Superman reboot, Wonder Woman series, and more kick off new wave of DC movies

MOVIE NEWS

After weeks of speculation and early reports, James Gunn and Peter Safran, the new heads of DC Studios over at Warner Bros., have officially announced their plans for the first phase of a new era of superhero movies.

Table of Contents

The first chapter of Gunn and Safran’s DCU is called Gods and Monsters. A Superman movie reboot, a Supergirl film, a sequel to The Batman, a Wonder Woman-based HBO Max series, and more are included in the line-up.

Titled Superman: Legacy, the new Man of Steel flick will hit theaters on July 11, 2025. It will “focus on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing,”

DC Comics James Gunn and Peter Safran announce plans for the new phase of DC movies.

“Superman: Legacy is the true foundation of our creative vision for the DC Universe,” Gunn said in a statement. “Not only is Superman an iconic part of DC lore, he is also a favorite character for comic book readers, viewers of earlier movies, and fans around the world. I can’t wait to introduce our version of Superman who audiences will be able to follow and get to know across films, movies, animation, and gaming.”

Gunn calls this “the true beginning of the DCU” in a video announcement shared to fans on social media. However, other projects will come out beforehand.

As previously reported, Henry Cavill won’t be continuing on as Superman at the moment in light of Gunn’s plans for a film about a younger Clark Kent. Gunn has maintained that the character of Superman remains “a huge priority, if not the biggest priority.”

Questions persisted about the fate of Wonder Woman after it was reported that a third movie from director Patty Jenkins and star Gal Gadot was not moving forward. Jenkins said she “never walked away” from the movie. “It was my understanding there was nothing I could do to move anything forward at this time,” she stated.

However, Gunn and Safran announced Paradise Lost, a new HBO Max series set on the island of Themyscira, Wonder Woman’s home. A Peacemaker spinoff following Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller from The Suicide Squad, a Booster Gold story, and a Green Lantern show are also on the TV slate.

DC movies

Superman: Legacy – written by Gunn, the film will hit theaters on July 11, 2025, and focus on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing.

The Authority – WildStorm characters will join the DCU as members of The Authority take matters into their own hands to do what they believe is right.

The Brave and the Bold – the DCU will introduce its Batman and Robin in this unusual father-son story inspired by Grant Morrison’s comic series.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow – this science fiction adventure, which will be based on Tom King’s amazing, award-winning recent comics stories, presents a Supergirl viewers are not used to seeing.

Swamp Thing – the film will investigate the dark origins of Swamp Thing.

The Batman – Part II — the film will hit theaters on Oct. 3, 2025.

DC HBO TV series

Creature Commandos — a seven-episode animated show in which Amanda Waller creates a black ops team out of monstrous prisoners; Gunn wrote all the episodes of the first season.

Waller — starring Viola Davis, this series features Team Peacemaker and will be written by Christal Henry (Watchmen) and Jeremy Carver (Supernatural).

Booster Gold — Booster Gold uses basic technology from the future to pretend to be a superhero in present day.

Lanterns — this enormous TV event series follows intergalactic cops John Stewart and Hal Jordan as they uncover a dark mystery. Gunn likened this to True Detective with two space cops.

Paradise Lost — set in Themyscira, home of the Amazons and birthplace of Wonder Woman, this drama focuses on the genesis and political intrigue of an island of all women.

Jason Momoa, who has played Aquaman on screen since 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, previously teased “great news” that he couldn’t talk about after meeting with Gunn, Safran, and head of Warner Bros. Discovery David Zaslav towards the end of January.

In a video message shared with fans on social media, Gunn mentioned that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is still happening and “leads directly” into the new projects he announced.

Before this new chapter kicks off, Gunn says we will still see Shazam! Fury of the Gods starring Zachary Levi; the Ezra Miller-led The Flash, which “resets the entire DC universe”; and Blue Beetle prior to the Aquaman sequel.

Dwayne Johnson also confirmed that his character, Black Adam, won’t be in “the first chapter of storytelling” in Gunn and Safran’s master plan. The actor has said he and his production company “have agreed to continue exploring the most valuable ways Black Adam can be utilized in future DC multiverse chapters.”

Gunn clarified that everything announced on Tuesday is not all that will be included in Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.

“As we craft the plan for DC Studios, we are thrilled to share with fans the first 10 stories they can expect from the unified DC Universe featuring some of our most well-known characters as well as the next generation of marquee characters” Safran said. “Chapter 1 tells cohesive stories that highlight love, compassion, and the innate goodness of the human spirit, all designed to minimize audience confusion and maximize audience engagement across platforms.”

DCU Batman & Robin Will Be Introduced in The Brave and the Bold Movie

Gunn revealed that not only will the DCU’s Batman — notably not played by Robert Pattinson, who will continue to play Bruce Wayne in The Batman series of films — be introduced in The Brave and the Bold, but its Robin will be as well. The Robin of the DCU will be Damian Wayne, the son of Bruce Wayne and the fifth main Robin of the comics.

“This is the introduction of the DCU Batman. Of Bruce Wayne and also introduces our favorite Robin, Damian Wayne, who is a little son of a bitch,” Gunn stated. “It’s a very strange father-and-son story.”

The film will be based on Grant Morrison’s acclaimed Batman and Robin run, which introduced the assassin-raised son of Bruce Wayne to readers. Gunn also said that The Brave and the Bold will be “the beginning of sort of the Bat-Family in the DCU.”

New Superman and Supergirl Movies Confirmed for DC’s New “First Chapter”

Other than that, all we know so far is the official line, which is that it will “focus on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing,” but it does sound like they’re going for a take on the Man of Steel’s characterization refreshingly free of cynicism.

“Superman represents truth, justice, and the American way,” Safran said. “He is kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned.”

To hammer home the size of this Superman’s heart, Gunn cited one of the most beloved DC stories of the 21st century as one of the inspirations for his take on the Man of Steel, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s All-Star Superman, a modern masterpiece that featured an almost all-powerful version of the character, tempered with an even more powerful empathy.

“I really love the idea of Superman,” Gunn said. “He’s a big ol’ galoot. He’s a farm boy from Kansas who is very idealistic. His greatest weakness is that he’ll never kill anybody. He doesn’t want to hurt a living soul. I liked that sort of innate goodness about Superman as his defining characteristic. It’s not All-Star Superman, but I’m a huge fan of All-Star Superman, and it’s very inspired by it.”

No casting has yet been announced (although, with that July 2025 release date, we expect those discussions to begin heating up pretty soon). One thing is for certain: Henry Cavill won’t be the one wearing the cape this time around. But Gunn was quick to clarify, “Henry Cavill was not fired. He just was not hired to be [in Superman: Legacy].”

Details on Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow are a little more thin at this time, but it does share a title with Tom King and Bilquis Elvy’s brilliant Eisner-nominated limited series, which took Kara and Krypto into space for a wild, almost psychedelic adventure. Gunn revealed that King, one of the most decorated comics writers of the last few years, has been helping conceptualize elements of the new DCU, as well.

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Adam Regan

Deputy Editor

Features and account management. 3 years media experience. Previously covered features for online and print editions.

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