Last December, the final movie of the divisive DCEU, Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom, was released in theaters. However, it did not perform as well as expected at the box office. Now, James Gunn and Peter Safran are preparing to launch their newly rebooted DC Universe, starting with "Chapter One: Gods and Monsters." In a recent podcast appearance, Gunn compared his upcoming superhero projects to Game of Thrones, which has left many fans, including myself, excited about the new direction for upcoming DC movies.
During an interview on Michael Rosenbaum's podcast Inside of You, the director of the upcoming Superman: Legacy shared his vision for the DC Universe. The director explained that he loved the opportunity to create an "alternate history" for DC cities like Gotham and Metropolis, drawing a parallel with the world of Westeros. In his own words:
One of the things I love about DC and that excites me about DC is that, in a way, it is another alternate history. It is Gotham City and Metropolis, and Star City and Bloodhaven. All of these different places in another reality. And it makes it a little bit like Westeros in some ways.
Thus, like GOT, the DCU's ability to expand on major and minor details sets it apart from its comic book movie counterparts. He continues:
I love that about it. I love that we get to create true worldbuilding in DC. It isn’t just, ‘We’re throwing some superheroes on Earth.’ I think that, right now, is one of the key differences [between DC and Marvel].
In the same interview, Gunn points out that DC characters have a more fantastical nature than those in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If you’ve seen the MCU movies in order, you know they quickly did away with alter egos and secret identities (except for Spider-Man); this is one of the significant aspects that will distinguish the new DCU from its predecessor and Marvel. You can watch his entire appearance on Inside of You below:
This year, the DC Universe will embark on a fresh journey with the premiere of the Creature Commandos animated series. This series marks the beginning of the new DCU canon. In a video outlining the vision for the DCU's initial chapter titled "Gods and Monsters," James revealed that he wrote all the series episodes. The show features an impressive lineup of voice actors, including Frank Grillo, David Harbour, and Indira Varma. It is set to initiate this new canon for DC.
If Creature Commandos is a new concept, you're not alone. For those intrigued by the origins and story of this unique group of superhero characters, we've compiled all the key information available from DC Comics, including a fundamental overview of who these characters are. Overall, it looks like a show that will feature a pantheon of characters, like Game of Thrones, in a vast universe like Westeros.
As the DC Universe continues to expand, fans eagerly waiting for James Gunn and Peter Safran's vision to unfold, fear not, because Creature Commandos kicks things off later this year, landing on the 2024 TV schedule. Fans who want to watch this animated series will need a Max subscription, which seems like a fitting home given the GOT comparison.
Several other upcoming DC TV shows are in development, and CinemaBlend will continue to provide continuous updates and insights into these upcoming projects.
