James Gunn's DCU Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters is confirmed to include at least eight DC heroes who will be introduced as new versions after being part of the Arrowverse on The CW. The Arrowverse served as DC's small-screen branch for over a decade after successfully launching a shared universe anchored by Stephen Amell's Green Arrow, Grant Gustin's Flash, and Melissa Benoist's Supergirl.
The Arrowverse featured many iconic moments, such as epic crossover events like the Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline (where it even included a special cameo from Ezra Miller's Flash from the DC Extended Universe). After the Arrowverse ended with Superman & Lois in 2024, a brand-new reboot under James Gunn and Peter Safran will usher in an exciting era of fresh stories that began with Creature Commandos and will continue in the David Corenswet-led Superman movie.
Every Arrowverse Hero Reimagined in James Gunn's DCU
Superman
A new DC Universe wouldn't be complete without Superman, and James Gunn's DC reboot is going all-in as it prepares to introduce David Corenswet's version of the Man of Steel on the big screen. Before a fresh take on Superman will be properly introduced into the DCU, the Arrowverse ended the story of Tyler Hoechlin's Superman on the small screen.
Interestingly, there are two versions of Hoechlin's Superman in the wider Arrowverse multiverse, namely the one who worked alongside Earth Prime's heroes (aka Flash, Green Arrow, Supergirl) and the Superman & Lois Variant from a different universe where he was the lone existing hero in saving the world.
In the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event, Brandon Routh reprised his role as Clark Kent from Superman Returns.
While the Arrowverse primarily focused on its core trio when developing its main crossover stories, the DCU is expected to shift its narrative anchor to Superman, meaning that he is set to be a crucial piece in the franchise's grand scheme of things.
Hawkgirl
In the Arrowverse, Hawkgirl (played by Ciara Renée) played a significant role in uniting the universe's existing heroes for the first time in a clash against Vandal Savage.
After defeating Savage, Hawkgirl and Hawkman tagged along and became a central part of DC's Legends of Tomorrow, a team of time travelers composed of reformed villains and heroes tasked to protect the DC timeline. However, Hawkgirl only lasted for one season-long adventure with the rest of the Legends.
The DCU is poised to change that by giving a much bigger role to Isabel Merced's Hawkgirl, especially after Superman's trailer revealed that she is a core part of the Justice Gang alongside Guy Gardner's Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion) and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi).
Mr. Terrific
Mr. Terrific (Echo Kellum) was part of the core team of Oliver Queen in the Arrowverse from Arrow Seasons 4 to 8. As the resident guy-in-the-chair, Mr. Terrific had a crucial role in helping the Green Arrow and his other Arrowverse allies in defeating major villains, such as twisted Nazi versions of the existing heroes.
The DCU is setting the stage for Mr. Terrific (portrayed on the big screen by Edi Gathegi) to live up to his full potential as a member of the Justice Gang. Given that he is the third-smartest man alive from DC Comics, Mr. Terrific could play a significant role in the DCU when analyzing threats and creating real-time solutions to address them.
Supergirl
Melissa Benoist's Supergirl played a big part in the Arrowverse as one of its core heroes. While she was initially from a different universe (Earth-38), the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event merged her reality with the rest of The Flash and Green Arrow's. Supergirl's journey ended in the Arrowverse by revealing her real identity to the rest of the world, similar to what Tyler Hoechlin did in Superman & Lois.
The DCU is set to play a much different version of Supergirl portrayed by Milly Alcock in Superman: Woman of Tomorrow, considering that her big screen adventure will mostly be set in space and she is expected to come face to face with Jason Momoa's Lobo.
Vigilante
The Arrowverse and the DCU's take on Adrian Chase (aka Vigilante) are two entirely different versions.
On the small screen, the Arrowverse's version of Vigilante is introduced as Vincent Sobel, an active Star City vigilante who uses brutal methods to carry out justice. The Arrowverse's Adrian Chase, meanwhile, served as the big bad of Arrow Season 5, who had a personal vendetta against Oliver Queen.
In the DCU, a lighter and more comedic take on Adrian Chase was introduced in Peacemaker, and he is portrayed on-screen by Freddie Stroma. Vigilante is set to play a major role in Peacemaker Season 2 as he helps John Cena's titular hero battle dangerous new villains.
Batman
Although Batman had a limited role in the Arrowverse due to restrictions, the Dark Knight still had some memorable presence in the shared universe from The CW, such as Kevin Conroy's iconic portrayal of Bruce Wayne during the Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline and Warren Christie's brief stint as the famous Gotham billionaire in Batwoman.
In the DCU, fans can expect Batman to be a steady presence alongside David Corenswet's Superman after making his debut in The Brave and the Bold.
Booster Gold
The Arrowverse couldn't maximize Booster Gold (Donald Faison) because The CW canceled DC's Legends of Tomorrow after he made his debut in Season 7.
The DCU will look to take advantage of Booster Gold's presence after James Gunn and Peter Safran announced that the time-traveling hero will have his own series as part of DCU's Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.
Bonus: Kid Flash
Arrowverse fans may remember that Wally West's Kid Flash played a crucial role alongside Grant Gustin's Barry Allen in The CW's The Flash in helping fight off major threats like Savitar, The Rival, and The Bloodwork throughout the show's nine-season run.
Although Kid Flash has yet to be properly introduced in the DCU, the character did appear in Creature Commandos Episode 4 during Circe's vision of the future, where the heroes of Earth are killed by the troops of Maria Bakalova's Princess Ilana Rostovic. In the DCU, there is a chance that he could be part of the Teen Titans lineup or another The Flash movie down the line.
