Breakdown - James Gunn's DC Studios Reveal

        Hey guys, Chuck here, and isn't it a great time to be a fan of DC? No, seriously, I mean it. Over the past decade, the DC properties have been, well, hit or miss. A lot of this is due to a lack of direction, a lack of proper planning, and too much studio overhead from Warner Bros. executives clashing with the vision of directors like Zack Snyder and David Ayer. 

        Well, all of that is in the past, and Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav has promised a bright future for DC. Unfortunately, this did come at the cost of two announced films, Wonder Twins and Batgirl. However, the genius of Zaslav came with just WHO he decided would oversee DC Studios, a newly formed entertainment division at Warner Bros Discovery with one singular focus: DC movies and television. And leading DC Studios would be none other than Peter Safran and James Gunn. Yes, the same James Gunn who in 2021 released the movie The Suicide Squad, and is also noted for the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise at Marvel Studios. This morning, he released a video package online where he went into detail about the future of DC. 

       Now, one thing he went on to clarify is that we will see certain pre-existing DC projects released under the label "DC Elseworlds," which will include the Joker movies with Joaquin Phoenix, the Batman movies with Robert Pattinson, and the children's cartoon Teen Titans Go. So, we're still getting more Batman movies from director Matt Reeves, and they'll be separate from what James Gunn has in store. Cool. 

       Also, James mentioned the four DC films hitting theaters this year, including Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Blue Beetle, and The Flash. It was mentioned that, not only does James see The Flash as "the greatest superhero movie of all time," but also as the reset of the entire DC Universe. In other words, this upcoming Flash movie will, as previously planned, act as the first step in the reboot of the DC Universe. However, the nature of Ezra Miller's continued role as The Flash is unclear, but unlikely. Only time will tell, but it's doubtful that they will return. But, this does mean that previous DC movies are basically still canon. So to speak. I dunno, we'll see what happens. 

       Okay, NOW we get to the new stuff. Much like how Marvel had Phase One, DC Studios has what James Gunn has revealed as "Chapter One: Gods & Monsters." First off, whoa. Gods & Monsters? That's freakin awesome, man! And, James Gunn has confirmed that it will consist of both film and television (live-action and animated), and actors will be jumping between both film and television, both live-action and animation, with actors voicing the characters and playing them in live-action. 

         So, let's start with the first major film of the new DC Universe: Superman: Legacy, written by James Gunn, and focusing on Clark Kent focusing on balancing his human life on Earth with his Kryptonian heritage. Definitely sounding like a very light movie by comparison to the intense insanity of Man of Steel. Superman: Legacy is set to hit theaters officially on July 11th, 2025. No word yet on casting or choice of director, but it's very likely that James Gunn could possibly direct. 

        We also have a film based on the team The Authority. Based on the team featured in DC's imprint label Wildstorm, this will be the first time we will be seeing this team in live-action. And because we have a new movie coming with Superman, we also have a new movie coming with Batman in The Brave and the Bold. This movie will center on Bruce and Damian Wayne fighting crime together as father and son, suiting up as Batman and Robin. Also, we have a Supergirl movie titled Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which will see Kara Zor-El seeing things from a different lens from her cousin. Whereas Clark was raised by loving adopted parents, Kara was forced to see horrors for the first fourteen years of her life, and I am very intrigued to see what this movie will look like. Lastly, we have Swamp Thing as a movie. Delving into the world of horror, Swamp Thing will bring an iconic character from the darker side of DC join the big screen, which is very exciting. 

         And, of course, there are a number of television projects under way at DC Studios. Firstly, we have Waller, a live-action series set to star Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, which is exciting. We have Paradise Lost, a Game of Thrones esque series set on Themyscira/Paradise Island years before the birth of Diana/Wonder Woman. Booster Gold is coming as a series, which is really exciting, as a number of DC fans have waited for years to see Booster Gold in live-action. In the world of animation, we have Creature Commandos, which focuses on several monstrous creatures as a military unit, and Amanda Waller will feature in this series as well. And lastly, the series I was most excited to hear announced: Lanterns. Centering on Hal Jordan and John Stewart, this live-action series set to focus on the Green Lantern property was referred to as True Detective with the Green Lanterns. Definitely excited about this, as my three favorite DC superheroes are Batman, Superman, and Green Lantern. Honestly, I can't wait for Lanterns, which definitely sounds like a lot of fun. 

        So, with all of that out of the way, what's my overall take? Well, I definitely think that James Gunn, who let's not forget has a history with helping to assemble a cinematic universe of multiple comic book properties and heroes thanks to his time working with Marvel, has definitely laid out a clear and concise roadmap of where this first Chapter is set to go for DC Studios. Now, what about other actors and characters from before? While not one hundred percent clear about all the details, it seems very likely that we could see some of them down the line, but for right now, James Gunn is focused on the future. Building this new DC Universe as smartly as possible. That doesn't mean that we won't see Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, or Jason Momoa as Aquaman. But, those characters aren't in the cards just yet. Plus, we have Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom hitting theaters in December, so it's probably too soon to discuss the future of Jason Momoa as Aquaman. 

          As far as these announcements, I'm probably the most excited for Lanterns, Superman: Legacy, and The Brave and the Bold. Getting to see Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern get brand new projects, all under the hospices of a DC Studios run by James Gunn, is really exciting for me as a fan of DC Comics. Plus, this will mark the first movie that has actually featured Robin since 1997. So, yeah, definitely looking forward to that. 

        Alrighty guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll be back tomorrow for the first day of Disney Renaissance Month.