Meet the first four leading superheroes cast for James Gunn's DCU, some of whom may one day join the new Justice League.
The DCU will officially open its doors in summer 2025 with Superman in which the leading Man of Steel will be joined by a host of other superheroes.
Hawkgirl, Mr. Terrific, Metamorpho, and a Green Lantern are all on the docket for Superman, which will include at least seven main superheroes.
The DCU's 4 Leading Superheroes So Far
Superman - David Corenswet
After a group of questionable individuals and monsters assemble in Creature Commandos in December 2024, DC Studios will introduce its inaugural superhero on July 11, 2025 in Superman, debuting David Corenswet as the new Clark Kent.
Corenswet will take over the reins from the DCEU's Henry Cavill after roles in Pearl, Twisters, and more. The actor will bring to life a new Superman who brings some much-needed hope to a world already filled with superheroes.
Going beyond his solo debut, Superman ought to be a leading figure in the DCU and possibly the face of the franchise. Fans should expect to see him back in sequels, Justice League events, and perhaps other smaller crossovers.
Supergirl - Milly Alcock
Milly Alcock found stardom as the young Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon, and that helped her win another flagship role at Warner Bros. as the Girl of Steel who will lead a solo outing in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.
Based on Tom King's comic series of the same name, this Supergirl was raised on a chunk of the destroyed Krypton and watched everyone around her perish while her cousin Kal-El grew up on Earth with the Kent family.
It's unclear where Alcock's Supergirl will appear beyond Woman of Tomorrow, but many are holding out hope for an appearance in 2025's Superman, setting up her movie which will release on June 26, 2026.
Peacemaker - John Cena
John Cena is one of the few lead superheroes who will stick around from the old DCEU in this new universe. The WWE star will return for Peacemaker Season 2 in 2025, although some events from Season 1 may not be canon to the new DCU.
Fans should expect Cena's Peacemaker to act similarly to before, even in this new universe. Still, it wouldn't be surprising if his past interactions with the Justice League were wiped from existence or altered to include different characters.
Coming off Peacemaker Season 1, the seasoned killer may continue his more heroic turn in the sophomore season and future projects. Perhaps he will even further his seemingly blossoming new romance with Emilia Harcourt.
Hal Jordan - Kyle Chandler
After a search that reportedly included MCU star Josh Brolin and (rumored) A-list actors such as Ewan McGregor, Chris Pine, Timothy Olyphant, and Matthew McConaughey, the DCU has found its Hal Jordan in Friday Night Lights' Kyle Chandler.
The 59-year-old Emmy winner will debut as the iconic Justice League hero in the HBO original series Lanterns in 2026, exploring his later years as the seasoned space cop trains up a recruit to the Green Lantern Corps, Jon Stewart.
Following reports that Chandler's contract does not include a component for future movies beyond Lanterns, many have theorized the DCU's Hal Jordan will perish in his HBO debut, paving the way for Jon Stewart to be the primary Green Lantern.
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Many More Leading DCU Superheroes Left
As Lanterns is reportedly set to film in early 2025 and Kyle Chandler has filled the Hal Jordan role, next up for the DCU will be casting Jon Stewart, who will co-lead the HBO series before likely becoming the franchise's main Green Lantern.
While Booster Gold has yet to be officially cast for the DCU ahead of leading an HBO series, Eternals and Silicon Valley star Kumail Nanjiani has been heavily rumored for the role, pending confirmation from DC Studios.
Logan director James Mangold has signed on to helm and scribe Swamp Thing with the leading role yet to be filled. However, the gothic horror flick may be a ways down the line with Mangold expected to complete his Star Wars movie first.
On the Dark Knight front, the focus right now may be on bringing Robert Pattinson back for The Batman Part 2, but James Gunn will soon be looking to cast his own Bruce and Damian Wayne for The Brave and the Bold.
That hunt will likely also involve casting other members of the Bat Family such as Nightwing, Batgirl, and other Robins, some of whom will carry into other projects such as the reported Teen Titans movie.
The ensemble flick has yet to be confirmed by DC Studios since The Hollywood Reporter revealed its existence, but that will leave plenty of open roles for young heroes such as Raven, Starfire, Beast Boy, Nightwing, Robin, and more.
Speaking of ensemble castings, although James Gunn has already found one member of the Authority in María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer, many members of that team are still to be cast before their movie.
And those are just the superheroes confirmed to lead projects, there are undoubtedly many roles to be filled on top of that including side characters, villains, and other heroes who will tag along for the ride.
The current DCU slate is still missing movies and series for characters like Flash, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and Martian Manhunter, all of which ought to appear before the heroes unite for a Justice League crossover.
The first DCU project will hit Max on December 5 with the premiere of Creature Commandos before Superman takes flight to theaters on July 11, 2025.