As 2025 marks a pivotal year for DC, the fate of the DC Universe (DCU) hinges on the success of James Gunn’s Superman. Will the Man of Steel save the day once more? If Gunn’s Superman succeeds, the DCU will soar to new heights; if it falters, those ambitious dreams could crumble faster than Superman himself facing Kryptonite.
Gunn’s Ambitious Vision for DC Studios
In January 2023, Gunn, who became co-CEO of DC Studios in 2022, unveiled an ambitious plan to reshape the DC Comics universe with a unified vision. Together with co-CEO Peter Safran and a team of writers, Gunn developed a two-chapter story that spans 8 to 10 years, with the first chapter titled Gods and Monsters. This plan encompasses everything from a new Superman film written and directed by Gunn to movies featuring the antihero team The Authority, Supergirl, and Swamp Thing. Additionally, TV projects like the animated Creature Commandos, the live-action Green Lantern series Lanterns, and a Game of Thrones-style series set on Wonder Woman’s home, Themyscira, are also part of the vision.
A Soft Reboot and Cross-Media Vision
Gunn’s vision extends beyond just interconnected films and TV shows. He aims to cast actors in roles that will appear across live-action, animation, and video games. Furthermore, Gunn has outlined plans to “soft reboot” the previous DCEU, keeping some of its most beloved elements, such as Viola Davis’s Amanda Waller and his own Peacemaker series.
Slow but Steady Progress
Two years later, Gunn’s grand plan for DC Studios is slowly taking shape. He has emphasized that no projects will be greenlit until he’s fully satisfied with the script, ensuring a solid foundation for each film and TV show—avoiding the rushed storytelling that has plagued other superhero universes and Hollywood blockbusters. However, this cautious approach means that many of the originally announced projects, including the Themyscira series Paradise Lost, the comedy Booster Gold, Swamp Thing, and Brave and the Bold (a new Batman project), remain uncertain.
The First Released DCU Project
So far, the only DCU project released is Max’s animated show Creature Commandos. It wrapped up its first season earlier this month and has already been renewed for a second season (premiere date TBD). Looking ahead to 2025, as the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow film and Lanterns TV series begin production, only two more DCU projects will hit screens: Superman and Peacemaker Season 2.
Peacemaker and the Soft Reboot
Gunn has confirmed that Peacemaker is part of the DCU’s soft reboot, with one exception: a scene featuring the DCEU’s Justice League in the season finale. While the first season of Peacemaker was critically acclaimed, it’s unlikely that the second season will be a breakout hit. However, if HBO airs Peacemaker on its channel, similar to how it handled The Penguin, it could expand the show’s audience beyond just DC fans and John Cena enthusiasts.
Creature Commandos’ Modest Impact
While Creature Commandos has resonated with DC and Gunn fans—viewership reportedly increased week by week on Max—the series’ cultural impact has been relatively small. As of now, it has yet to crack Nielsen’s Top 10 for streaming originals, one of the few reliable third-party metrics for streaming success.
Superman’s High Stakes
Scheduled for release in July, Superman offers Gunn a significant opportunity to make a statement about both the DCU and the superhero genre as a whole. Unlike Creature Commandos, which was created before Gunn’s tenure as CEO, this film will introduce the Man of Steel in the form of David Corenswet, along with a host of new characters, including Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi), and more. Even Milly Alcock’s Supergirl is reportedly set to appear, placing even more pressure on Superman to carry the weight of the entire narrative.
The Pressure to Succeed
There’s a lot riding on this film, not only for Gunn and the future of the DCU but also for Warner Bros. Discovery. A strong debut is critical for launching a decade-long slate of movies and TV shows. However, the odds are challenging: no Superman movie has ever surpassed $300 million domestically, except for Batman v Superman (which had Batman in the title). Additionally, no Superman film has ever reached the billion-dollar mark worldwide, including BvS, which is the modern bar for box office success.
