DCU Chapter One has officially begun. Indeed, Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD) rebooted superhero franchise kicked off in December 2024 with Creature Commandos, albeit only on Max in the US. But, with its first film – Superman – set to fly into theaters in July 2025, audiences worlwide won't have to wait long to get their first taste of James Gunn and Peter Safran's new-look DC Cinematic Universe (DCU).
Before the Man of Steel's latest big-screen adventure arrives, you should swat up on everything we know about DC Comics' reborn cinematic universe. In this guide, you'll learn more about the new movies and Max shows that'll form Chapter One, aka 'Gods and Monsters', including any confirmed release dates, cast details, trailer, story briefs, and more. Here, then, is what we know so far about DCU Chapter One.
DCU Chapter One: every movie and TV show
In January 2023, Gunn revealed the DCU Chapter One's full line-up. In total, 11 projects – five movies and six TV shows – were announced, but only five have officially been greenlit. That quintet all have official release dates or launch windows, too, so at least half of the unveiled productions will eventually make it onto the big or small screen. As of October 2024, Gunn (per his Threads account) says every previously announced project is still in development.
Since that initial reveal, Gunn has also confirmed another movie – one starring Batman villain Clayface – will also be part of DCU Chapter One. That takes the number of projects in 'Gods and Monsters' to 12. Here's a full rundown of the films and TV shows that are set to be released in the next few years (NB: projects that don't have a release date have been labeled 'TBC'):
- Superman (movie, July 11, 2025)
- Peacemaker season 2 (TV show, August 2025 (date TBC))
- Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (movie, June 26, 2026)
- Clayface (movie, September 11, 2026)
- Lanterns (TV show, sometime in 2026 (date TBC))
- The Authority (movie, TBC)
- The Brave and the Bold (movie, TBC)
- Booster Gold (TV show, TBC)
- Paradise Lost (TV show, TBC)
- Swamp Thing (movie, TBC)
- Waller (TV show, TBC)
DC Chapter One movies
Superman
Release date: July 11, 2025
Director: James Gunn
Confirmed cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Maria Gabriela de Faría, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, Pruitt Taylor Vince, and Neva Howell
The first DCU Chapter One film, Superman has been written and directed by Gunn. Corenswet, Brosnahan, and Hoult will play its three leads in the Man of Steel, Lois Lane, and Lex Luthor. The rest of the cast are playing other superheroes, villains, and supporting Clark Kent/Superman characters.
Superman's first trailer arrived on December 19 and we all immediately fell in love with his mischievous canine buddy Krypto the Superdog. It teased plenty more of what to expect from the forthcoming flick, too, but we'll refrain from spoiling anything that was shown. For more details on the movie's cast, story, and how it'll set up future DCU projects, check out my Superman movie hub.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Release date: June 26, 2026
Director: Craig Gillespie
Confirmed cast: Milly Alcock and Eve Ridley
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will be the first solo big-screen outing for Superman’s cousin since the Helen Slater-starring 1984 movie. The character appeared in The Flash and her self-titled CW show, though, so she won't be completely *ahem* alien to audiences. Ana Nogeuira has written the script, while Gillespie is its director. At New York Comic-Con (NYCC), Gunn confirmed (via Screen Brief) that filming will begin in January.
Inspired by Tom King’s comic-book run of the same name, it'll arrive almost one year after Superman. Milly Alcock, who played a young Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon, will star as the titular hero – Alcock being confirmed as Kara Zor-El just days after Gunn whittled down his Supergirl casting list to two stars in January 2024.
On the supporting cast front, Krypto is expected to make an appearance. At NYCC, Gunn confirmed 3 Body Problem's Eve Ridley will play another prominent character in Ruthye Marye Knoll. Lastly, Deadline claims Matthias Schoenaerts has been hired to play the movie's villain.
Clayface
Release date: September 11, 2026
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC
Billed as a low-budget horror film that Safran described as being "DC's [version of] The Fly" (per Phase Zero's Brandon Davis), a Clayface movie is officially in the works and it'll be based in the DCU (via Gunn on X/Twitter).
WBD will release it in September 2026 (per Variety), with filming set to start sometime in 2025. Safran says DC Studios is scouring the market for a director, with the successful candidate helming a film that's been written by horror auteur Mike Flanagan (The Haunting Of... TV franchise, Doctor Sleep). An actor hasn't been found to play one of Batman's many iconic villains, either, but Alan Tudyk has voiced the character in Harley Quinn and Creature Commandos. Could he be a good fit for Basil Karlo/the titular shapeshifter in what's also been described as a horror tragedy flick?
The Brave and the Bold
Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC
Based on Grant Morrison’s popular run of comic books, The Brave and the Bold's movie adaptation – one of TechRadar's most anticipated DCU Chapter One projects – will see Bruce Wayne teaming up with his violent and narcissistic son Damian, a teen raised by assassins who goes on to become Bat-sidekick Robin.
Variety and Deadline claim The Flash’s Andy Muschietti is being lined up to direct it, while a DCEU Leaks Reddit thread suggests John Logan (Gladiator, Skyfall) is in talks to pen the script. Speaking to Collider, though, Gunn said it won't get made "until we have a screenplay that I’m totally happy with", so don't expect this one for a while yet.
The Authority
Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Confirmed cast: Maria Gabriela de Faría
DCU Chapter One will introduce The Authority, a lesser known team of antiheroes who feel right up Gunn’s street. According to industry insider Apocalyptic Horseman, it'll be an animated film instead of a live-action one.
Based on Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch's comic series (released via DC’s Wildstorm imprint), it'll focus on the eponymous group who are prepared to use any means necessary to save the day – a modus operandi rather like Peacemaker’s heavy-handed quest for peace.
De Faría should feature as The Engineer (in a voice acting role or live-action capacity, depending on what form it takes) following her appearance in Superman, but no-one else has been cast. A writer has been in place for "a long time", according to Gunn (via the DCU Updates X fan account) and the DCEU Leaks X account claims Matthew Vaugh (Kick Ass, The Kingsman) is in talks to direct.
Swamp Thing
Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC
The brainchild of Wolverine creator Len Wein, Swamp Thing's comic series tells the story of brilliant scientist Alec Holland, who finds his consciousness merged with a bog after an attack on his research facility.
This new take on the character will be written by James Mangold (Logan, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), who’ll reportedly take inspiration from Watchmen creator Alan Moore’s legendary ’80s run on the comic. However, with Mangold also attached a standalone Star Wars prequel film, it may be some time before this DCU Chapter One entry puts its head above water.
"The truth is, I’m writing both right now," Mangold told Collider at Star Wars Celebration 2023. "Who knows what’s going to happen and what’s going to blossom first or second? [But] I’m doing Swamp Thing, there’s your scoop. It’s not a rumor, it’s happening."
DCU Chapter One TV shows
Peacemaker season 2
Release window: August 2025
Director: James Gunn
Confirmed cast: John Cena, Frank Grillo, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Freddie Stroma, Robert Patrick, and Tim Meadows
Although it existed as a DCEU TV spin-off of The Suicide Squad, Gunn is making a second season of Peacemaker, which will sit under the DCU banner. Per HBO boss Casey Bloys, Peacemaker season 2 is set to arrive in August 2025.
The first footage from Peacemaker 2 was released as part of a 'new on Max' in 2025 trailer – clips that included a first look at Frank Grillo's live-action take on Rick Flag Sr. following his animated debut in Creature Commandos, which is a season 2 cast reveal that we think will make it harder to follow the DCU. The first-look footage also confirmed the 11th Street Kids – Economos, Emilia Harcourt, Leota Adebayo, and Adrian Chase/Vigilante – will be part of proceedings.
Newcomers wise, Tim Meadows is on board as ARGUS agent Langston Fleury, while Gunn has stated Robert Patrick will somehow return as Peacemaker's deceased father. According to The Wrap, Sol Rodríguez and David Denman have also boarded the project. Rodríguez will reportedly play someone named Sasha Bordeaux, but Denman's role hasn't been disclosed. Finally, Gunn teased the addition of a new mystery character for Peacemaker 2, which sparked a fierce debate among fans about who they might be.
Lanterns
Release date: sometime in 2026
Director: TBC
Confirmed cast: Aaron Pierre, Kyle Chandler, and Nathan Fillion
2011's much-derided Ryan Reynolds-starring Green Lantern may have killed a franchise before it even started. Now, though, DC is reviving another of its beloved superheroes on the small screen after it was officially greenlit in June 2024. Per Collider, principal photography will reportedly start in February.
Lanterns' creative team was revealed in May, with one particular addition being a perfect fit for its crime thriller tendencies. Then, in October, Pierre and Chandler were cast as John Stewart and Hal Jordan. Fillion's Gardner is also expected to feature in this post-Superman series (via Variety). As for other supporting cast members, Kelly McDonald (per Variety), Garret Dillahunt (via Deadline), and Poorna Jagannathan (also Deadline) are all believed to have been offered roles.
Waller
Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Confirmed cast: Viola Davis
Gunn will tackle an Amanda Waller standalone series after Peacemaker season 2 (per Threads). Following her voicing the same morally complex individual in Creature Commandos, Davis will also headline this live-action Peacemaker spin-off on Max, aka one of the world's best streaming services.
Taking to Threads, Gunn confirmed events in Peacemaker season 2 will directly lead into Waller. Christal Henry (Watchmen) and Jeremy Carver (Doom Patrol) have reportedly written its scripts (per Deadline).
Paradise Lost
Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC
Lanterns isn’t the only DCU Chapter One release taking its cues from one of the best Max shows, because Paradise Lost will go back to Wonder Woman’s island home for some political in-fighting. "It’s going to be a Game of Thrones-ish story about Themyscira, the home of the Amazons and the birthplace of Wonder Woman," Safran previous teased. "This drama is really about the political intrigue behind this society of all women". Nexus Point News suggests its found its writers, too, with Kira Snyder and Janet Lin tapped to pen its scripts.
Taking to Threads in early October, Gunn admitted there's been movement on the Paradise Lost and Wonder Woman front. That update is the only one we've received in many months, though, so this series is still a while away. Nevertheless, Creature Commandos contained three big teases that set up Wonder Woman's DCU debut, so maybe we'll learn more about it sooner than we thought.
Booster Gold
Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC
If your first thought was "...who???" when you saw this DCU Chapter One project, you’re not alone. Booster Gold, aka Michael Jon Carter, is arguably the most unlikely superhero on the 'Gods and Monsters' roster but, if you’ve seen any of Gunn’s previous output, you’ll understand why this lesser known comic book appealed to his sensibilities.
For the uninitiated: it’s the story of a guy – read: loser – from the future who comes back in time to the present and uses basic future tech to convince everyone he’s a superhero. Or, as Gunn puts it: "It's the superhero story of imposter syndrome".
Like many DCU Chapter One projects, there are very few details about it. Industry insider Daniel RPK (per DCU Film News) suggested a showrunner and Carter casting would be announced soon, while Nexus Point News claims Kumail Nanjiani has been cast as the titular character. So far, Gunn hasn't confirmed any of this, so take it all with a huge heap of salt.
DC Elseworlds: The Batman sequel and beyond
Non-DCEU releases, including The Batman, have been among Warner Bros’ biggest box-office hits recently, so it's a smart move that their sequels and spin-offs won’t be shoehorned into the DCU. Instead, they're releasing under the Elseworlds banner, a nod to a DC Comics imprint of the same name.
However, DC Studios won’t go overboard on stories that exist outside the main universe's continuity. "The bar for Elseworlds tales is going to have to be higher than the bar for something within the DCU," Gunn said (per Collider). "Not that we’re not always going to have a high bar, but it’s got to be something really special for us to tell that story outside of our regular continuity, and to spend the money on it to make it."
Here's a brief rundown of the Elseworlds projects that have been announced so far:
The Batman Part II
Release date: October 2, 2026
Director: Matt Reeves
Confirmed cast: Robert Pattinson, Jeffrey Wright, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell
The follow-up to 2022's critically-acclaimed detective noir take on the Caped Crusader, this flick was supposed to arrive in October 2025. However, The Batman Part 2's release was delayed by a full year (thanks to the 2023 Hollywood strikes) in March. Filming will reportedly get underway in early 2025, Reeves has co-penned the script with Mattson Tomlin and the former is slated to direct it.
On the cast front, Pattinson will reprise his role as Gotham's protector-in-chief, while Andy Serkis, Jeffrey Wright, and Colin Farrell – the latter fresh off his leading role in The Penguin – are all back as Alfred Pennyworth, Jim Gordon, and Oz Cobb. Barry Keoghan has also seemingly teased he'll be back as Joker (per ETalk). For more details on everything about this film, read our hub on The Batman Part II.
Dynamic Duo
Release date: June 30, 2028
Director: Arthur Mintz
Confirmed cast: TBC
Announced in October 2024, Dynamic Duo will be an animated flick that's being written by Matt Aldritch, and is being produced by Reeves' 6th and Idaho company. It'll be a joint venture between DC Studios and Warner Bros Pictures Animation, too, with visionary animation studio Swaybox helming its production.
Aside from its recently announced launch date and director, little is know about this DCU Chapter One-adjacent flick, but it'll follow the adventures of two characters who went on to become Robin – those being Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. Other details are being kept under lock and key for now.
Other Elseworlds projects
There are other DC Elseworlds movies that are rumored to be in development.
Taking to Threads in January 2024, Gunn confirmed that J.J Abrams and Ta-Nehisi Coates' Superman film, which has been in the works for years, is still being developed. However, a December 2024 Variety report claimed that, while it's not been canceled, there's been no movement on this project since early 2023.
A March 2024 article from THR also suggests that a live-action Teen Titans flick is coming from Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow scribe Ana Nogueira. Meanwhile, Deadline reports that an animated Blue Beetle series is also on the way.
Lastly, THR and Deadline released reports in late September that claimed a Bane and Deathstroke-starring film was in the early stages of being created, too. Gunn commented on Threads that Deathstroke is in his thoughts for a future project, but it may be a DCU one rather than an Elseworlds one. Until Gunn says more on any of these projects, we don't know how many will actually get made.
For more DC-based coverage, read our guides on how to watch the DC movies in order, how to watch the Batman movies in order, and the best Batman movies. Alternatively, find out which DC films made it onto our best Max movies list.
