DC Studios helped send fans into 2026 by celebrating over a dozen of the biggest moments from the comic book movie studio in 2025. After finishing 2024 with the first official release in the new DC Universe, DC Studios pulled back the curtain on more chapters in its Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters slate, led by co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran. With two of those entries being live-action projects, this saga is now off to a flying start as the future starts to take shape.
DC Studios shared 17 still images and behind-the-scenes pictures from its 2025 live-action movie and TV releases. Following Creature Commandos' final episodes in January 2025, DC Studios started its theatrical run with the release of James Gunn's Superman in July. Just over a month later, Peacemaker Season 2 made its debut on HBO Max, delivering an epic crossover with Superman and a wild ending to the first portion of Christopher Smith's story.
17 Biggest Moments From DC Studios in 2025
Peacemaker's Romance With Emilia Harcourt
John Cena's Christopher Smith/Peacemaker embarked on an intriguing romantic journey with Jennifer Holland's Emilia Harcourt in Peacemaker Season 2. This image shows the pair embracing one another while attending a concert by Nelson, who played one of their songs, "To Get Back to You," for a group of adoring fans.
James Gunn Smiles With Superman Stars
DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn took on the massive task of directing the franchise's first new movie, Superman, which was released in July 2025. The studio shared an image of Gunn smiling and cheering on his two leading stars, David Corenswet (Superman) and Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor), while shooting the final confrontation between the movie's hero and main villain.
DC's First Supergirl Trailer, Starring Milly Alcock
On December 11, DC Studios released the first official trailer for Craig Gillespie's Supergirl, which will be the second theatrical release in Gunn and Safran's DC Universe. After teasing some of Kara Zor-El's powers in the trailer, this new social post includes a shot of star Milly Alcock floating in the air with the sun behind her, complete with the Kryptonian house of El symbol prominently displayed on her costume.
Superman vs. Lex Luthor: "Where's the Dog?!"
Coming from one of Superman's early confrontational moments, Corenswet towers above Hoult as Hoult's Lex Luthor sips a drink from his mug. In this scene, Clark Kent blasts into Luthor's office after learning that his dog, the ultra-powerful Krypto the Super-dog, had been kidnapped.
Judomaster Bleeds in Peacemaker Season 2
Peacemaker Season 2 featured Nhut Le's return to the DCU, reprising his role as the aggressive and violent Judomaster from Season 1. This image shows the small but mighty fighter after one of his various battles in Season 2, complete with bruises on his arms and blood pouring out of his nose.
Jennifer Holland's Adorable Scene Partner in Peacemaker
Jennifer Holland (James Gunn's wife and collaborator) jumped back in front of the camera for Peacemaker Season 2, returning to her role as Emilia Harcourt. Season 2 showed a much softer side to Emilia, as the story went to an alternate dimension (one of over half a dozen universes DC could explore) and showed a new version of the former ARGUS agent playing with a puppy.
DC's Top Executives Collaborating on Superman
While James Gunn is the public face behind the DC Universe, he serves as DC Studios' co-CEO alongside longtime producer and executive Peter Safran. The partners are seen in a new picture on the set of Superman, discussing a scene with David Corenswet in his Man of Steel costume.
Flashback to Peacemaker Season 1
Before Gunn's takeover of DC Studios, he worked as the writer and director of 2021's The Suicide Squad and moved on to direct and write Season 1 of Peacemaker in 2022. Amongst images from 2025, fans also saw a look at a masked Gunn from the Peacemaker Season 1 set working with Captain Caspar Locke actor Christopher Heyerdahl on one of the final episodes.
It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's...
Superman kicked off a new era for DC storytelling as the first theatrical release in Gunn and Safran's new DC Universe. A new image shows a model of Superman hanging at the top of a massively tall building at sunset, with a helicopter flying and capturing the image.
Superman Director & Star Hard at Work
2025's Superman showed a massively collaborative effort between Gunn and a brand new cast of actors embodying DC's most iconic characters. In one of the images, Gunn and Corenswet pore over footage shown on a monitor from the Superman set, discussing how the scene in question should go.
Checkmate Assembles in the DCU
Peacemaker Season 2's finale assembled the show's core cast of characters into the DCU's take on Checkmate, a covert operations agency, taken from the pages of DC Comics. John Cena, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Danielle Brooks, Tim Meadows, and Steve Agee exit the group's new building in the above image, smiling after forming their new unit in Season 2's final moments.
Father/Son Conversation in the Quantum Unfolding Chamber
Robert Patrick took on the challenging role of Auggie Smith, Christopher Smith's evil and bigoted father, in both seasons of Peacemaker. DC's social post features a look at Patrick and Cena from Season 1, in which they go into Peacemaker's Quantum Unfolding Chamber to look at different helmets he can use in battle.
Peacemaker's Helmet Up-Close
Along with a colorful red and blue costume, John Cena's Peacemaker is known for the silver helmets he brings into battle, which were once compared to a "toilet bowl" in The Suicide Squad. This behind-the-scenes look shows one of the helmets under construction, with the upper rim removed and wiring exposed at the bottom.
James Gunn & John Cena Team Up for Peacemaker Season 2
While James Gunn took a less involved role for Peacemaker Season 2, the DC Studios co-CEO still had his fingerprints all over his second HBO Max show under the new DCU banner. He can be seen walking next to star John Cena outside the set from Season 2, Episode 1, where Christopher Smith has an interview to join the Justice Gang.
John Cena Celebrates With Peacemaker Co-Stars
Peacemaker is remembered for its heartwarming use of the "found family" trope, featuring a unique bond and relationship between the group that dubbed themselves the 11th Street Kids. Cena is all smiles in a shot from the show next to Danielle Brooks' Leota Adebayo and Holland's Emilia Harcourt, celebrating and drinking on a rooftop together.
All Hell Breaks Loose in Peacemaker Season 2's Alternate Universe
In Peacemaker Season 2's alternate universe, Christopher Smith got a chance to meet a variant of his brother, Keith, who survived and became a hero. While this filled a massive hole in his life, things go south quickly, as Cena, Holland, and David Denman (Keith Smith) are seen next to a flaming truck on the side of the road on Earth-X.
Peacemaker Rides Down the Road
In Peacemaker Season 2, Earth-X featured another version of John Cena's titular antihero, who the original variant kills in the first episode. After this, Cena takes over his doppelganger's life in the alternate reality, including taking a drive on his motorcycle and receiving the adulation of fans who love him and his family there.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
