With Clayface officially out in theaters — already achieving early milestones on par with The Dark Knight and Batman Begins — it’s once again time to look ahead to what James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe has in store. In the last month alone, fans received a slew of announcements — from Tom King’s Mister Miracle animated series to a Poison Ivy television show in the works — along with frequent posts from James Gunn on X, confirming and denying the latest rumors.
First on the official DCU release slate is Superman: Man of Tomorrow, the follow-up to Superman (2025). Man of Tomorrow is slated to be a Lex Luthor film, giving Nicholas Hoult yet another chance to shine in the role. Given the promotional artwork of the film’s announcement, fans expect to see Luthor’s iconic green robosuit as the billionaire exacts his revenge against Superman and his allies.
Coming out next summer, there will no doubt be more confirmations and trailers to come. Still, what we know so far has fueled speculation for weeks. Guy Gardner and Hawkgirl are set to reprise their roles from Superman, along with Lanterns’ John Stewart. The film is also reportedly bringing back Xolo Maridueaña to reprise his role as Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle from Blue Beetle (2023) and is to feature Adria Arjona in a role that Gunn swears is not Diana of Themyscira.
Following his appearance in Man of Tomorrow, Superman’s best pal Jimmy Olsen is set to host The People v. Gorilla Grodd, a tv show set to premiere on HBO next summer. Olsen is set to star with other Superman Daily Planet ensemble returning such as Perry White, Steve Lombard, and Cat Grant.
An official date has yet to be announced, but it will likely be after Man of Tomorrow hits theaters. Fans can expect the shenanigans they’ve come to expect from Olsen along with general humor in the show, based on videos from the shoot of funny T-shirts and dance mobs. The plot of the show will revolve around Olsen explaining various DC villains and their stories. Given the first season’s focus on Gorilla Grodd, fans have been speculating on at least one iteration of the Flash making an appearance, whether it be Barry Allen or Wally West.
Based on his comic run of the same name, Lanterns co-creator Tom King is striking out on his own for this animated series. The show announced casting for the main roles, with Josh Hutcherson playing Scott Free/Mister Miracle and Mackenzie Davis as Mister Miracle’s wife, Big Barda. The actor playing the series’ antagonist, Darkseid, has yet to be announced.
The show has been officially confirmed by Gunn to be canon to the DCU, with both Hutcherson and Davis to reprise their roles in a live-action film sometime down the line. Given that the show is adapting King’s comic, the first season’s storyline will likely revolve around Apokolips and New Genesis going to war while Big Barda and Mister Miracle deal with the repercussions that said war has on them and their relationship.
With Clayface taking place in a Gotham that’s devoid of any Batman references, anticipation to see Batman has only increased. The role has yet to be cast — announcements for the Dynamic Duo film had Gunn emphasizing that the animated film was not canon to the DCU — and The Brave and the Bold is slated to be Batman’s entrance to the DCU.
Taking inspiration from Grant Morrison’s run on Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold is slated to center around both Bruce Wayne and his son, Damian. Given the subject matter, fans can likely expect other members of the Bat-family in addition to the League of Assassins. One could also hope for a favorable depiction of Talia al Ghul, but this is a Morrison adaptation, so it might not be worth holding your breath. The film has yet to be given a release date, but it is on the slate of confirmed upcoming releases for the DCU.
With announcements as recent as earlier this week, the DCU has no shortage of movies and television shows in development. Reports came out this week about talks of a Poison Ivy show by The Penguin creator and showrunner Lauren LeFranc. Rumors have been circling for months around a Teen Titans movie, along with another Batman villain feature in Savage Hunters, set to star Bane and Deathstroke.
Gunn has previously said that a Wonder Woman movie is a priority for the future with a script still in the works. Other projects in development include the Blue Beetle animated series and another season of Creature Commandos. While the form it will take is uncertain, there’s definitely going to be another Lanterns project in the future.
What project are you most excited for? Post it in the comments below!
