Starting in November, Marvel and DC director James Gunn will take on a new position as the co-CEO of the newly-named DC Studios - a job that will come with huge responsibilities in the world of superhero movies.
With the current DC Universe being a bit of a mess, fans will have a close eye on Gunn as the franchise looks to build a cohesive story with some of the most iconic characters in comic book history. This plan seems to already be in motion with Henry Cavill's return as Superman in the long-awaited sequel to Man of Steel, but DC does have far more than just Clark Kent available to use for theatrical outings.
Right now, the last remaining stories from the current slate of DC films will come with The Flash and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in 2023, which leaves the table completely open for Gunn to add new characters to the mix. He already did just that with his two directorial hits, The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, but he now has control of the entire DC catalog with his job as the co-CEO of DC Studios.
And if a recent tweet of his is to be believed, he'll dive deep into that catalog before too much time passes.
James Gunn Hints at New DC Superheroes On The Way
Newly appointed DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn took to Twitter to indirectly tease a number of characters and superheroes that may be in the works for future DC Universe movies.
Former Marvel/DC comic book writer Gerry Conway offered his congratulations to Gunn on his new position, to which Gunn thanked Conway and noted that Warner Bros. Discovery will "be pulling even more" from Conway's list of created characters.
"Thank YOU, Gerry! I’m sure we’ll be pulling even more from the deep reservoir of characters you’ve created!"
Along with his work on the Punisher and Ms. Marvel for Marvel Comics, Conway has a couple of notable creations that have already debuted in the DCEU. 2016's Suicide Squad featured both Killer Croc and Slipknot, who were created, in part, by Conway, although Slipknot was killed off in that movie and Killer Croc wasn't utilized in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad from 2021.
Gunn previously suggested who five of the most important characters will be in the DCU's future, which includes four key members of the Justice League along with fan-favorite Harley Quinn. Now, with Gunn indicating that Conway's work will be utilized even further in the new era of the DCU, the question is which specific characters of his will make their way onto the big screen.
Well, The Direct is here to analyze the most likely Conway-created characters who could be introduced on the big or small screen next:
1.) Red Hood
Red Hood is a fan-favorite character that's been seen on numerous occasions in the TV sphere, although he hasn't been seen in many live-action performances. While he was only teased minimally during the Arrowverse's long run, Curran Walters brought a version of Jason Todd/Red Hood to prominence in HBO Max's Titans.
With notable ties to both Batman and the Joker, Red Hood is known as one of the most violent characters DC has to offer, largely operating as a vigilante in Gotham City in the comics for the past 70 years. He also has enough history as a solo character to be a star in his own right as WBD tries to reintroduce Batman into the larger story with the DCU.
Likelihood of being adapted: High
2.) Killer Frost
Although she's been seen as both a hero and a villain throughout her extended stay in the Arrowverse, Killer Frost boasts the power and the personality to shine with the right opportunity in future DC outings.
Multiple versions of Killer Frost have been seen in the comics, with her ice-based powers lending well to the Suicide Squad, the Justice League, and other teams DC lore. Most often used as an antihero, Ms. Caitlin Frost could bring yet another dark and more mysterious personality to the forefront while showing off her wildly superhuman powers than many of DC's more popular heroes boast.
Likelihood of being adapted: Fairly High
3.) Power Girl
With Henry Cavill's Superman coming back for Man of Steel 2 and Sasha Calle bringing Supergirl to The Flash, the door may finally be open for another member of the Super-family to join the fray with Power Girl.
Kara Zor-L is actually an older and more mature version of Supergirl from a different universe, which could work well with DC set to open up the Multiverse in next year's The Flash. And with this character being notably absent in any live-action DC movie, the time feels right to finally give her the starring appearance she's earned after years of being an immensely powerful hero throughout the universe in the comics.
Likelihood of being adapted: Fairly High
4.) Vixen
As another veteran character used in the Arrowverse over the years, Vixen may finally be in line for her big-screen debut as one of Gerry Conway's biggest creations.
Vixen has the ability to harness the spirit of animals, being able to conjure the abilities of any creature that's ever lived thanks to her possession of an ancient artifact called the Tantu Totem. Not only would Vixen get her first live-action movie should that decision be made, but she'd be unlike any character that's come to the big screen from either Marvel or DC, especially since Marvel's Falcon/Captain America hasn't shown his comic ability to talk to birds yet.
Likelihood of being adapted: Possible, but unsure
5.) Firestorm
Three different versions of Firestorm made their presence felt throughout the Arrowverse's decade of time on air, and with no fire-based heroes having hit the big screen for DC, the time for that to change could be now.
Boasting the power to change or adjust the molecular structure of anything he can touch, including the weather, Firestorm would certainly bring a flare for the dramatic with powers that haven't been seen from any hero in the DCU to date. He'd also likely be one of the most powerful heroes in the franchise considering he boasts pyrotechnic abilities, and with no big-screen appearances under his belt yet, he's due for that treatment.
Likelihood of being adapted: Who knows?
6.) Vibe
While Cisco Ramon was actually an important supporting character throughout The Flash's entire run on The CW, he never got to take on his superhero persona of Vibe alongside Barry Allen.
Vibe's powers include sonic vibration manipulation and other seismic-related abilities, which could best be compared to Chloe Bennet's Daisy Johnson/Quake from Marvel's Agents of SHIELD. Having the power to literally move the ground beneath anybody near him could make Vibe a powerful ally for the Justice League should they team up again.
Likelihood of being adapted: Possible
7.) Count Vertigo
Another one of Conway's creations that shone in the Arrowverse came with Count Vertigo, who would bring his own unique style and power set to any big screen project in the DC Universe.
His name almost says it all about what kind of power he brings to the table, with the ability to induce dizziness or nausea in others while also being able to fly and boasting magnetic boots. Taking hints of past heroes while bringing his own flavor to the equation, the Count would bring a new kind of power dynamic to the DCU whether he serves as a hero or villain.
Likelihood of being adapted: Unclear
8.) Plastique
While Conway had more than his fair share of heroes that he created for DC Comics, he developed a number of villains as well, including the explosive Plastique.
Originally an antagonist for the aforementioned Firestorm, Plastique has the ability to project an explosive force from her very body, making her a dangerous enemy for anyone who stands in her way. She also boasts ties to both the Justice League and the Suicide Squad, making her a flexible piece of the puzzle and one that could straddle the line between good and evil.
Likelihood of being adapted: Should be possible
9.) Felicity Smoak
While many of the Arrowverse characters on this list were only used in minor roles, Felicity Smoak was not one of those. She served as Oliver Queen's principal love interest throughout most of her run in Arrow's eight seasons, but she's proven to be much more than that as she helped run Team Arrow through the story.
She holds a similar place in DC Comics lore, often appearing in stories alongside Firestorm and showing her expertise with technology and computers as she did in the Arrowverse. While Felicity may not end up being a leading heroine in the DC Universe's future, there should be a place for her to make an impact as more powerful minds enter the equation.
Likelihood of being adapted: Possible
10.) Gypsy
While the Birds of Prey have only had one live-acton appearance as a team, there are more than a few members that could come along for the ride should another film happen, including another Conway creation in Gypsy.
Imbued with the powers of illusion casting, precognition, and invisibility, Gypsy would bring another more magical and mystical player into the game following Doctor Fate's run in Black Adam. She'd also give the franchise another powerful female hero that could go back and forth between good and bad, having teamed up with both the Birds of Prey and the Justice League through her time in the comics.
Likelihood of being adapted: Possible
What Other Conway Creations Will Gunn Develop?
Besides the bigger names mentioned above, Gerry Conway's work with DC runs deep in the company's lineage with fan-favorite heroes and villains alike.
The artist created a couple of Batman villains in Mirage and Black Spider, the former having the power of illusion-casting and the latter being a master fighter and weapons expert. Aquaman also has his own group of villains from Conway in The Deserters, an ancient Atlantean tribe, which could potentially be explored either in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom or the hero's third solo movie.
Continuing with the Justice League's core team, Wonder Woman is often pitted against a Conway creation in Kung, the Assassin of a Thousand Claws, an immigrant from Japan who can transform into animals thanks to a mystical influence.
Conway also created a character similar to Superman in Ultraa, who sports a near-identical power set but was raised in the Australian outback rather than in the USA's Kansas. Rounding out the group of Conway's biggest characters is Blok, who might be most similar to the MCU's Korg in that he's made of rocks, although he can absorb incredible amounts of energy and grow to immense sizes like Black Adam's Atom Smasher.
At the moment, Gunn only officially begins his position as DC Studios co-CEO on November 1, so it could be some time until many of these characters are confirmed for appearances in the growing DCU.
The only movies currently on the slate for the franchise moving forward are The Flash and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, although reports have indicated that the studio also plans to move forward with Man of Steel 2 soon as well. But as the 2020s move forward, Conway's work has a great chance of being brought to life in multiple forms as the studio looks to build something great that fans so desperately want to see.
