DC is building a new film universe with James Gunn – but what does that mean for Batman, Joker, Wonder Woman and Co.?

The first major stage of DC’s 10-year plan is complete. In August, Warner boss David Zaslav had the Re-form of the bumpy Marvel competitor called out. In his opinion, this required a centrally planning figure who Heroes of DC – Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman – on a short leash.

Now profileless former DC boss Walter Hamada is gone and Marvel genius James Gunn is in. The director of acclaimed superhero blockbusters like Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad will be the creative director of the newly formed DC Studios take over, together with Peter Safran, who produces in the background.

James Gunn’s installation is not a dry act of administration. The position will have a direct impact on the future DC experience.

The goals of the new DC universe with James Gunn

But how much power does James Gunn really get? His DC playground is smaller than you might expect. We explain here which of the current DC figures are actually available to him.

What changes for The Batman, Joker, Superman and Co

The Suicide Squad: Gunn is said to continue producing and directing, so a new Suicide Squad movie starring Harley Quinn and Co. should only be a matter of time. The upcoming DC version best fulfills the The Suicide Squad strand at the moment. With Peacemaker, there is already an HBO Max streaming series that directly follows the events of the blockbuster.

Black Adam: The latest DC blockbuster stars Suicide Squad character Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), who acts like a more ambivalent version of Nick Fury. Appearances by other Suicide Squad characters make the Dwayne Johnson blockbuster look like a brother film to the bloody James Gunn film. And then of course there’s that end credits scene. Black Adam is likely to become a central pillar in the James Gunn plan. It looks like something out of a Marvel movie anyway.

super man: Black Adam leads Henry Cavill’s Superman back to the DC Universe through the back door. Something big is happening here, as signaled by Cavill’s official return. Suicide Squad, Peacemaker, Black Adam and Superman: A clear line can already be seen here for the future DC Universe.

wonder woman: Where Henry Cavill’s Superman exists, Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman also exists. Patty Jenkins’ last two films mostly stood on their own. But that could change in the future, Diana Prince certainly hasn’t forgotten her meetings with Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent. A third WonWom film is to come.

Aquaman: This is where it gets a bit more complicated. Aquaman: Lost Kingdom starring Jason Momoa is almost complete. Links to Suicide Squad and Black Adam could only be added later – but that’s not a problem, as Black Adam proves. Otherwise, what applies to Wonder Woman applies to Aquaman: The Justice League member is perfectly integrated with the larger DC version and will continue to be so in the future.

Flash: The scandal-ridden multiverse film is also already finished. Basically, The Flash has the potential to become a defining character in the DC Universe, much like Spider-Man in the MCU. If it weren’t for the behavior of lead actor Ezra Miller. Whether DC and Warner will continue to work with the star is anyone’s guess.

joker: Now we come to the buffer stops of the new DC vision. According to THR’s DC report, the ambitious Joker 2: Folie à deux does not fall within Gunn and Safran’s sphere of influence. The character retains its special status and remains independent. In other words, Wonder Woman will not face Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker in the new DC Universe either.

TheBatman: Matt Reeves’ little Batman world seems as isolated as Todd Phillips’ gruff Joker. Heaving Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight into the DC Universe would be a major logistical effort, since the versions by Ben Affleck and soon also Michael Keaton still exist there. The Flash could create order with its multiverse concept and allow meetings of the parallel batmen. But does Matt Reeves want that? Rather not. The Batman universe keeps to itself.

The Many TV Series and the Arrowverse: This is probably James Gunn’s biggest job. According to the THR report, the new DC boss will work with the boss of Warner TV, where series like The Flash are created. But integrating the TV productions Stargirl, Superman & Lois, Doom Patrol and Pennyworth into a continuous universe would be an almost impossible feat. So far, these series have been explicitly separated from the canon of the cinema universe.

The situation is different with the upcoming series from HBO Max, i.e. The Penguin with Colin Farrell and Arkham Asylum. Both exist around The Batman and originate at HBO Max, just like Peacemaker. But Peacemaker keeps things together around Black Adam and Suicide Squad and has nothing to do with Batman at all. What a mess! The series landscape is like a heap of broken glass. Fusing the MCU-style one together is likely to take longer than the 4-year DC contract with Gunn and Safran.

What are the chances of a new, great DC Universe?

DC remains DC, for better or for worse. Warner will continue to rely on directing voices. Unlike MCU boss Kevin Feige, James Gunn is a filmmaker himself. He will demand submission from “his” directors to the great DC vision, but at the same time allow them creative freedom.

So the big characters Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Suicide Squad, Peacemaker, Black Adam and The Flash (in brackets) can move closer together again under the new DC boss. Just, this group is unimaginable without Batman. The question is which Bruce Wayne version will fill the Dark Knight void: Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, or Robert Pattinson after all? Questions like these will give James Gunn a headache for the next 4 years.

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What do you expect from the “new” DC Universe?