Three highly anticipated DC Studios projects are now confirmed to take place outside the main DC Universe continuity. The revelation clarifies how certain titles fit into James Gunn and Peter Safran's new interconnected slate, which officially kicked off with Creature Commandos and found its footing with Superman. While DCU projects will share a cohesive storyline, these three upcoming releases will instead unfold in separate universes, following their own Elseworld stories.
Ever since Gunn took over DC's creative direction in 2022 and unveiled the first slate of Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters projects in 2023, the question of how the new DCU continuity works has been a major talking point.
While Superman is the franchise's firm foundation, the transition hasn't been a clean break from the DCEU. This is especially evident with Peacemaker Season 2, premiering August 21 on HBO Max. It keeps certain elements from Gunn's The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker Season 1 as canon, while other past stories are left behind, creating a somewhat confusing blend for fans.
Some argue that a full reboot might have made things clearer, but that would have meant losing the chance to continue Peacemaker directly unless it was placed in its own timeline.
Speaking of separate universes, DC just reaffirmed that three upcoming projects will be firmly outside the DCU.
The Batman Part II
According to DC's official website, Matt Reeves' The Batman Part II is one of the projects currently in production that is not set within the shared DC Universe.
Scheduled for release in 2027, the sequel will continue the gritty, noir-inspired Gotham established in 2022's The Batman. Robert Pattinson will return as the titular hero, and production is expected to start in 2026.
This continuous placement in the Elseworlds label sparked ongoing debate among fans; some prefer Reeves' darker, grounded tone to remain separate from Gunn's DCU, while others wish Pattinson's Batman could eventually team up with David Corenswet's new Superman.
Gunn said he has considered merging the two universes, but ultimately, the plan right now is for them to stay distinct. DC's own note that the article's opinions don't necessarily confirm or deny future plans leaves a sliver of possibility open for crossover down the road.
Meanwhile, Gunn is developing the DCU's own Batman movie, The Brave and the Bold. This new film is expected to introduce Bruce Wayne alongside his assassin-trained son Damian Wayne as Robin, marking the first big-screen Robin in over 30 years and setting up Batman's place alongside Superman in the Justice League.
Starfire
Starfire is an upcoming animated series that will also exist outside the DCU’s main continuity. While few plot details have been revealed, Gunn clarified that most of DC’s animated family shows are designed to operate in their own universes, allowing for more creative freedom without being tied to ongoing live-action storylines.
This means the series will focus solely on developing Starfire's character and adventures without needing to align with the events of the new DCU films or shows.
Starfire will center on the popular Teen Titans character, with Josie Campbell serving as executive producer and Brianne Drouhard as co-executive producer.
My Adventures with Green Lantern
Another animated project confirmed to be set apart from the DCU is My Adventures with Green Lantern. Even though it's not in the new DCU, that doesn't mean it's not in a shared universe.
My Adventures with Green Lantern will take place within the same continuity as the hit series My Adventures with Superman, which has built its own self-contained animated universe.
This shared animated timeline allows for crossovers between the two shows while remaining completely independent from Gunn's larger DCU storyline, giving the creative team the flexibility to explore fresh interpretations of the Green Lantern mythos.
Green Lantern's popularity is only growing, with six confirmed appearances across upcoming movies and shows, some set in the DCU and others in alternate timelines. This surge in content marks a major resurgence for the iconic cosmic hero following Nathan Fillion's return of the character (Guy Gardner) to the big screen in Superman.
