James Gunn Confirms What We All Suspected About Static Shock In The DCU

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn discussed what is going on with Static Shock's DCU debut, confirming what many suspected was the case. While Superman, Peacemaker, and the Creature Commandos have established their place in Gunn's new franchise, dozens of other heroes and villains are waiting to take the spotlight over the next few years. Included in that mix is Static, who has come up in numerous discussions for a live-action DC debut throughout the 2020s.

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn addressed Static Shock's status within the new DCU. Known as one of DC's most famous Black characters, Static Shock (more commonly known as Static) is a character fans have imagined seeing alongside the likes of Superman, Batman, and more on the big screen for years. There have even been rumors about projects being developed for the youngster, but none of them have come to light yet.

Speaking with The New Blerd Order, Gunn explained that the task at hand is "integrating him with the DC Universe," as he is not typically depicted in that world. Comparing him to The Authority (another property that has faced its fair share of issues), Gunn noted that this has been a challenge, but he hopes to "figure out a way to do that" soon: 

"It's all about integrating him with the DC Universe, because he’s not a character that’s traditionally a part of the DC Universe. It’s kind of like The Authority. The Authority’s been a little bit of a challenge simply because integrating him with the DCU has been a difficult thing to do, and the same thing is true of Static Shock, and hopefully we’ll figure out a way to do that."

Static was originally a creation of Milestone Comics, which was sold in the mid-1990s and led to a major drop in sales. Milestone's characters were later licensed to DC, which led to Static Shock being adapted for his own animated series and included in a few episodes of Justice League Unlimited. 

Static's co-creator, Dwayne McDuffie, passed away in 2011 after helping develop Justice League Unlimited. After this, creators Denys Cowan, Reginald Hudlin, and Derek Dingle announced a relaunch of Milestone Media. McDuffie's widow, Charlotte Fullerton, filed a lawsuit in 2017 against Milestone for not including her late husband's estate in the plans. 

Since the lawsuit was settled in 2019, a live-action Static movie with Michael B. Jordan was in development, which seems to have been scrapped. An animated Static movie is still reportedly in development at Warner Bros. Animation. 

While Warner Bros. and Milestone have begun to collaborate again, it seems the rights issues with the character are still holding James Gunn back from fully integrating him into the DCU. As of now, there are no official plans to bring the character into the live-action story.

Will Static Shock Ever Happen for the DCU?

Rumors about Static Shock's eventual DCU debut have dominated rumor mills for the last few years, as the franchise looks to add fresh names to the story alongside heroes like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. To many fans' disappointment, particularly looking at these rights issues, the hero has only been used minimally in media over the last decade.

While he appeared in a pair of Season 8 episodes of Teen Titans Go! and was a recurring character in Young Justice, he has not gotten his own solo project since the early 2000s. That absence may not be rectified for a long time either, so long as these complications over his rights remain unresolved.

First announced in 2020, Static Shock had his own movie in the works for DC under DC CCO Jim Lee, Static Shock animated voiceover actor Phil LaMarr, and director Reginald Hudlin; Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan was also attached as a producer. Then, largely due to the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery, the film was shelved, and there have been no updates on it since then.

While this may be one of the more challenging heroes to introduce to the masses, it seems Gunn and co. are still intent on fighting through the issues at hand to get him on the big or small screen. 

As one of the more prominent young Black heroes in DC's catalog, giving him a place in the spotlight on DC's extensive superhero roster would do wonders for both the expansion of the story and adding to the franchise's growing fan base.

All things considered, Gunn certainly hopes to see the litany of issues surrounding Static Shock resolved quickly so that he can integrate the character into the major Hollywood story he's richly earned.