If you know me then you probably know that I am an enormous fan of DC Comics. Two or three times a month, I head to my local comic shop (Rick’s Comic City; it’s a great place) to pick up several of the titles that I follow. In the world of popular culture, it has been a tough run for DC fans. I enjoy the MCU; it is fun, great world building, and I’m looking forward to where it goes next. But DC movies could be so, so, so, so much better. And while there have been bright spots here and there, it just looks paltry in comparison with the behemoth led by the Avengers and Spider-Man.
But now, at least, there’s a plan. Tim Gunn (director of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy) and Peter Safran have taken the reins of DC Studios. Just a couple of days ago, they announced their first projects of their 8-10 year plan for a brand new DCU. I’m cautiously optimistic (I have been hurt before), but I am excited. So let’s rundown what we’ve got.
Superman: Legacy
You need to know that one of my deepest hopes and dreams once we get past all the important stuff like raising my children, being a good husband/son/brother/friend, taking care of my youth at church, etc. is to see a great Superman movie on the big screen. It is a popular saying amongst a circle of my friends that the best Superman movie we’ve gotten is the trailer to Man of Steel (seriously, it’s hair-stand-up-on-end awesome).
So I really, really want this to work. They are saying all of the right things by talking about Superman being a beacon of hope and distancing him a bit from the more angsty hero he was in the Snyderverse. They are implying all the right things by using an image from All-Star Superman, one of the best stories featuring the Man of Steel in the last 20 or 30 years. I am hopeful. They need to get the cast right just as much as the story (request: let’s not have Lex Luthor or Zod as the main villain). This is kicking the whole thing off in July of 2025. It will quite honestly be the most excited I have been about an upcoming movie since The Force Awakens; just two and a half years of hype. No pressure.
The Brave and the Bold
So there is still going to be a sequel to Robert Pattinson’s The Batman, but that is going to be designated a DC Elseworld so R-Bats can play in his playground and the DCU can have their own Batman. And to really delineate a difference between the two, The Brave and the Bold is going to be a story about Bruce Wayne and his assassin son/fourth Robin Damian Wayne. I love that they are just leaning all the way into the Batfamily. Do it. A Batman who has worked with a half dozen people in fighting crime makes so much more sense in the context of the wider DC Universe. My one question is: Have their been previous Robins before Damian in the cinematic universe? Both Dick Grayson and Tim Drake are too good of characters to just throw away (I don’t care about Jason Todd). Also, love the title (seriously, check out the Batman animated series that shares that title; an underrated gem) and you can’t go wrong being inspired by a Grant Morrison run.
The Authority
Was not expecting this one at all. Originally a product of Windstorm Comics, these characters have been merged into DC over the last decade or so. They are like the Justice League if the Justice League was not super concerned about things like collateral damage or not killing bad guys. They are edgier and more in the Snyderverse mold (the internet would blow a gasket if they cast Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck as Apollo and Midnighter). I’m intrigued. Also could serve as a good foil for the actual Justice League getting together.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Based on the phenomenal 8-issue series of the same name and written by that series’ writer Tom King, this is an excellent idea. If DC wants to change up the perception of Supergirl in the general populace, they could not have picked a better story. Woman of Tomorrow is a sci-fi fantasy/western epic featuring a Kara Zor-El who has seen some stuff and is trying to figure out her place in the shadow of her much more popular cousin. Again, great idea; no notes.
Swamp Thing
I appreciate that you’ve got to do some genre work to switch things up and horror is an easy play for that. I’m not pumped, but I get it. Swampy is a sold choice if you’re going to do that.
Booster Gold
BOOSTER GOLD! I am so excited for a Booster Gold TV show. For those who don’t know, Booster travels back in time from the future and uses basic technology from his time to try and be a superhero in the present. Except he is the worst (in an endearing way) and is always simultaneously trying to become rich and famous. What a delightfully ridiculous superhero on which to base a TV series. One can only hope that this is a setup for a Booster Gold/Blue Beetle team-up.
Lanterns
Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart (not the former Daily Show host) team up to solve a mystery. Green Lanterns are basically space cops and so having them team up to some detective work makes sense. I’m a little concerned that Gunn said this would be a more terrestrial based story. Again, they’re space cops. Doing an earthbound space cops story is like doing a Superman story where he doesn’t fly. But maybe they will be on the terrestrial surface of an alien planet? Maybe? I don’t know? I dig the idea of a Green Lantern show, but let’s see how they pull it off. Also, if you want to replace Hal Jordan with Kyle Rayner or Jessica Cruz or Simon Baz or Kilowog or the squirrel Green Lantern, you have my blessing. Also please have someone knockout Guy Gardner with one punch. Thanks!
Paradise Lost/Waller/Creature Commandos
I am marginally interested in these: a Wonder Woman prequel set on Themyscira, a continuation of Peacemaker featuring Amanda Waller, and an animated series starring a bunch of monsters like Frankenstein doing covert missions (actually, I’m kind of down for that last one).
So that’s it. Lots to be cautiously excited for. And, hey, there’s a plan! Here’s to the new DCU. Don’t screw up!