DC Studios will bring a tonal shift to the DCU in its upcoming 2026 projects. Fans have already enjoyed three projects from James Gunn's DCU in Creature Commandos, Superman, and Peacemaker Season 2. The DCU's early releases have spanned three different mediums (animation, movies, and live-action TV), but they were all written and at least partially directed by Gunn himself, meaning that his usual blend of comedy, emotion, and action was felt across the board.
Even this June's Supergirl, on which Gunn was only an executive producer, as it was written by Ana Nogueira and directed by Craig Gillespie, seems to have maintained the DC Studios co-CEO's distinct feel based on the trailer. In fact, even Gunn compared Supergirl to Guardians of the Galaxy, his flagship MCU franchise, signalling its tonal similarity to his other DCU projects too.
One could argue that 2026 marks the true beginning of the DCU as it becomes more than just James Gunn's vision for the blue brand. While Supergirl will soft-launch those efforts as it maintains the superhero veteran's usual tone under a completely different creative team, that will truly get underway with Lanterns.
In the way that Superman, Peacemaker, and Creature Commandos leaned into a distinctly comic-booky tone and light-heartedness, Lanterns looks to be the furthest thing from that, sparking criticism of the Green Lantern series' first trailer.
Coming to Warner Bros.' premium cable network, HBO, which is renowned for high-calibre TV, Lanterns is taking a more grounded approach and serious tone, with a distinct lack of jokes in the trailer compared to other DCU projects.
Much like Supergirl, Gunn's hand in Lanterns seems limited, with the eight-episode sci-fi crime drama instead drawing talent from the realm of premium TV, such as LOST's Damon Lindelof and Ozark's Chris Mundy, albeit aided by award-winning comic writer Tom King, best known for Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.
And that's just the start of the mania, as DC Studios will deliver a true body horror movie just in time for Halloween with Clayface on October 23. This won't just be something different for the DCU but also comic book adaptations in general, as the genre briefly throws aside its usual high-budget blockbusters for a $40 million tale that focuses on its character, creepy vibes, and practical effects, as evidenced in the movie's teaser trailer.
DC Studios has all the pieces in place to end superhero fatigue with Clayface, bringing together a creative team with horror experience through The Haunting of Hill House writer Mike Flanagan and Speak No Evil director James Watkins. That unique choice will bring a significant change to the DCU, making this a true horror movie, not just a superhero/villain tale in disguise.
That's not to say that the DCU that many fell in love with in its early projects is gone for good, as Gunn's beloved nuance will be back next July with Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow. However, going forward, that superhero action-comedy style will be interspersed with other projects with major tonal shifts.
DC Studios' Tonal Variety Will Shine Bright in Lanterns Through 1 Key Superhero
James Gunn has been clear about his vision for the DCU from the get-go, telling CBS Mornings that there will be "no company style" and individual creatives will be able to do their own thing in this universe. That will allow a project like Clayface to be a "totally different thing" from one of Gunn's works, like Superman:
"‘Clayface’ is a totally different thing. Although it’s in the same universe, it’s a complete horror film, and that’s one of the things we want to do. There’s no company style. It’s not like every movie is gonna be like ‘Superman.’ The artists, the directors, and the writers who create each one will bring their own sense to it. … We don’t want people being bored."
Lanterns will offer the best gauge of that philosophy yet through Nathan Fillion's A-hole superhero, Guy Gardner, who returns in a supporting role after his DCU debut in Superman. Finally seeing the same character approached through vastly different lenses will offer a new perspective on just how distinct DCU projects will be, and it sounds as if Gardner will be more unfiltered than ever in Lanterns.
Hopefully, Clayface will one day do the same, allowing Matt Hagen actor Tom Rhys Harries to reprise the struggling actor-turned-shapeshifting monster, who debuted in his body-horror origin story, as a villain in a Batman blockbuster. That understanding of how this tormented villain came to be would allow audiences to connect with both sides of the fight if he ever faced DC's Dark Knight.
