DC Studios announces their 10-project slate including new Superman, Batman, and Authority projects

The first wave of the new DC Studios era has been announced, and it’s a big one.

As part of the first announcements of what to expect from new DC Studios CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran, fans can look forward to new televisions series and movies exploring multiple areas of the DC Universe, from secret civilizations hidden from the rest of the world to intergalactic cops patrolling alien worlds in the depths of space — and, yes, that’s a clue as to some of what’s coming.

According to Safran and Gunn, DC's plans moving forward are at once ambitious - you'll see that when you see the list - but also restrained, with the studio planning on releasing just two features annually and limiting its output to control its quality. Alongside Gunn, a writers room exists to guide the direction of the new DCU moving forward, consisting of Drew Goddard, Jeremy Slater, Christina Hobson, Christal Henry, and comics writer Tom King.

This initial wave of DC movies and TV shows is going by Marvel phase-esque term of DC Chapter 1, with it being subtitled 'God and Monsters.' Gunn says that while these 10 projects are the core of those plans, there is more in the works for this first chapter.

The projects announced today are:

Superman: Legacy

Get ready to meet your new cinematic Man of Steel in this big screen reboot of the Superman mythos, written by James Gunn, with the possibility of him directing also being put out there. This is one of the two DC projects with a set release date: July 11, 2025 — the other is The Batman Part II, the sequel to last year's Robert Pattinson movie that exists outside of the new DCU — and the movie that is likely to set the tone for the new era of the DCU.

The Authority

Based on the Wildstorm comic by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch, the Authority is a superteam that seeks to save the world from itself... at any cost necessary. Intentionally morally grey, what's particularly interesting about The Authority is the fact that this movie will be a purposeful spin-off of Superman: Legacy...

Brave and the Bold

The next generation of Batman, and the entire Batfamily, will be introduced in this new feature film, which takes its inspiration from Grant Morrison's Batman run. (Two words: Damian Wayne. Yes, he's going to be Robin in this new version of the character.)

Booster Gold

A television show based on Dan Jurgens' fan-favorite hero who traveled back from the future with one dream to fulfill: becoming the greatest, most famous superhero of them all.

Swamp Thing

The supernatural element of the DCU will begin again in this feature film centering on the avatar of the Green, with Gunn and Safran talking about the property as a "more horrific" project than the other DC movies. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny director James Mangold is reportedly in talks to direct.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

Inspired by the Tom King and Bilquis Evely series of the same name, it's time for a new take on Superman's cousin as a TV show.

Lanterns

The retooled, re-titled Green Lantern Corps television project, which will now focus on both John Stewart and Hal Jordan as lead characters in what Gunn and Safran are describing as a “True Detective-like” take on the property.

Paradise Lost

A television project retelling the history of Wonder Woman's home island of Themyscira, which has been likened to Game of Thrones; expect no small amount of callbacks to the recently completed Wonder Woman: Historia project from DC Black Label, written by Kelly Sue DeConnick.

Creature Commandos

An animated series written entirely by James Gunn, Creature Commandos was the very first project greenlit by the new DC executives, and centers on the monstrous heroes who worked behind the scenes to save the world before the era of superheroes.

Waller

The one holdover from the previous era of DC movies stars Viola Davis, who continues as Amanda Waller in a new series centering around the no-nonsense head of the Suicide Squad. The show is said to be a continuation of Peacemaker.

Speculation about the DC Studios announcements have been mounting since Gunn and Safran took on the roles of co-CEOs in November; a month later, it was revealed that Henry Cavill would not be returning as Superman, sparking speculation about a wholesale reboot of the DC cinematic universe. Gunn has teased the new plans — which reportedly scale out a decade or so ahead — as ”the biggest story ever told”. So big, in fact, that Gunn is already offering a reading list for fans to prepare.

Even with this new line-up, there's still some old school DC stories to be told, with Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Blue Beetle, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom all set for release this year. (Superman and Lois, Titans, and Doom Patrol are also continuing on television through this year, as well.) And for those looking to revisit classic DC movies of the past, there's always the DCEU as was to rewatch, as well as plenty of Batman movies.

Earlier this year, Popverse looked at what DC might be planning for 2023, including the comic book Dawn of DC relaunch initiative.