James Gunn and Peter Safran made good on the promise they made last October when they took control of DC Studios to lay out a roadmap for future movies and series. At that time, they set a target of February 1st for the big reveal, which arrived this week with the release of an online video and a press event for invited journalists.
Their “8- to 10-Year Plan” was extensive, including details on upcoming series and features. A new series called WALLER is planned, featuring the Amanda Waller character played by Viola Davis in the SUICIDE SQUAD movie, which Gunn himself directed. Another new series is PARADISE LOST, set on the all-female island of Themyscira, the birthplace of Wonder Woman.
The events in this series take place prior to those from the WONDER WOMAN movies. THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD series will introduce the DCU Batman character, including his relationship with a son he never knew he had.
As for theatrical releases, new BATMAN, SUPERMAN, and SUPERGIRL movies are all planned for 2025, which Safran described as “a very big year for DC.” Big DC films on the schedule for 2023 include SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS, THE FLASH, BLUE BEETLE, and AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM.
While these are all the creations of previous leadership, Gunn and Safran are open to the possibility of these characters (and actors) returning in the future, which is a bit of a surprise given the legal issues surrounding THE FLASH star Ezra Miller. While it was confirmed that Henry Cavill would not be back in his role as Superman, there was no mention of plans for Dwayne Johnson to return to play Black Adam in any new feature or series.
These announcements are important because of the potential scale and impact of DC Extended Universe movies in the theatrical marketplace, and the impact that Gunn and Safran could have in revitalizing the DCU brand.