Superman and Batman Reborn: DC Studios’ Movie and TV Plans Revealed

DC Studios CEO James Gunn on Tuesday gave us our first look at DC Studios’ slate of upcoming movies and HBO Max TV shows, which includes well-known characters like Batman and Supergirl as well as lesser-known characters such as Booster Gold, Creature Commandos and The Authority.

Forthcoming movie Superman: Legacy will act as the “true beginning” of the reborn superhero universe. A new actor will replace Henry Cavill as the Man of Steel in the film, scheduled to hit theaters on July 11, 2025. 

Just as the Marvel Cinematic Universe has “phases” (heading into phase 5 this year), DC’s upcoming slate is entitled Gods and Monsters. Gunn and fellow DC CEO Peter Safran revealed that the same actors will mostly play the same roles across film and TV, so you don’t get the confusion of one guy playing the Flash on TV and someone else on the big screen. But they’ve also confirmed there will still be room for different versions of certain characters, like the already-confirmed sequels starring Robert Pattinson’s The Batman and Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker. 

Gunn, who’s also known for his directing and writing work, laid out the initial chapter 1 plans in a list that includes movies and HBO Max shows:

• Creature Commandos A seven-episode animated series written by Gunn.
• Waller A live-action spinoff of the HBO Max series Peacemaker (which was in turn a spin-off from the Suicide Squad movies) featuring Viola Davis as the head of a secret government task force.
• Superman: Legacy Written by Gunn, it won’t feature Henry Cavill as the hero and isn’t going to be an origin story. Instead, according to Safran, the film will focus on Superman “balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing.” Imagery from artist Frank Quitely and writer Grant Morrison’s beloved All-Star Superman comic story was shown as Gunn spoke about it.
• Lanterns HBO Max TV series that follows Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart. This superpowered space-cop show takes inspiration from True Detective, and follows our heroes as they solve a mystery on Earth.
• The Authority A movie about an extreme superhero willing to use “any means necessary” to protect the planet. Ironically, The Authority began as a satire of DC superheroes, including parodic versions of Superman and Batman who were in a loving relationship, but DC bought the publisher Wildstorm and eventually absorbed the characters into mainstream DC comics continuity.   
• Paradise Lost A series set on Wonder Woman’s island Themyscira, inspired by Game of Thrones.
• The Brave and the Bold A movie that’ll introduce the DCU’s new Batman and the most obnoxious Robin: his son Damian Wayne, who was raised by assassins. Gunn cites Damian as his favorite Robin, and the movie takes its cues from Grant Morrison’s comics run. This movie’s Batman won’t be played by Robert Pattinson, who portrayed the character in last year’s The Batman.
• Booster Gold A series about a loser from the future who uses future tech to come back to the present day and win people’s love by becoming a superhero. It’s “the superhero story of imposter syndrome,” according to Gunn.
• Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow A movie about Superman’s cousin. It’s a sci-fi story based on writer Tom King’s 2022 comic series, and will highlight how Supergirl’s difficult childhood made her turn more intense than Superman. It’s yet to be confirmed if Sasha Calle will star after playing Supergirl in the upcoming Flash movie.
• Swamp Thing A horror movie that’ll round out the opening phase of movies and shows. Swamp Thing has appeared in live action before, in two ’80s movies, a ’90s TV show and a short-lived 2019 series.    

Gunn didn’t mention any casting details for the new continuity’s Superman or Batman. 

Last October, Gunn and Safran took charge of bringing Superman, Batman and other DC comics characters into new film, TV, animation and video game projects under a reorganized division of Warner Bros. Discovery. 

The newly announced movie projects aren’t the only DC films on the horizon. Shazam: Fury of the Gods comes out March 17, The Flash hits theaters on June 16 (and will reset the continuity), Blue Beetle arrives Aug. 18 and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is scheduled for Dec. 25.

Beyond these, there are two Batman-inspired movies with sequels in the works: 2019’s Joker and 2022’s The Batman. The latter will be titled The Batman Part II and be separate from The Brave and the Bold’s story, and it comes out Oct. 3, 2025, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Even though last October’s Black Adam sought to establish Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a leading light of the DC world — and brought Cavill back as Superman — Johnson won’t be returning in DC’s initial phase of new movies and Cavill isn’t reprising his role as Superman.

On the TV side, the HBO Max series Peacemaker — a spinoff of 2021 movie The Suicide Squad — will return for a second season, The Flash’s ninth and final season begins Feb. 9, the third season of Superman & Lois kicks off in March and Colin Farrell’s Penguin from The Batman is getting his own show. The animated series Harley Quinn was renewed for season 4, and is getting a Valentine’s Day special. 

However, Titans and Doom Patrol will end after their fourth seasons. The second parts of both seasons are scheduled to hit HBO Max later this year.

Gunn also has one more project coming from DC rival Marvel: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — the 32nd Marvel Cinematic Universe movie — lands in theaters May 5.