James Gunn shared that he has plans to expand more into one specific genre of stories within the DC Universe. 2026 is set to be a big year for this franchise, with HBO Max shows like Lanterns and movies like Supergirl and Clayface all set to make their debuts. Looking forward, alongside these thrilling live-action projects, other avenues will be explored as well.
DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn confirmed that he has plans to develop more kids' cartoons within the DC Universe. Replying to a fan on Threads, who asked Gunn if he would make any other DC kids' cartoons, Gunn enthusiastically replied, "Absolutely. A few."
Thus far, the DC Universe only has one short of this nature, the Krypto Saves the Day! series, from Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios. Consisting of three episodes (each between five and six minutes long), this series shows the same version of Krypto seen in 2025's Superman performing heroic deeds in Metropolis. Using plenty of powers that were not seen in the movie, he also causes plenty of mayhem and mischief as he flies around, saving a school bus, a cruise ship, and even a Halloween candy crisis.
As of writing, DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran have not announced any other animated shorts for release outside of the Krypto series. This year will add at least three new live-action projects to the Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters slate: Supergirl, Lanterns, and Clayface. Krypto Saves the Day! is also available to stream on HBO Max.
How DC May Expand Into Animation Genre
Outside of the Krypto shorts, DC Studios has a few different avenues it could take to expand further into the world of animation within the DC Universe.
One option could be the upcoming Blue Beetle animated series, which is already confirmed to bring back Xolo Maridueña from the live-action 2023 Blue Beetle movie. First announced in 2024, Maridueña hopes to be in the booth recording for this series soon, as fans remain hopeful that the character returns to screens before the end of this year.
Gunn also has other shows in the works for characters like Starfire from the Teen Titans, which could wind up being a series of shorts rather than full episodes, like what Creature Commandos is. Also on the docket are My Adventures with Green Lantern and DC Super Powers, the latter of which may end up giving DC a chance to develop short stories on its central characters.
Although plans are still being worked out behind the scenes for where DC Studios will go on the animation front, Gunn makes it clear that non-live-action adventures will continue to be a focus for the team behind the DC Universe.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
