James Gunn has officially confirmed the second DC Universe release arriving after Superman: Man of Tomorrow, the DCU's first sequel, which hits theaters July 9, 2027. That film is shaping up to be Gunn's most ambitious movie yet, pairing Superman and Lex Luthor in an uneasy alliance against Brainiac, with the android alien making his first-ever theatrical appearance. The DCU's future beyond that movie has been largely unclear amid the drama of the Paramount and Warner Bros. merger, though that saga is finally resolving, with Paramount settling the states' antitrust suit on September 21 and expecting to close the deal within weeks. Earlier this year, the DC Studios co-CEO confirmed one project arriving after the Superman sequel, and now he's revealed another.
James Gunn, via his favorite social media channel, Threads, confirmed that The People v. Gorilla Grodd will be the second DCU release to arrive after Man of Tomorrow. The reveal came as Gunn added context to comments the series' lead, Skyler Gisondo, made about its timeline. The actor, who headlines the show as the Daily Planet photographer turned documentary host, told ScreenRant the story is "sort of somewhere in between the two" Superman films.
He added that it felt "kind of almost adjacent to this main timeline, but before the events of the second movie." Gisondo's comments were shared on Threads, and Gunn responded with some clarity: "Well, no. I mean it's a true crime series so it jumps all over the place. But overall in continuity it's after MoT (and won't come out until then)."
His response confirms The People v. Gorilla Grodd as the second DCU entry arriving after Man of Tomorrow, joining Creature Commandos Season 2. Back in May, Gunn told a fan on Threads that the animated series' second season "won't be long after" the Superman sequel, teasing that "more stuff" would follow "shortly thereafter."
Season 1 was written entirely by Gunn himself, with Dean Lorey serving as showrunner. This time, Lorey takes over as head writer, leading a full writers' room, and the season will run three episodes longer than its predecessor's seven. The show is expected to pick up where Season 1 ended, with the Bride now heading Task Force M and three new faces joining the roster: King Shark, Nosferata, and Khalis.
For fans unfamiliar with The People v. Gorilla Grodd, the eight-episode series follows Jimmy Olsen as he reopens the conviction of Jimmy Tatro's Grodd for the murder of his father, the King of Gorilla City, investigating whether the superintelligent ape was wrongly convicted.
The show, set in Metropolis, has an intriguing 2015 timeline that gives Grodd an unexpected connection to David Corenswet's Superman. Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda, the duo behind Netflix's American Vandal, serve as showrunners and writers, with Yacenda directing every episode.
Will DC Studios Release Any Projects Before Man of Tomorrow?
DC Studios' body horror film Clayface, directed by James Watkins, arrives October 23. After that, roughly eight and a half months will pass without a new DCU movie or series before Man of Tomorrow hits theaters on July 9, 2027. Lanterns is currently airing its first season on HBO, but nothing new is officially dated beyond it. That raises the question of whether Gunn and co-CEO Peter Safran plan to slot at least one show into that glaring gap.
Looking at DC Studios' announced slate, the two releases that could fit are the animated shows Mister Miracle and Blue Beetle, and even with those two, the odds seem low. The Blue Beetle series has Miguel Puga attached as showrunner and was once targeting a 2026 debut, but it stalled and at one point looked destined for the shelf.
Then Xolo Maridueña was confirmed for Man of Tomorrow, and Gunn revealed the series was still on the cards. Given how much the show has stalled, it's possible Gunn wants Blue Beetle's live-action appearance to come first, generating bigger buzz for the character before he headlines his own series. If that's the direction DC Studios is taking, the show won't arrive before Man of Tomorrow.
Mister Miracle doesn't seem likely to beat the Superman sequel to release either. Showrunner Tom King, adapting his Eisner-winning comic with artist Mitch Gerads, addressed the show's progress at San Diego Comic-Con on July 25. He revealed that DC Studios rejected his request to show footage, then made a promise about an episode at next year's convention:
"Guys. Seriously. It's f-ing good. I tried to get some clips to show up. They did not approve them. We're gonna all fing be back here in a year, and I'm gonna show you an episode, okay. Promise?"
King's timeline puts the first public showing of Mister Miracle's debut episode in July 2027, when the next San Diego Comic-Con takes place. As of August, the only confirmed cast member is Nathan Fillion, who returns as Guy Gardner. With casting still underway, a premiere within the eight-and-a-half-month gap between Clayface and Man of Tomorrow looks increasingly unlikely.
Interestingly, HBO and Max Content chairman and CEO Casey Bloys recently revealed that The People v. Gorilla Grodd is the only DCU series in active development at HBO Max, even though Mister Miracle is clearly in the works. That could mean the Grodd-centered series is currently DC Studios' biggest priority, which further lowers the chances of anything arriving before Man of Tomorrow.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
