The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has gone through significant changes over the past year, especially in the last two months of 2022, when James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as CEOs of DC Studios.
DC and Warner Bros. continued to release numerous major projects, such as The Batman and Black Adam. However, as things currently stand, it can be said that the film universe has been compelled to completely rebuild itself to accommodate James Gunn’s 10-year plan, ushering in a distinctly different DC Universe (DCU) in the future.
The DCU Will Retain Familiar Faces
Many DC film projects have been canceled, and numerous actors have sadly bid farewell to the DCU – Image: Warner Bros.
After nearly a decade of development, the DCEU, the predecessor of the DCU, had introduced many superheroes to the big screen, with the Justice League being the central focus. Among them, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman were regarded as the key characters of this film universe, alongside other notable names like Aquaman and Shazam.
However, the future of the DCU will see many familiar faces departing in the wake of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s “reboot.” Ben Affleck has confirmed he will part ways with the role of Batman following the conclusion of Justice League, although the actor will still appear in the blockbuster The Flash in a guest role. Next, Henry Cavill will also not be returning as Superman, as the DCU aims for a more grounded version of the character to bring different storylines to life.
Additionally, Gal Gadot’s future in this film universe is also uncertain, as the project Wonder Woman 3 directed by Patty Jenkins has officially been canceled. Although not confirmed, James Gunn has hinted that he still wants the actress to continue her association with the DCU in the role of the Amazonian warrior, which she has portrayed excellently in recent years.
Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck will leave the DCU, while Gal Gadot’s future remains uncertain – Image: Warner Bros.
Jason Momoa will reprise his role as Arthur Curry in the film Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom, set to release during the Christmas season of 2023. However, many sources have indicated that this may be the last project for the actor in the DC universe before transitioning to a new character in the future.
Ray Fisher, who portrayed Cyborg (Victor Stone), will not return to DC due to conflicts regarding his experiences and working methods with director Joss Whedon as well as Warner Bros.’ production team. Thus, nearly the entire cast from Justice League, which was originally constructed by director Zack Snyder, will be completely absent from future DC projects.
Black Adam, despite just entering the DCU this year, will also not escape the reboot initiated by James Gunn. Recently, actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson confirmed that his character would not be included in the initial phase of the new DC film universe. The Rock mentioned that Black Adam could potentially return in the future, with storylines related to that character. However, if this materializes, it may take many years, as audiences may not encounter this character again on the big screen for quite some time.
Robert Pattinson’s Batman Will Be Central to a New Film Universe
Changes in the DCU will not affect the development of the film The Batman – Image: Warner Bros.
The Batman is one of the few projects unaffected by the new plans James Gunn has outlined for DC, with the sequel still on track to continue production as initially planned. This is partly because The Batman is categorized as a standalone film, with Robert Pattinson in the lead role. As the DCU is currently undergoing significant transformations, The Batman could serve as an anchor to keep audiences engaged with DC’s superhero endeavors.
It’s no surprise that DC is keen on developing the film The Batman alongside its main cinematic universe. Since its release in early March 2022, this blockbuster has garnered nearly $771 million (according to BoxOfficeMojo), along with being critically acclaimed by both audiences and critics. Pattinson’s performance was also a standout in The Batman, contributing to a fresh cinematic portrayal of the character, while delivering new stories compared to previous iterations.
Currently, alongside The Batman 2, DC Studios is also working on several projects to further develop the film universe dedicated to Pattinson. One of these is the series Penguin, focused on one of the most notorious villains in the Batman universe, played by Colin Farrell. Additionally, sources indicate that DC is also moving forward with several standalone projects centered around Gotham City Police, Arkham, and Catwoman.
Future Blockbuster Films of the DCU
The DCU will unveil many film projects in 2023 – Image: ScreenRant
Despite being in the process of “rebuilding,” the DCU will still release several films in 2023 according to the initial plan. Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, and Aquaman & the Lost Kingdom are some titles that have escaped the “reboot” of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
Among them, The Flash is considered the most significant blockbuster of the year for DC, exploring the concept of time travel and multiversal elements. Barry Allen’s super-speed powers could help reset the entire DCU, ushering this film universe into a new phase, with new Batmans and Supermans being more logically interconnected. However, according to some recent sources, cameos from Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot in this blockbuster have been cut.
Among the films mentioned above, Blue Beetle is the only title that will bring a completely new superhero to the big screen. The character is Jaime Reyes, played by Xolo Maridueña. James Gunn has previously mentioned he wants to explore lesser-known superheroes and characters, similar to what he achieved with The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy from Marvel.
Currently, James Gunn remains tight-lipped about the plans and projects he is developing for the DCU. The director has only confirmed the production of a film about Superman, but it will not star Henry Cavill in the lead role. Gunn’s project will not explore the origin and background of the character, but will instead present a new story centered around the character’s formative years.
HBO Max is a Crucial Platform for the DCU Following the Success of Peacemaker
Peacemaker has brought a significant success to DC Studios – Image: Warner Bros.
When discussing The Suicide Squad, we cannot forget the success of the series Peacemaker directed by James Gunn. Released in early 2022, this series quickly became a cultural phenomenon in the superhero genre, while also being one of DC’s most successful series on the HBO Max platform. This is also why DC Studios promptly greenlit a second season, even though it may still be some time before its release.
The success of Peacemaker has highlighted the importance of HBO Max to the future of the DCU. It is not coincidental that many projects are being developed on this platform, including a series centered on the character Amanda Waller, as well as The Penguin and Arkham Asylum as previously mentioned.
The collaborative relationship between HBO Max and DC Studios will not only continue but may also extend over many years to come, as the DCU thrives across various media in both film and television. James Gunn himself is one of the directors committed to bringing superhero productions to the small screen, especially following the successful experiences with Peacemaker.
Source: ScreenRant
