Following DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn's announcement revealing the projects in the DC Universe's (DCU) Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters slate, the first two stars in the series have been confirmed.
Since first joining the DC Universe with his work directing and writing 2021's The Suicide Squad, James Gunn had slowly been building his portfolio of work with Warner Bros. before taking over the entire DC franchise alongside his partner Peter Safran. Now, the MCU and DC veteran is in charge of an entirely new slate of movies and TV shows, which features top names from the Justice League along with dozens of heroes and villains that haven't gotten this kind of spotlight before.
While most of these movies and TV shows don't have release dates yet, Chapter 1 kicks off with two unique HBO Max shows before the studio returns to theaters with Superman: Legacy, which is being written by Gunn himself.
Now, thanks to this exciting spree of announcements, fans know the first two actors who will officially be a part of this new journey under Gunn's watch.
First Two DCU Stars Confirmed
During and after DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn's announcements of the new slate of movies and TV shows in the DC Universe, he also confirmed the first two actors that will reprise their roles in the franchise.
1.) Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in Waller
As noted by DC's official website, Gunn confirmed that Viola Davis will reprise her role as Amanda Waller in her own HBO Max solo series entitled Waller. This will be her third time working with Gunn after teaming up on both The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, both of which features Davis in a prominent role.
Gunn confirmed that the show will feature other characters from Peacemaker as regulars, further teasing that it will serve as a direct follow-up to the 2022 series:
"Viola Davis is coming back as her character, Amanda Waller. This is also going to have some of the Peacemaker team in it as regulars on the show. This basically follows up 'Peacemaker'. We have two great creatives working on it: Christal Henry, who was a writer on 'Watchmen', and Jeremy Carver who created 'Doom Patrol.' They have this incredibly marvelous story worked out that I think is really fantastic."
2.) Sean Gunn as Weasel in Creature Commandos
In the comments of a separate post on his personal Instagram account, Gunn confirmed that his brother, Sean Gunn, would reprise his role as Weasel from The Suicide Squad in the animated Creature Commandos show on HBO Max.
During his presentation, Gunn also confirmed further that the new DC Universe will have "animation tied directly into live action," ensuring that the same actors who voice animated roles will be able to play the same roles in live-action and in other formats. He also noted that he's written all seven episodes of Creature Commandos and that it's in production right now:
"What we’re doing with the DCU is we’re having animation tied directly into live action. Television, movies and games all intertwine within the same universe. We’re going to cast actors that are going to be able to play the characters in this, as well as in other things, some of which we’ve already cast. I’ve written all seven episodes of this show and it’s in production now."
Sean Gunn also played Calendar Man in The Suicide Squad; whether he'll reprise the role down the road is unknown.
Gunn Keeping The Suicide Squad Stars Moving Forward
With Gunn's work on both The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker earning such rave reviews from critics and fans, it's no surprise to see both Viola Davis and Sean Gunn back in the fold.
Gunn's Weasel shocked fans during the mid-credits scene from The Suicide Squad when it was revealed that he survived the attack on the beaches of Corto Maltese in the movie's early stages. After seeing the same fate befall Peacemaker in the other post-credits scene, intrigue is already building to see how Weasel will fare after walking away from the beach in relatively good health.
As for Viola Davis, she remains a key figurehead on the darker side of the DCU, especially with Danielle Brooks' Leota revealed to be her daughter during Peacemaker. The Waller series will provide a great opportunity to give her a fully fleshed-out story, hopefully providing more depth to her personality and explaining her rise to power.
Now, fans wait to find out who else will join Gunn and Davis in the "confirmed" category as more news from the DCU becomes public in the coming months.
There are no release dates set yet for Waller or Creature Commandos.
