It was only three years ago that new DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran announced their plans for a new DCU to the world. The cinematic universe would wipe the slate (mostly) clean of the DCEU, and the pair outlined a slate of projects that would make up Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters, mirroring the MCU's Phase plans.
Gunn and Safran's plans included almost a dozen projects, some complete reboots of characters and others bringing DC Comics arcs to life that had never been done on-screen before. At first, it wasn't clear what the inherent theme of Gods and Monsters of the DCU's first chapter would be, but a picture has steadily been building across the projects released so far, as well as what has been confirmed on the slate to come.
It's been several years since that announcement, and a lot of changes have happened in that time, but with the DCU now moving full steam ahead, what is the status of that original DCU Chapter 1 slate?
The Current Status of the DCU Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters Slate
Creature Commandos
Status: Delivered
An animated series based on the oddball Creature Commandos team was the very first official project to be released in the new DCU. James Gunn personally created and wrote the series, which featured a star-studded voice cast including Indira Varma, Sean Gunn, Alan Tudyk, and David Harbor. Creature Commandos is now on its way to releasing a second season, cementing it as a recurring series in the DCU.
Superman
Status: Delivered
Similar to the DCEU, Gunn and Safran opted to launch the new DCU with one of DC's most iconic characters: Superman. Despite a title change midway through, Superman was the DCU's first live-action feature film, starring David Corenswet as Clark Kent, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. The movie successfully laid the groundwork of the DCU, and its success has already launched a sequel: Man of Tomorrow.
Supergirl
Status: Delivered/Confirmed (June 26)
This June will mark the arrival of another Chapter 1 film, Supergirl. Based on the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic, the new DCU film will focus on Clark Kent's wayward cousin, Kara Zor-El, with Milly Alcock in the lead role. During the original slate announcement, Gunn and Safran promised this Supergirl is "much more hardcore and not the Supergirl we’re used to," which definitely seems to be what they're delivering on based on Supergirl's marketing.
Lanterns
Status: Delivered/Confirmed (August 16)
Another DCU: Chapter 1 project that's not too far away is the live-action HBO TV series, Lanterns. The series is a darker, grittier take on the traditional comic-book story, with Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre starring as the Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart. The unlikely duo is paired up to investigate a crime in a rural town, which stays true to Safran's initial outline for the series, hinting it would be in the vein of True Detective.
Paradise Lost
Status: In Progress
Paradise Lost was initially announced as a live-action series on the DCU Chapter 1 slate, with plans to be a Game of Thrones-like origin story for Themyscira, the island that Wonder Woman hails from. After there were very few updates on this series for years, it seemed that Paradise Lost might be lost altogether, until James Gunn took to Threads recently to confirm it is in "extreme development."
Booster Gold
Status: In Progress
Another live-action DCU series mentioned in the initial Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters slate was a project featuring Booster Gold, a fame-seeking hero using futuristic technology to stage high-profile heroic events. The Booster Gold series will seemingly be a comedy, following a hero suffering from imposter syndrome, as per Safran and Gunn's original pitch.
This one, again, seemed stalled in development until Gunn reassured on social media that Booster Gold has gained extreme momentum and is still actively being worked on.
The Batman - Part 2
Status: In Progress
Matt Reeves' The Batman sequel, titled The Batman - Part II, was a no-brainer after the success of the first movie, and was given a special slot in the DCU's initial slate as an Elseworlds project. Almost four years after the first film's release, the sequel still hasn't gone to camera, although several major casting announcements suggest it will finally be filmed in 2026.
The Batman - Part 2 is currently scheduled for an October 2027 release.
The Brave and the Bold
Status: Unclear
Despite keeping The Batman alive, Gunn and Safran are still looking for a way to introduce Batman into their DCU, and the announcement of The Brave and the Bold seemed to be the way to do it. Focusing on Batman as an older man and a father would differentiate him from the young version Robert Pattinson plays, and Gunn and Safran were quick to explain that the movie would be a "strange sort of father-son story" rather than the typical origin movie.
In the years since, The Brave and the Bold attached a director, Andy Muschietti, though it seems to have stalled, with the most recent news being that a new writer had been attached, suggesting the new Batman movie is still in very early stages.
The Authority
Status: Shelved
The Authority was one of the initial Chapter 1 movies that hadn't been adapted before, with the film intended to focus on a team of heroes who turn to extreme methods to get the job done. With the promise of it being an almost The Boys-like take on superheroes, fans were excited to see The Authority, although it's experienced challenges in development and Gunn has since confirmed the movie has been shelved:
"The script wasn't quite there but more importantly it didn't work in terms of the larger DCU both in terms of the story and practical concerns. Maybe some day. Not soon."
Waller
Status: Unclear
One of the few DCEU projects to carry over into the new DCU is The Suicide Squad, James Gunn's directorial project in the old cinematic universe. Gunn has kept The Suicide Squad alive through Peacemaker, but another series featuring Viola Davis' ARGUS head Amanda Waller was also announced for Chapter 1 of the DCU.
All systems were go on Waller until the Hollywood strikes stalled things. Now the project's status is unclear, with Gunn reassuring that Waller is still happening but isn't moving as quickly as others.
Swamp Thing
Status: Unclear
A Swamp Thing origin movie was pitched as part of the DCU: Chapter 1 slate, filling in the "monsters" part of the chapter's theme. Swamp Thing was described by Gunn at the slate announcement as a "much more horrific film," and had Logan's James Mangold on board to direct.
There haven't been any significant updates on Swamp Thing's progress in recent months, raising concerns that it may be shelved or canceled. That said, a new DCU movie seems to be fulfilling Swamp Thing's original promise...
BONUS: Clayface
Status: Delivered/Confirmed (October 23)
While not originally included in Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters, Clayface was a new DCU project that quickly gained momentum. It was originally pitched and written by Mike Flanagan, with the movie serving as a twisted origin story of the shapeshifting Batman villain, Clayface. The script won over Gunn and Safran, who greenlit it with director James Watkins attached, after Flanagan had to step away.
Clayface is now only a few months away from release, with Tom Rhys Harries on board to star as the titular villain and a creepy first trailer confirming this will be the new DCU's first major horror project.
