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Back in November 2022, James Gunn and Peter Safran were put in charge of DC Studios. They immediately began charting a multi-year plan for movies and TV shows that would be part of the foundation of a new DC Universe. And three years ago today, on January 31, 2023, the original DCU slate was announced, with 10 projects existing under the "Chapter One: Gods and Monsters" wave.
Fast-forward to where we are today, and it's interesting to reflect on where the DCU has actually gone from that point. Only a few of them have been released, a small number have made any public progress, and some others have hit major roadblocks. New projects have arisen from the patient and secretive development process DC Studios operates with.
With the DCU slated for a pivotal year ahead with new releases on the horizon (and Warner Bros.' looming acquisition by Netflix), the third anniversary of the DCU Chapter One slate makes this the perfect time to look back at the announcement, what's happened, and where each project stands.
Only Four Projects Have Moved Forward From The Original DCU Slate Announcement
David Corenswet's Superman talking to a robot in the Fortress of Solitude in Superman
Gunn officially confirmed five movies and five shows that were in development and intended to be part of the Chapter One slate. But from those 10 projects, audiences have only seen two. And only two others have made substantial enough progress to have entered production and be impending releases.
Those four projects are Creature Commandos, Superman (originally titled Superman: Legacy), Supergirl (originally titled Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow), and Lanterns.
Creature Commandos debuted on HBO Max early in 2025 as the first release from Gunn and Safran's DC Studios. The animated series saw Amanda Waller form Task Force M, led by Rick Flag Sr. and the Bride. The show proved to be a hit, with a second season currently in production.
Yet, Superman is where the DCU truly began. Written and directed by Gunn, the film hit its originally announced July 11, 2025, release date. He said at the time of the slate announcement that the film "is the true foundation of our creative vision for the DC Universe." Audiences responded well to David Corenswet's Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor, with Superman making $616 million at the box office.
The project that is furthest along next is Supergirl. Directed by Craig Gillespie, it brings Milly Alcock back as Kara Zor-El after her Superman cameo to adapt Tom King's award-winning comic run. Supergirl is scheduled to hit theaters on June 26, making it the second movie and fourth DCU project to date. (Peacemaker season 2 came out in 2025, too, but it was in development before Gunn and Safran took over.)
Right on Supergirl's heels is Lanterns, the HBO Max original series starring Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan. The series is going to be a detective-style story that primarily takes place on Earth. But plenty of Green Lantern lore will still be incorporated. Lanterns is expected to debut in late summer.
Where Things Stand For The Other Six DC Movies & Shows
Custom image created by Evan D. Mullicane
With Superman and Creature Commandos out of the way, and Supergirl and Lanterns coming soon, that leaves six other projects from the DCU announcement. There are three movies — The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, and Swamp Thing — and three shows — Waller, Booster Gold, and Paradise Lost — still far away.
The Authority seemed poised to come quickly in the DCU slate originally, but there's no certainty the film ever happens at this point. No director has ever been attached to it, and Gunn confirmed it was "on the back burner" as of February 2025.
The last time Gunn addressed The Authority's development, he confirmed he had recently had discussions about it. But he also cautioned that DC might not do movies with lesser-known characters in the same interview when asked if it could become a TV show.
Batman's DCU debut in The Brave and the Bold has yet to happen. The movie was originally announced to pair Bruce Wayne with his son, Damian Wayne. It has continued to move forward, though, with Andy Muschietti attached to direct and Christina Hodson currently writing the script.
Robert Pattinson as Batman in The Batman looking off-screen
The tricky part for The Brave and the Bold is the existence of Matt Reeves' The Batman Part II. Gunn has said they want to space out releases of the competing Batman films. With Reeves' film delayed to October 2027 (after an original October 2025 date), the DCU has had to wait longer than expected to include the Dark Knight in live-action.
Swamp Thing, at one point, looked like another movie that could go through development and production quickly. James Mangold was revealed to be writing and directing the feature the day after the DCU Chapter One announcement. But he then made A Complete Unknown and has new projects lining up at Universal (plus a Star Wars film) that's kept this one from gaining more traction.
Moving to the TV side of things, Waller was announced with the expectation it would come out in 2024, between Peacemaker season 1 and season 2. That did not happen, as Gunn said the series was delayed due to strikes in 2023. There have been no updates on its status after Peacemaker season 2's release, making it unclear if this one will still happen.
DC Studios has also been developing a Booster Gold show over the last three years. The comedy series brought David Jenkins (Our Flag Means Death) aboard to write and showrun the pilot in July 2025. Since then, there's been no word on casting Michael Carter or when production would take place.
The other series that was announced back in 2023 was Paradise Lost. Exploring the Amazons on Themyscira in this fashion excited many, but Gunn has never provided further details on its development. No creative team is known, making it possible that this project never sees the light of day, or at least not anytime soon.
The DC Universe Slate Has Grown To Include Other Movies & Shows
Clayface from DC Comics
While those six projects originally announced have yet to come out or make substantial progress, DC Studios has remained active in finding other movies and shows to make, ensuring the DCU continues to have new stories to tell.
A prime example of this is Clayface. The body horror movie is coming out on September 11, ahead of multiple films announced for Chapter One, because it had a smoother development. The movie was revealed in December 2024 with Mike Flanagan writing the script. James Watkins took on directing duties a few months later. It's poised to be the DCU's third movie.
The success of Superman also brought forth the quick announcement of Man of Tomorrow, which Gunn is writing and directing. The film will presumably see Superman and Lex Luthor team up to stop Braniac (Lars Eidinger). It'll bridge the stories of Superman and Peacemaker season 2, positioning it as the DCU's first crossover event film. Man of Tomorrow hits theaters July 9, 2027.
The studio is also fast-tracking a Wonder Woman movie, which was first announced in June 2025. Ana Noguiera was officially revealed to be writing it a month later. With DC Studios only planning on two films per year, Wonder Woman could be one of two titles to arrive in 2028.
The other will be Dynamic Duo, an animated movie featuring Dick Grayson and Jason Todd teaming up. While it is not a DCU project, it was announced in 2024 with Gunn and Reeves producing it. Dynamic Duo has a June 30, 2028 release date.
One movie that remains up in the air is Sgt. Rock. The film had Luca Guadagnino attached to direct and Colin Farrell starring, but then production was delayed and Guadagnino dropped out. It's uncertain if Sgt. Rock will come together at a later time with a new creative team and star.
On the TV front, there have also been announcements for an animated Blue Beetle show featuring Xolo Maridueña reprising his role as Jaime Reyes from the movie and an animated Mister Miracle series. Tom King is showrunning the latter, which Gunn confirmed as part of the DCU canon earlier this year.
That brings us to the end of all the confirmed projects in the works at DC Studios. However, there are also rumored movies like Teen Titans and a movie featuring Bane and Deathstroke. And you know there are other secret projects in the works, too.
Why The DC Universe Slate Has Changed So Much Over 3 Years
James Gunn at the HBO Max season 2 premiere of Peacemaker at AMC CinemasCredit: MediaPunch/INSTARimages
With less than half of the announced projects happening in these last three years, and newer titles being further along currently than some of the original ones, the DCU slate looks very different from what was intended. This isn't that surprising. We've seen for years with the MCU or even the previous DCEU regime how often plans change.
This is part of the inherent issues with announcing large slates for a cinematic universe. Gunn and DC Studios saved some face by not giving all those projects release dates, allowing the ones that haven't happened yet to remain technically alive in development. But the longer movies like The Brave and the Bold go through that process without happening, the more questions arise about how well things are going.
But the changes to the DCU's slate make sense. Gunn has been consistent about not wanting to put anything into production without finished scripts (a lesson learned from the MCU). It's become more a matter of making projects when they are ready, rather than rushing through critical stages to hit a previously announced date.
Some of the changes may be irritating, but ultimately, if we're only waiting for these projects so they have the best chance to be great, it's worth it. Hopefully some of the remaining unrealized Chapter One announcements will make progress in the coming months and years as the DCU really starts shaping the Gods and Monsters phase.
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