Squad underwent major alterations, resulting in another disappointing film they aimed to improve.

DC aspired to achieve the same level of success that Marvel found with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). However, unlike Marvel, which took years to carefully set up its universe before introducing ‘The Avengers’ and merging all their characters, DC aimed to speed up the process by developing multiple projects at once. Although this strategy seemed promising financially, it didn’t factor in the potential for failure. This hasty approach ultimately weakened the foundation of their shared universe, the DCEU, during its early stages, as they built too much on an unproven universe.

The DCEU struggled towards its end following the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in 2023, after a series of films like Black Adam, The Flash, and Shazam!: Fury of the Gods saw dwindling success. By this point, Gunn and Safran were brought on board to revamp DC’s television and film lineup, unveiling their plans for the DCU. However, with numerous projects already in production before Superman sets the stage for the DCU, Warner Bros. and DC Studios risk repeating past errors that could necessitate expensive changes in content that has already been produced.

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2025-06-07 00:04