It has been about 10 years since Warner Bros. launched the DC Extended Universe. While the MCU has become one of the biggest and most successful film franchises of all time, the DCEU has floundered a bit. Several of the films bombed at the box office, received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, or have been plagued with controversy.
Things are changing fast at Warner Bros. since their merger with Discovery. CEO David Zaslav has been shaking things up with a new strategic approach that involves prioritizing quality over quantity and prioritizing theatrical releases over streaming.
DC Studios was one of the first segments of Warner Bros. Discovery to feel the effects of the strategy change with Batgirl‘s cancellation. Zaslav is now moving forward with a 10-year plan for the DCU, aiming to create a more unified DC universe in the future. One of Zaslav’s first steps in that plan was to hire James Gunn and Peter Safran. The co-CEOs quickly started making surprising changes to the DCU with the cancellation of Wonder Woman 3 and the news that Henry Cavill was stepping down as Superman. On January 31, Gunn officially laid the foundation for the beginning of this ambitious 10-year plan by outlining Chapter 1 of his and Safran’s new DCU.
The DCU Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters
The full DCU 10-year plan has not been made public. However, Gunn has begun to outline the first chapter of that 10-year plan. In his statement, he revealed that the plan will be kicking off after the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on December 25, 2023. Following the premiere, the DCU will move into Chapter 1 of its 10-year plan, titled “Gods and Monsters.” Gunn went on to reveal several TV shows and films that are in development as part of Chapter 1 (but not the whole Chapter). The Chapter 1 projects revealed so far:
Creature Commandos – Animated TV show
Waller – Live-action TV show
Superman: Legacy – Live-action film
Lanterns – Live-action TV show
The Authority – Live-action film
Paradise Lost – Live-action TV show
The Brave and the Bold – Live-action film
Booster Gold – Live-action TV series
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow – Live-action film
Swamp Thing – Live-action film
So far, the only upcoming project with a confirmed release date is Superman Legacy, which is slated to premiere on June 11, 2025.
In addition to revealing the new projects, Gunn stressed that the goal of the plan is to create a connected universe. Not only does that include films, but all of the video games, animated series, and TV shows, too. He even wants the same actors to portray their characters across animated series, live-action shows, films, and video games.
In order to ensure connectivity, Gunn revealed that anything that isn’t explicitly a part of the main DCU timeline will be released under the Elseworlds banner. Projects currently in the Elseworlds are Matt Reeves’ The Batman and Todd Phillips’ Joker, since they exist in their own universes or as standalone films.
DCU’s 10-year plan, explained
Before Gunn’s announcement, when Zaslav first revealed the 10-year plan, he said a team was being formed to specifically focus on the DCU and to meticulously carve out its future for the next 10 years. This 10-year plan idea is similar, of course, to Kevin Feige’s plan for the MCU. By planning out the franchise, DC Studios can truly ensure that their projects exist in a shared universe and can avoid plot holes by having a blueprint for the franchise for the next 10 years.
While Gunn seemed to imply that the 10-year plan will start after the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, there are still a few leftover DCEU films that will premiere in 2023 and may help lay the foundation for the 10-year plan. These projects are listed below:
Shazam! Fury of the Gods – March 17, 2023
The Flash – June 16, 2023
Blue Beetle – August 18, 2023
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom – December 25, 2023
Initially, the goal seemed to be to specifically focus on the big brand names of the DC universe. This includes Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman—the heroes most well-known across the globe. As reported by The Direct, Zaslav stated during the Warner Bros. Discovery Q2 earnings call:
“As we look at the opportunities that we have broadly, DC is at the top of the list for us. You look at Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman, these are brands that are known everywhere in the world and the ability to drive those all over the world with great stories is a big opportunity for us. We have done a reset. We’ve restructured the business where we’re going to focus. There will be a team with a ten-year plan focusing just on DC. It’s very similar to the structure that Alan Horn and Bob Iger put together very effectively with Kevin Feige at Disney.”
Now that Gunn’s partial Chapter 1 plans are revealed, we can see that it sort of adheres to Zaslav’s vision. Based on what we know about The Brave and The Bold and Superman Legacy, Batman and Superman do seem to be gearing up to play a prominent role in the DCU.
However, the future of other highly popular characters like Wonder Woman, The Flash, and Aquaman is less certain. Plus, Gunn has worked some obscure figures into his Chapter 1 plans, too, such as The Authority. While the plan is shaping up to be a little different than what we anticipated based on Zaslav’s statements, the full extent of it remains to be seen.
(featured image: DC Comics)
