Batman may be on the back burner for DC, but James Gunn’s extended world continues to spin. In addition to his Superman movie, Kal-El’s cousin will make her solo film debut in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

Gunn’s universe has already gone to task in reinventing the brand and he has recently added a familiar face to the mix. According to the Dune actor himself, Jason Momoa has been cast as the villain, Lobo. Momoa’s previous work in the DC universe is not cause for concern. After playing Arthur Curry in two Aquaman films, he will return to DC as one of his favorite characters. Momoa took to Instagram to officially drop the news. He posted a quote from an interview several years back about his hopes for his comic book future.

“I collect comics, and I don’t do so much anymore, but he was always my favorite, and I always wanted to play Lobo, because I’m like, ‘Hello? It’s the perfect role.'”

Momoa indicated that no one would have to twist his arm to audition for Lobo in the future. Patience is a virtue because, as Momoa succinctly said in his post, “They called.”

Momoa has now been confirmed to portray the role he has been gunning for in a surprising twist of fate.

Lobo is no Aquaman

James Gunn came into control of the DC brand at just the right moment. For the past decade, DC has been trailing behind its rival Marvel in terms of quality. But following the magnum opus, Endgame, there was a void to be filled. Marvel could never quite top the film and now it is DC’s time to shine. The success of Matt Reeves’ Batman started a butterfly effect that has created a new era for DC. Since Gunn took over as the creative head of the brand, he has been making waves.

Superman is one of the most anticipated films of 2025 and Supergirl already carries some heat. The role of Kara Zor-El has been awarded to House of the Dragon actor Milly Alcock. The young performer portrayed Rhaenyra Targaryen in the first half of Season 1. Jason Momoa will add to the high-profile film as a veteran of DC. His new character, however, varies distinctly from the rambunctious and fun-loving Aquaman. The illegitimate son of Queen Atlanna of Atlantis, Arthur never thought he would have real responsibilities. His desire to do good contradicts his half-brother Orm’s need for control.

In Supergirl, Momoa will lean more toward Orm on the personality scale. Lobo is an anti-hero character, first introduced to DC Comics in 1983. Hailing from the utopian planet of Czarnia, Lobo becomes a bounty hunter of the stars. After falling out of favor, the character was revitalized in the ’90s. While he was meant to be a parody of heroic characters such as Marvel’s Wolverine, he became a hit with fans — including Momoa. Viewers will have to wait for some time for the release of Supergirl, but in the meantime, can read up on some of Momoa’s favorite comic book characters.

James Gunn’s takeover of the DC film slate wasn’t received with the excitement one might expect for a director who’s already been so successful with comic book movies at rival Marvel Studios. But in reality, DC fans were suspicious that new blood would bring restructuring — and that’s how they lost Henry Cavill, the entire DCEU, and now fans are seemingly fearful that they might lose The Batman: Part 2 as well.

The Hollywood Reporter recently announced that The Batman sequel has been pushed further back from its previously scheduled Oct. 2026 release to Oct. 2027, leaving that 2026 slot open for a Tom Cruise collaboration with two-time Best Director winner Alejandro González Iñárritu. With Gunn’s recent announcement on his Threads account that he still hasn’t seen a draft of Matt Reeves’ full script for the sequel to The Batman, it’s not all that surprising that the film has been delayed. Gunn elaborated further, explaining, “Once there is a finished script, there are about two years for pre-production, shooting, and post-production on big films.”

While it’s never ideal to wait for a long-awaited sequel, a five-year gap isn’t all that unreasonable. Gunn, again on Threads, pointed to other films that had a similar five-year wait between installments, such as Aliens and even his own Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. However, for some fans, the issue isn’t just the extended wait. Many are suspicious that Gunn might be preparing to soft-launch an eventual cancellation of Robert Pattinson’s Batman altogether.

For some fans, there is precedence for these fears. When Gunn took over in Oct. 2022, he, alongside the top brass, began reworking the DC vision, effectively terminating the ongoing DCEU. This included canceling movies like the final entry in the Wonder Woman trilogy and, in an even more egregious move, opting not to release a fully completed Batgirl movie. But perhaps the move that irked fans the most was the replacement of Henry Cavill in the all-new DCU. Cavill never truly got to stretch his cape as Superman, and his premature replacement — after a publicized push-and-pull over whether his continued portrayal of the Man of Steel was possible — means some fans may never truly trust what Gunn says, no matter how logical it may sound. Some fans have already taken to X to voice their suspicions.

Earlier, Gunn assured fans that he would not interfere with Matt Reeves’ vision for Batman, categorizing it as part of a DC Elseworlds initiative alongside Todd Phillips’ Joker and the hilarious animated Harley Quinn series. With the exception of Joker: Folie A Deux, it makes sense to take Gunn at his word, as the success of these titles has been crucial to the studio. After all, at a time when Warner Bros. is actively seeking success, it would make little sense to cancel some of their most beloved properties — especially Reeves’ The Batman.

The film clearly resonated with fans, thanks to its sleek cinematography, perfect casting, and a more detective-focused take on the Caped Crusader — a novel approach within the franchise. Fans showed up in droves, and the sequel is expected to perform even better, potentially breaking the $1B mark if it surpasses the original at the box office. James Gunn clearly has a lot of reasons to curry favor with DC fans. And even though all signs might point to trouble, it’s hard to believe they would consider canceling one of their most beloved properties just before the expected release of the DC universe-defining Superman movie on July 11, 2025.

For a long while there, superhero movies were the least risky films to make imaginable, but times are a-changing and audiences have made clear they’re done with seeing any old superpowered picture just because it’s based on a Marvel or DC comic (looking at you, Kraven the Hunter). Next summer’s Superman has the big job of winning over waning cinema-goers, then, so spare a thought for the man who’s got a whole cinematic universe resting on his shoulders: James Gunn.

While there are still many Zack Snyder loyalists out there, Gunn’s appointment as co-CEO of DC Studios (he’s in charge of the creative side of things, while producing partner Peter Safran handles the business stuff) was largely embraced as the best possible move. After the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, The Suicide Squad, and Peacemaker, Gunn knows how to turn in something that appeals to the masses and massive comic book nerds. And yet the director’s now admitted just how much the stress of making Superman got him down.

James Gunn admits he was “miserable” while filming Superman, but hopes it’s “for the greater good”

Gunn’s always been more honest with his fans than most filmmakers (and certainly most studio heads), but he’s now made one particularly startling revelation that offers a window into how unpleasant the pressures of realizing the best Superman reboot possible made the day-to-day process of shooting the thing.

In a Superman set visit published this week to tie into the release of the first teaser trailer, Gunn was asked how he was dealing with the fact that so much is riding on Superman to succeed. He didn’t hold back in his response.

“I’m miserable,” he came clean to io9. “Really I’m miserable. But hopefully it’s for the greater good.”

Gunn went on to clarify that his problems with making the film weren’t to do with any, say, nightmare production issues, but were entirely resulting from psychological stress. It’s clear he was feeling the immense weight of actualizing a film that not only needs to stand on its own as an entertaining and worthwhile reimagining of a very familiar character but also has to be successful enough to launch the planned DCU.

“A lot [is riding on Superman],” Gunn commented. “I mean, we’re not going to just keep making movies.”

With any luck, Gunn was able to relieve at least some of this pressure this week when the Superman trailer came out and was by and large hailed as a masterpiece of movie marketing. Going by this sneak peek, Gunn has managed to craft something that feels like a true love letter to the superhero genre, embracing the craziness and silliness of classic Superman comics and combining that with the awe-inspiring ambiance of the best moments of the Christopher Reeve and Henry Cavill films.

Gunn, DC Studios, and every Superman fan out there are hoping all the stress will be worth it once Superman soars into cinemas next July 11 and not only kicks off a new era for DC but maybe even a second wind for the superhero craze.

It’s been a million and one Kryptonian years, but we’ve finally gotten the teaser for the upcoming Superman movie, intended to revive the DCU in grand style. 

The electric teaser gave a glimpse into what to expect from David Corenswet as Clark Kent, and Gunn dropped a pretty cool surprise as well: Krypto the dog. While we still don’t know what to expect next year, the beloved super-powered sidekick was a welcome treat. But what exactly was Superman thinking naming his dog Krypto, especially when he literally can’t stand Kryptonite? 

Meet Krypto, the Superdog

Krypto was first introduced in the comics as the pet of a young Kal-El on Krypton. The canine was used by Kal-El’s father, Jor-El, as a test subject for the prototype rocket that would later send Kal-El to Earth. Krypto’s rocket was knocked off course, similar to Kal-El’s cousin, Kara, which led to Krypto landing on Earth years later when Clark was already a teenager.

His name, Krypto, isn’t derived from the power-leeching element Kryptonite, but from his and Kal-El’s home planet, Krypton. As Krypto was Kal-El’s dog as a toddler, it’s not hard to believe that the young boy chose the most basic name for his pet. Other iterations of the comic character have him as a regular dog who was rescued by Superman’s friend and fan Bibbo Bibbowski. Bibbo tried to name the dog Krypton after the planet but the engraver who made his collar didn’t put the “N,” and Bibbo chose to name the dog Krypto. 

James Gunn’s Superman is embracing the character’s comic book roots in a way that’s been missing from live adaptations. The teaser trailer showed that the upcoming movie will focus on Kal-El reconciling his dual Kryptonian and human identity, and showed some of the cast that will be joining him in this journey. However, the star of the teaser was undoubtedly Krypto the Superdog, Superman’s pet and super-powered dog. 

Krypto appeared in a scene where an injured Superman lay in an icy landscape. He called for his canine best friend, who ran to him at super speed, and grabbed onto Superman’s cape to pull him home after Clark asked for help. 

Krypto is not a dog like dogs on Earth are, but a member of a canine species from Krypton. He shares the same superficial similarities to dogs that Kryptonians share with humans and possesses the same abilities all Kryptonians do when under a yellow sun. In the comics, he often accompanies Superman or Superboy in their hero duties and wears a cape and a collar engraved with the Superman symbol. 

Superman re-introduces a host of comic favorites

The teaser trailer didn’t only introduce movie audiences to Krypto, but to a few more Superman comic characters that non-comic fans may or may not be familiar with. Superman will be joined by a few more heroes in this movie, as shown in the teaser.  Despite the announcement that Aaron Pierre will be playing Green Lantern John Stewart in the upcoming Lanterns series on HBO, Superman will feature another Green Lantern- Guy Gardner, played by Nathan Fillion.

Clark Kent’s long-time lover Lois Lane will also be a part of this movie, played by The Marvelous Mrs.Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan. Edi Gathegi is also among the cast, taking on the mantle of Mister Terrific, and Anthony Carrigan plays the shape-shifting hero Metamorpho. Rounding out the heroes introduced in this movie is Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl. 

Watch out, MCU — the DCU has arrived. Only time will tell whether James Gunn’s attempt to reboot DC into something that can be a real rival to Marvel will prove successful, but this first trailer for his Superman movie has certainly got the fans excited. With nary an Iron Man-like quip in earshot, and a stirring cover of the classic John Williams theme, the new film starring David Corenswet as the superhero that started it all promises to be a beautifully back-to-basics comic book adaptation.

That said, Gunn still has to create a shared universe with this one, and the trailer teases how Corenswet’s Big Blue will immediately be living in a world populated by other costumed heroes and filled with world-ending threats. In just 2 minutes 19 seconds, the Superman teaser trailer manages to squeeze in a whole bunch of major DC characters. Here’s all of them, including a couple you might not have spotted.

Superman/Clark Kent

Brilliantly subverting expectations, the Superman trailer throws Corenswet’s suited and booted Superman at us right off the bat instead of building up to him. In another unexpected move, it opens with a bloodied and beaten Superman, promising that this is a version of the character who is human and vulnerable and isn’t some messianic god-like figure (looking at you, Zack).

Lois Lane

Lois Lane fans, rejoice! It looks like Rachel Brosnahan’s ace reporter will be a huge presence in the film. Suitably, she’s the next major character glimpsed after Supes, as we see her walking through the Daily Planet bullpen and sharing a loaded glance with Corenswet’s Kal-El, now in his everyday guise as the mild-mannered — and messy-haired — Clark Kent.

Jonathan Kent

Next, we see a wholesome moment as Clark bonds with his adoptive father, Jonathan Kent (Pruitt Taylor Vince), on the steps of the Kent farmhouse in Kansas. This is quietly a huge reinvention of the cinematic Superman story as it looks like Pa Kent has survived to see his son become a superhero, in contrast to both the 1978 film and Man of Steel.

Krypto

Here he is, the star of the show! Honestly, this movie might be called Superman but something tells us Krypto will be everyone’s favorite character come next July. James Gunn, king of the scene-stealing animal characters, has finally given us the Silver Age sidekick in a live-action movie. He’s even got his own red cape and superpowers!

Lex Luthor

No, it’s not Agent 47 from Hitman. In just one shot, Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor immediately marks himself as potentially the most dangerous iteration of the character we’ve yet seen on film. It’s hard to imagine Gene Hackman or Jesse Eisenberg’s Luthor waving a gun around and looking threatening. Get ready for a Lex who’s a match for Supes in looks, youth, and charisma.

Guy Gardner/Green Lantern

Good news: Green Lantern is back on the big screen for the first time since Ryan Reynolds and his CGI suit! Bad news: it ain’t Hal Jordan. Instead, it’s Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, somehow looking even more ridiculous than his last DC role (as The Detachable Kid in The Suicide Squad). For those perturbed by that bowlcut, don’t worry, some more serious Green Lantern content is just around the corner in the form of Lanterns.

Mr. Terrific

X-Men: First Class‘ Edi Gathegi will appear as Guy Gardner’s teammate, Mr. Terrific. It’s currently unclear exactly what team this is, but it looks like their HQ is Stagg Industries. This highly suggests the foursome (we’ll meet the other two in a second) is an adaptation of the Terrifics. The smartest man on DC’s earth, a later clip shows Mr. T’s drone-like T-Spheres protecting him from gunfire.

Hawkgirl

Isabela Merced has managed to instantly shake off the stigma of Madame Web by joining the DC universe as Hawkgirl. Hawkgirl is the third member of Mr. Terrific’s team. Kendra Saunders is either the reincarnation of an Egyptian immortal or an alien warrior, depending on the version, so we’ll see what’s in store for Merced’s take. Don’t expect any connection to Black Adam‘s Hawkman.

Kelex

Why is Superman crying over a funky-looking robot buddy? We’re guessing this is Kelex, the Kryptonian android who guards the Fortress of Solitude. It seems poor Kelex will get destroyed over the course of the film, suggesting an enemy — perhaps Lex — will storm the Fortress. The death of Kelex no doubt hits Clark hard as it means he’s lost yet another connection to his homeworld.

Metamorpho

Metamorpho may look like a villain, but he’s actually one of the good guys. Gotham‘s Anthony Carrigan returns to the worlds of DC to play Rex Mason, an archaeologist who uncovered the wrong ancient artifact and became transformed into a being with an ever-shifting elemental form. Every superhero team needs a tragic hero, à la the Hulk, and Metamorpho is the Terrifics’.

Elsewhere, there’s some kind of flame-breathing dragon creature and a giant glowy eyeball thing shown attacking Metropolis at different times. Forgive me if I’m wrong, but these don’t appear to be direct lifts of any specific comic book critter. What we can say, though, is that 2025’s Superman will embrace the Last Son of Krypton’s long and storied legacy like no other film before it. Get ready to look up (at the cinema screen) come next July 11.

What’s that, in the sky? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s the MCU’s greatest threat to date. After over a decade of shooting itself in the foot, DC might just finally have got its act together. Our first look at next year’s Superman is here at long last, and even though it’s only 30 seconds long folks are already foreseeing that the DCU is about to be the new superhero movie franchise of steel.

While the full trailer doesn’t go live until Thursday, DC has dropped this 30-second promo (yes, it’s a teaser trailer for a teaser trailer) which is leaving Superman lovers blindsided. Cleverly keeping David Corenswet’s Kal-El out of the limelight, and instead teasing the city of Metropolis, the Daily Planet, and Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane, this first look is a masterclass in building up hype and awe for the Last Son of Krypton’s return to the skies, and our screens.

It promises such a traditional yet powerful superhero tale that Marvel’s Kevin Feige might well be quaking in his baseball cap…

The teaser trailer for Superman‘s teaser trailer is here, and it’s teasing something special

As scored to John Murphy’s gorgeous remix of John Williams’ classic theme, with tantalizing glimpses of Superman flying through the Arctic (get ready for the Fortress of Solitude!), this Superman first look is everything the fans could’ve asked for. It’s delightfully quintessential for a genre that’s become more and more reliant on multiversal crossovers to stay fresh. With his big first DCU movie, Gunn looks to be on a mission to prove that going back to basics isn’t a bad thing.

And, going by these first reactions, it looks like a lot of fans would agree with him. All it apparently takes is 30 seconds of people squinting at the sun and a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it look at the back of Superman’s head for everyone to lose their minds.

Some don’t even need to see the trailer, they’re instantly ready to hook the film into their veins.

Superman’s flying high again and the tears are already falling.

And can we take a moment to appreciate how perfect the choice of tagline is? “Look up” works literally, as a hint at the film’s themes of hope and optimism, and also as a promise that things are looking up for superhero cinema.

The message is clear, Marvel: you finally have some proper competition so it’s time to up your game.

To be fair to Marvel, The Fantastic Four: First Steps looks to be another superhero movie that feels fun and fresh simply because it’s a throwback to classic superhero storytelling, so with any luck 2025 really will be the year that comic book films fix themselves. With Sony’s Spider-Man Universe dying a death, maybe nature is healing. In the meantime, the full teaser trailer for the return of the Man of Tomorrow is coming, appropriately enough, tomorrow before it soars into cinemas on July 11. Soon, we’ll remember what it’s like to believe a man can fly.

Whether he admits it or not, James Gunn is a pupil of Kevin Feige through and through. The design for the Superman poster is only the latest example of how much of his Marvel knowledge he has brought to the DC camp.

Although we have yet to see Gunn’s first official film production under the DC Studios banner, it’s already become pretty clear that the comics’ giant struck gold when they stole the director from its biggest rival. Along with all of his insider info.

To the outside world, the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker feels like a student attempting to become the master by applying everything he was taught. And, with Marvel experiencing a decline since the heydays of Endgame, it could just work.

First up on the big screen is David Corenswet’s debut in the highly-anticipated Superman, for which Gunn has just shared the first poster. Fans were quick to point out the similarities between the image and the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s signature design style, particularly that of its very first film — 2008’s Iron Man.

Yes, they share a color palette and a certain dramatic flair, but it’s DC Studios’ new logo that received most of the heat as a near direct copy of its competitor’s — the classic comics’ logo followed by the word “Studios” in between two straight lines.

The Parent Trap twin vibes become even more apparent when you remember that rebranding the company from DC Films to DC Studios was one of Gunn’s first moves after being appointed co-chairman and co-CEO of the branch in 2022. He also dropped the “E” from DCEU (DC Extended Universe), to both differentiate his upcoming projects from the Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ben Affleck Justice League era, and to, no doubt, emulate the resonance of the “MCU” initialism.

Don’t get us wrong, Gunn has proved, beyond doubt, that he is a capable filmmaker and storyteller — one of the superhero genre’s best, even. But he has arguably yet to earn his stripes as an executive. What might differentiate his cinematic universe’s identity from the one that basically created and popularized the concept, however, is that the 58-year-old is a self-professed champion of characters, whereas Feige tends to value the plot.

When speaking with Rolling Stone on the occasion of Guardians 3‘s release in 2023, Gunn’s assessment of superhero fatigue was equal parts a subtle dig at Marvel’s recent shortcomings and a razor-sharp observation on the broader state of the genre. It’s no wonder his collaborations with the comics giant were some of the franchise’s most successful and critically acclaimed.

It has to do with the kind of stories that get to be told, and if you lose your eye on the ball, which is character. We love Superman. We love Batman. We love Iron Man. Because they’re these incredible characters that we have in our hearts. And if it becomes just a bunch of nonsense onscreen, it gets really boring. But I get fatigued by most spectacle films, by the grind of not having an emotionally grounded story.”

We’ll have to wait and see if he delivers on that promise or just ends up regurgitating Marvel’s tired formula when Superman, which he both wrote and directed, hits theaters July 11, 2025.

With James Gunn at the helm of the DCU, several members of the old regime have shared their desire to come back for more, however, there’s one of them who has absolutely no desire to dive into DC ever again, and we can’t really blame them.

In November of 2022, Gunn and Peter Safran became the co-bosses of DC Films marking a huge change in the franchise’s future and upcoming slate of films. This meant that almost everyone who had been a part of the previous films would not be coming back, at least not in the same roles.

During the Happy Sad Confused Podcast, Gunn revealed that he had approached former DC star Ryan Reynolds to join the DCU — as a joke, and the reaction from the former Green Lantern was exactly what you’d expect.

“Ryan doesn’t give a sh*t. One of the first people I talked to after getting the job was Ryan Reynolds. I’m like, ‘You coming back?’ He’s like, ‘Get the f*** out of here.’ I’m joking! I wasn’t really telling him to come back.”

If you’ve heard Reynolds speak about his Green Lantern film before, or you have ever seen an interview with him in general or one of his Marvel Deadpool films then it shouldn’t be any mystery why he wouldn’t want to come back to DC. His time as Hal Jordan was by far a career low point for the actor, and something he’s done well to distance himself from.

There are a few reasons that the Green Lantern movie flopped, and they really have nothing to do with Reynolds himself. The biggest problems were the story, and how it made use of iconic DC characters. Comic fans always want to see faithful adaptions of their favorite action heroes onscreen, and Green Lantern did a terrible job at providing that. Coupled with the terrible CGI that was used for absolutely everything in the film including Reynolds’s super suit, the movie was primed for failure, and critics and fans didn’t hold back.

Right now more than 10 years later, the movie has a terrible 25% reviewer score on Rotten Tomatoes, with an audience rating that’s only slightly better at 45%. Time has not been kind to this film, but there is a glimmer of hope for fans of the comic character.

Green Lantern is coming back to the DCU, but it just won’t be with Reynolds in the role. Lanterns is a new series set to be released in the future that will introduce the Green Lantern comic characters to the DCU. There have already been three Green Lantern Corps members cast and they will be played by Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, and Nathan Fillion. Hopefully with Gunn at the helm and a new story to tell, we can finally get the Green Lantern adaption we deserve.

If you’ve never seen the 2011 Green Lantern movie starring Ryan Reynolds and want to make up your own opinion then you can stream the movie on Amazon Video or Apple TV now.

As the first official chapter of the DCU, Creature Commandos is expected to leave breadcrumbs behind for fans to follow. Plus, since James Gunn created the TV show, the animated series is unsurprisingly filled with Easter eggs and references to DC’s comic book history.

The first episode of Creature Commandos introduces Amanda Waller’s (voiced by Viola Davis) new black ops team and gives them a mission. Episode 2, in its turn, takes us to the distant past to reveal how The Bride (voiced by Indira Varma) came to life. Both episodes have nods to the larger DC universe, which some fans might’ve missed in their first watching.

DC Studios’ logo and Superman #1

Before the episode even begins, Gunn hides a nugget of DC’s history in the new DC Studios’ logo for animated projects. The emblem shows an image of Superman breaking chains with his pecs, which just happens to be the exact pin-up image on the back of Superman #1, first released in 1939, one year after the Man of Steel debuted in Action Comics #1. 

The image of Superman breaking chains would become so crucial to the character that DC even registered it as a trademark in 1941. Since then, multiple comic books have paid homage to the image. Now, the first version of the image has an animated counterpart that underlines how serious DC Studios is about their comic book origins.

Galaxy Broadcasting System

To introduce audiences to the series, Creature Commandos’ first episodes open with a news broadcast describing the dire situation of Pokolistan, where the story takes place. The channel reporting the news has a logo with the acronym GBS. Those letters come straight from the comic books, where the Galaxy Broadcasting System is one of the leading networks in the United States. The Galaxy Communications company is based in Metropolis and usually works with the Daily Planet to oppose Lex Luthor’s attempts to control the media. 

Circe has fought Superman

When Circe (voiced by Anya Chalotra) appears in the GBS reporting, the network uses a mugshot of the villain taken by the Metropolis Police Department. While Circe is a recurring enemy of Wonder Woman, she has been arrested in Metropolis at least once. That means Wonder Woman and Superman have likely fought side-by-side against the sorcerer in the DCU.

Amanda Waller and Peacemaker

When introducing the Creature Commandos to Rick Flag Sr. (voiced by Frank Grillo), Waller reveals that Congress is breathing down her neck since A.R.G.U.S. black ops have been exposed to the media. Waller has been forbidden from using human inmates in her squads, so using monsters is her way of exploiting a loophole.

The mention of A.R.G.U.S. mediatic exposure directly connects Creature Commandos to the first season of Peacemaker. In Peacemaker, Waller’s daughter Leota (Danielle Brooks) goes to the press against her mother to protect her teammates. So, in a couple of lines, Creature Commandos cements Peacemaker as part of the DCU canon while explaining the consequences of Leota’s brave actions.

Operation Starfish, Corto Maltese, and The Suicide Squad

During her talk with Rick Flag, Waller also mentions Operation Starfish in Corto Maltese. That’s the codename of the Task Force X mission in 2021’s The Suicide Squad, where the team has battled Starro. Since Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad are strongly tied together, it makes sense for both stories to become DCU canon simultaneously. Still, it’s nice to see Creature Commandos clearing fans’ doubts by mentioning the movie in addition to the TV show.

After mentioning Corto Maltese, Waller apologizes to Rick Flag for bringing up a painful memory. That’s because Rick Flag’s son, Rick Flag Jr. (Joel Kinnaman), dies in The Suicide Squad. In the movie, the former leader of Task Force X is murdered in cold blood by Peacemaker (John Cena). Since Rick Flag Sr. is part of season 2 of Peacemaker, he’ll probably try to get revenge for his son’s death. 

Where is Pokolistan located?

The Creature Commando’s mission is to travel to Pokolistan and guard its princess against the wrath of Circe. If you can’t find Pokolistan on the map, that’s because the country is a fictional place that first appeared in DC Comics. In the comics, Pokolistan is a nation that split from the Czech Republic and was ruled by a devious villain named General Zod II.

In Creature Commandos, Pokolistan is governed by Princess Ilana Rostovic (voiced by Maria Bakalova). Since the fictional country doesn’t have a vast DC Comics history, Gunn took the liberty of changing it quite a bit, as the Pokolistanis speak Bulgarian instead of Czech. That matches the origins of actress Bakalova, who’s Bulgarian herself.

The Sons of Themyscira

To ensure she’ll be able to kill Princess Illana, Circe has enlisted the help of the Sons of Themyscira. These terrorists are sexist, disgruntled men who think women shouldn’t have safe spaces, so Circe has promised to help them invade Wonder Woman’s Paradise Island if they help her in Pokolistan.

The name of the group, Sons of Themyscira, is a nod to an infamous storyline of the New 52 era of DC Comics, which reveals the Amazons raped sailors and drowned babies born male. Pitying the children’s fate, the Greek God Hephaestus began to rescue these babies, giving them a haven, purpose, and the title of Sons of Themyscira. This storyline has been retconned, as rapist Amazons are something no one ever wanted. That freed the name for Gunn to use in Creature Commandos.

Alexi’s out-of-date references

The captain of Pokolistan’s royal guard is Alexi (voiced by Julian Kostov), a big fan of American culture. However, United States productions take time to travel to the underdeveloped nation, as Alexi’s pop culture references are vastly outdated. Alexi tells the Commandos the people of Pokolistan also do “The Super Bowl Shuffle,” a classic hip-hop song released in 1985.

He also mentions the prank TV show The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, aired between 2002 and 2004. He also mimics the iconic “Whazzup!” line from Scary Movie, a 2000 parody of Scream. Finally, in episode 2, Alexi also asks, “Where is the beef?” just like the classic Wendy’s 1980s slogan.

How do Creature Commandos fit in the DCU’s timeline?

Creature Commandos gives us a few clues on when the series takes place. For starters, Rick Flag Jr. tells Illana that his son died about two years before his Pokolistan mission. The Suicide Squad is set in 2021, which would make Creature Commandos happen in around 2023.

However, GI Robot (voiced by Sean Gunn) says he’s been waiting for a friend to kill Nazis with him for over 74 years. Since World War II ended in 1945, that would mean Creature Commandos happened in 2019. Maybe GI Robot killed Nazis with his friends even after the war was over, which would explain this discrepancy. Or maybe Gunn will retcon the year The Suicide Squad happened.

Welcome to the DCU, Zac Efron

By the end of the first episode, an old lady (voiced by Bakalova) who has been surveilling the Frankenstein mansion calls Eric (voiced by David Harbour) to tell him the Bride is there. The lady’s phone has a thirsty image of shirtless Zac Efron. Funny enough, while the whole world is animated, Efron’s picture is a photograph. Efron has long sat atop many fan-casting lists for superhero movies, including those within the DCU.

Gogol Bordello is DCU canon

While the first two episodes of Creature Commandos use multiple songs as part of its soundtrack, four Gogol Bordello tunes are in the mix. That’s relevant because Gogol Bordello is a Ukrainian band known for its political activism against Russian oppression.

Gunn not only chose to feature multiple Gogol Bordello songs in Creature Commandos, but during the Bride’s flashback, the animated version of the band even pops into the DCU. That seems to be a clear statement about how Gunn feels about the brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The Gogol Bordello songs featured in the episodes are “My Gypsy Auto Pilot”, “Mala Vida”, “Start Wearing Purple”, and “American Wedding”.

Creature Commandos comes at an awkward moment. It’s both the first chapter in the DCU and the bridge between DC Studio’s new storyline and James Gunn’s previous projects, The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker. A lot could have gone wrong with a show trying to do so much in so little time, but Gunn proves once again he’s a master of tight scripts, as Creature Commandos has the same heart and fun as all his comic book adaptations.

As the trailers for Creature Commandos show, the story is set after the events of Season 1 of Peacemaker, when Amanda Waller’s (Viola Davis) black-ops secrets were exposed to the media. Since Waller is no longer allowed to put human prisoners at risk, she finds a loophole in the A.R.G.U.S. new regulations: she sends non-human prisoners on suicide missions.

Like in Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad, the primary mission of this new team is explained right away. This puts the focus on the action, character development, and plot twists Gunn has packed into a nice comic book wrap. It mostly works, mainly because every member of the Creature Commandos is allowed to shine, an impressive feat considering the show only has seven short episodes.

Like The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, Creature Commandos introduces several unknown DC Comics characters. This D-lister cast means that Gunn has more flexibility to rework each character’s origin in a way that’s still true to the comic books but puts the story he wants to tell first. Yet, by parading a cast of unknowns on the screen, Gunn is responsible for explaining to the audience why they should care if any of them dies — without clear stakes, there’s no emotional attachment. To fulfill that goal, Creature Commandos frequently jump between the present and past, explaining exactly how each team member got arrested and sent to Belle Reve.

After a pilot episode in which Gunn’s script lays the groundwork for the season, each of the remaining chapters is dedicated to a specific character. So, while the mission unfolds in the present, we get flashbacks that inform us why certain characters act like they do and what makes them tick. As expected, the past is filled with tragedy and heartache, as Gunn paints a dire picture of how poorly the justice system treats those who look different from the average. Still, Creature Commandos doesn’t fall into the trap of showing every squad member as a victim of society. There are true villains among the Creature Commandos, and despite the show making us sympathetic to them, it doesn’t brush away the horrible deeds they’ve done.

When it comes to characters, the whole cast is so well-written that every main character can quickly become someone’s favorite. After gaining popularity as a comedic relief in The Suicide Squad, Weasel (voice by Sean Gunn) gets surprising new layers in Creature Commandos that allow him to transcend his role as a joke. As for GI Robot (voiced by Sean Gunn), his genuine passion for killing Nazis with his friends helps to keep the team together. As for The Bride (voiced by Indira Varma) and Nina (voiced by Zoë Chao), their unlikely friendship becomes the story’s core. Even Dr. Phosphorus’s (voiced by Alan Tudyk) nihilism is incredibly charming, as he’s refreshingly willing to embrace his monstrous nature. 

On the fringes of the team, we have Rick Flag Sr. (voice by Frank Grillo) trying to manage a team of untrained assets, which hits an emotional chord once we realize he’s doing the same thing his son died doing in The Suicide Squad. As for David Harbour’s Frankenstein, Gunn found an exciting way to connect him to the story, which DC Studios was wise to keep a secret for the marketing campaign. Some surprises shouldn’t be spoiled ahead of time, a lesson that other blockbuster producers and distributors should learn.

No characters feel pushed aside in Creature Commandos. That’s an impressive storytelling achievement, considering how packed the series is and that most viewers will have no previous information about most of these characters.

The animated format offers new possibilities regarding set pieces, which Creature Commandos uses the most. Gunn never had any issues mixing practical and digital effects to bring superpowers to the silver screen. Nevertheless, the animation is as flexible as you can get without losing image quality, so it’s interesting to see how DC Studios is betting big on exploring the medium to be true to its characters. On that note, Dr. Phosphorus’s kills are just on another level of creativity, as his radioactive powers allow the animation crew to go as wild as they want to offer fans some thrilling ultraviolence.

Animation has shortcomings, though, as is evident in Creature Commandos. In live-action, filmmakers can capture multiple versions of the same scene and clean things up in the editing booth. Some things that looked good on the script might need adjustments, with specific takes or sequences being stretched or shortened to better serve the story. On the other hand, animation demands even more careful planning, as it’s expensive and time-consuming to redo a whole scene. 

In the case of Creature Commandos, some episodes could use another editing pass, as the rhythm is not always as good as it could be. Alternatively, the series could use a few extra minutes for each chapter. There’s too much happening in each episode, especially with how many flashbacks it offers. As a result, some key moments feel rushed. That said, it speaks volumes when the worst thing we can say about a show is that there should have been more of it.

Creature Commandos should also be praised for how it deals with the DCU. There are dozens of Easter eggs and cameos from the bigger DC universe and many plot points tease future projects. However, all these nuggets of information are introduced as rewards for keen-eyed fans instead of being forced into the main story. That’s precisely how you should build a cinematic universe. For people engaged with the more significant scene, there’s enough for fans to make connections and develop theories. Yet, Creature Commandos is enough for those who want to watch a good show.

While Creature Commandos doesn’t reach the same emotional heights as Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad, primarily due to its shortened runtime, the series is still a fantastic chapter in the DCU. It has the perfect mix of humor, violence, and heart we love in previous R-rated Gunn projects while showcasing how crispy animation can look in DC Studios productions. So, even if episodes could be longer for rhythm’s sake, the first official DCU installment is unquestionably a hit.

The DCU has begun, and it’s only going to get bigger — and hopefully better — from here on out. Creatures Commandos, the inaugural entry in James Gunn‘s rebooted DC universe, has officially opened to a flawless 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, ahead of next summer’s much-anticipated Superman. Beyond that? The 105th Batman movie, The Brave and the Bold. Currently, our next Dark Knight remains uncast, but it’s just possible that inspiration has now struck.

Like everyone else, it seems Gunn is suffering from Wicked fever, following the smash-hit Wizard of Oz prequel’s box office popularity. As the head of a studio that will be looking to repeat this kind of success in a mere few months’ time, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Gunn decided to pilfer some key figures from the mega-hit musical. And while, say, Ariana Grande as Zatanna and Cynthia Erivo as Vixen might still happen one day, right now it seems Gunn may be gearing up to cast a certain Bridgerton boy as Batman…

James Gunn teased Jonathan Bailey as the DCU’s Batman, and now it’s the bane of our existence

From the Ton to Gotham, via a stopover in Oz? Prince Fiyero himself ⏤ Jonathan Bailey ⏤ could be on James Gunn’s longlist for hypothetical Justice League heroes, as a rogue like on Bluesky may have let slip the producer/director’s interest in hoovering up Bailey for his DCU. You might want to act fast, James, as something tells us Kevin Feige’s having similar thoughts right now (if you ask us, he’d be a fab addition to Marvel’s rebooted X-Men).

“I think it would be cool if James Gunn found some spot for Jonathan Bailey in the DCU,” read a potentially very telling tweet that Gunn liked on X’s rival platform. “Don’t really know which character but he seems like a massive star in the making. I’m actually surprised he’s not a more popular fancast for Batman.”

I know, I know — Gunn likes a lot of stuff on social media so this isn’t exactly cast-iron evidence that he really is thinking about putting Bailey in the bat-suit. That said, Gunn is very careful not to mislead fans with his online activity, so his like counts for something. Given how he experienced Wicked, it’s easy to see how Gunn could’ve already put Bailey and DC together in his mind before seeing this post.

As @Everything_DCU pointed out, a previous post from Gunn on Bluesky saw him note that he witnessed Wicked on the big screen with his mom in the very same theater in which they saw the original Christopher Reeve Superman in 1979.

Batman would be quite the departure for Bailey, who’s generally been attached to lighter-hearted or more romantic roles to date, but he’s obviously got the looks to be a believable Bruce Wayne and the jawline to wear the cowl. And let’s not forget that Charlie Cox was best known for his own fantasy romance role in Stardust before he proved how gritty he could be in Daredevil. Plus, casting an openly gay actor as the Dark Knight would be a major live-action first (and make Kevin Conroy proud). From one of the biggest Netflix shows on the planet to a record-breaking musical to — maybe, just maybe — moving into the Batcave? Talk about dancing through life.

Matt Reeves’ The Batman – Part II is delayed once again. While DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn attempts to allay fears, fans aren’t buying the excuses anymore and believe there’s something more to this story.

The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader, arrived in theaters in early 2022. Despite the toil and turmoil that plagued DC films at the time, this was the welcome outlier. The hardboiled detective comic book movie received a positive reaction from both fans and critics, and it cooked at the box office, making over $770 million from a $200 million budget. Unsurprisingly, the sequel received the , and the Reevesverse expanded with The Penguin television show.

The road to The Batman – Part II might have been paved with good intentions, but it turned into a hellish night out in Gotham City. For a long stretch of time, production news went quiet as the official message was that Reeves and Mattson Tomlin were grinding away on the script. Then came the confirmation that the film was pushed back an entire year from an October 2025 release date to October 2026. Now, the latest information suggests the script isn’t ready, even though production is meant to kick off in April 2025.

Considering DC and Warner Bros.’ chaotic history, the murmurs doing the rounds is that the film has been quietly cancelled, but no one wants to say anything until the kinda-rebooted DC Universe launches with next year’s Superman. Expectedly, this type of conspiracy theory picks up traction on social media, and it doesn’t take long until a rumor turns into a fact among fans who still believe everything they read online.

A user sent several messages about The Batman – Part 2‘s speculated cancellation to Gunn on Threads and asked him if there was any truth to the matter. Gunn replied: 

“Like why would you even believe a rando on social networking? Of course not. If it was canceled it would be canceled. Who has time for charades? I’ve been one of Matt’s biggest cheerleaders for years – since Cloverfield and the Apes’ movies. We are eagerly awaiting his script.”

Case closed, right? Not to everyone. Some people question why this script has taken so long to materialize when Reeves confirmed he had a vision for a trilogy before he even filmed the first movie. It also doesn’t help that actors such as Jeffrey Wright and Colin Farrell have publicly stated they’re waiting for scripts too.

One Threads user suggested that Pattinson might be speaking to the enemy already, writing: “Robert Pattinson meeting with Kevin Feige about joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t exactly scream confidence in a Batman 2 script.” Of course this is simply someone talking nonsense on social media, and there’s no proof that any conversation took place between Pattinson and Feige.

So, is the script really the hold-up? Who knows, but it’s highly likely The Penguin‘s success got everyone thinking. The show exceeded all expectations and proved to the top brass that the Reevesverse has a lot more mileage and potential rather than being stuck in its own isolated corner of the DCU.

What if the reason there’s now yet another delay in The Batman – Part II is because they’re busy planning on how to incorporate Pattinson’s Batman into the DCU? It’s possible, since news has gone cold on the Batman: The Brave and the Bold movie. Perhaps Gunn and Reeves have a trick up their sleeve that will be revealed in due course. Or maybe not.