The new 'Superman' is a hit. So what's coming next in the DC universe?
James Gunn had a very specific plan for his audience when launching the interconnected new DC universe with “Superman”: The less they know at first, the better.
“I wanted it to feel like what I felt like as a kid reading comic books, like I didn't know anything about these guys,” says the “Superman” director and cohead of DC Studios with Peter Safran. “I’m seeing Superman and his friends with a guy with a magic ring and a bald guy that can transform his body into stuff and all these different people. There were robots and flying dogs and kaiju and all this sorcery and science that seemed like sorcery. And I loved just bringing that magical world to the screen.”
While the new DCU technically started last year with the animated series “Creature Commandos,” “Superman” (in theaters now) truly launched the rebooted universe. The latest take on the superhero stars David Corenswet as Superman, Nicholas Hoult as arch nemesis Lex Luthor, and a supporting cast of characters who’ll no doubt show up in other TV shows and movies down the line. For example, Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, a Green Lantern and member of the Justice Gang in “Superman,” will also play a role in the upcoming HBO Max series “Lanterns.”
Now that “Superman” is a runaway hit after its big first weekend ($122 million at the domestic box office), here’s a rundown of what’s to come in the first “chapter” of Gunn’s DCU, labeled “Gods and Monsters.”
John Cena returns as Peacemaker this summer
Played by John Cena, the antiheroic Peacemaker first appeared in Gunn’s 2021 movie “The Suicide Squad” and then was seen in the 2022 “Peacemaker” TV series. Season 2 of the HBO Max show premieres Aug. 21 and features not only Cena’s character but also Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), a military man from “Creature Commandos” whose son was killed by Peacemaker. So there’s probably revenge on his mind.
The “Peacemaker” trailer also teased an appearance from the Justice Gang, a supergroup featuring Gardner, Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) that appeared in “Superman" and is bankrolled by billionaire Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn). Expect more intel to come out of the show's Comic-Con panel on July 25.
Milly Alcock flies as ‘Supergirl’ in 2026
One of the bigger cameos in “Superman” was Milly Alcock’s first appearance as Supes’ cousin Kara, who drops by somewhat inebriated to pick up her pup Krypto. She will be back on the big screen next summer in “Supergirl” (in theaters June 26, 2026), a cosmic adventure/revenge quest that will mark Jason Momoa’s debut as the fan-favorite alien bounty hunter Lobo.
The film is based on the comic book “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,” and Alcock matched Gunn’s vision for a “pixie-ish, punk rock” version of the character, he tells Paste BN. “It's like this sort of drunken sorority girl Supergirl who's just also really tough. And it's the Supergirl that I always wanted to see that I never knew I wanted to see.”
‘Lanterns’ kicks off a new slate of DC TV shows
Expected to premiere on HBO early next year, “Lanterns” is an eight-episode series that will feature members of the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps investigating a murder on Earth. Kyle Chandler plays Green Lantern veteran Hal Jordan, Aaron Pierre is rookie John Stewart, and Fillion will reprise his role as the brash Guy Gardner.
Other shows in development include “Waller,” a series with Viola Davis back as Suicide Squad head Amanda Waller, and “Paradise Lost,” a drama set on the Amazons’ island of Themyscira before Wonder Woman’s birth. The comedy “Booster Gold” will feature the time-traveling hero from the future, and also in the works is a “Blue Beetle” animated series (with Xolo Maridueña reprising his 2023 movie role) and a second season of “Creature Commandos.”
More DC movies are on the way – maybe ‘Superman 2’?
“Clayface,” a horror movie centered on the Batman villain, has a release date (Sept. 11, 2026), a director (“Speak No Evil” filmmaker James Watkins) and a star (Tom Rhys Harries). And if you’ve got a Dark Knight baddie, you need a Dark Knight, though Gunn hasn’t cast a Caped Crusader yet for “The Brave and the Bold.” That will feature Batman (one different from Robert Pattinson’s take on the character in “The Batman” world) as well as son/sidekick Damian Wayne (aka Robin).
The DC brain trust also is in need of a new Wonder Woman for her film, one of many in development including “The Authority,” Luca Guadagnino’s “Sgt. Rock” and James Mangold’s “Swamp Thing.” But don’t forget the Man of Steel: David Corenswet has said he’s already signed on for another movie, a no-brainer considering the enthusiastic reception for the new movie.