Though there were (and still are) a lot of people who wanted the "SnyderVerse" to continue, it's probably fair to say that the majority of DC Comics fans were excited about the prospect of a new film and TV universe headed up by James Gunn and Peter Safran.
The DCU got off to a strong start with Superman, which was met with a mostly positive response from critics and was a decent (if unspectacular) success at the box office. On the small screen, the animated Creature Commandos series and the second season of Peacemaker were similarly well-received, and DC Studios seemed to be laying the groundwork for a mega-franchise that could one day rival the MCU.
Even so, the decision to primarily focus on lesser-known characters in the "Gods and Monsters" slate was viewed as a mistake by some, and concerns were amplified when the DCU's first Batman project, The Brave and the Bold, was placed on the back burner.
The second DCU movie, Supergirl, arrived in theaters last week amid mixed-negative reviews, and fans appear to be even less impressed than the majority of critics (early days though it may be, the movie is already being referred to as a box office bomb).
Safran has already admitted that the Girl of Steel's solo adventure "didn’t meet our box office expectations," but he remains confident that the DCU can deliver on the high expectations of fans.
“I want to rebuild the trust of the audience, which I think DC had lost over the years," Safran tells The BBC. When asked what he thought about DC and Marvel being held in perpetual competition, he added, “That which unites comic book fans is much greater than that which divides us.”
"We have a big responsibility on our shoulders but we're thrilled with how it's going so far," he added.
The DCU will not live or die based on the critical and commercial performance of one movie, and Clayface has a modest enough budget and some positive buzz behind it. But with the recent merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery, there's going to be a lot of very powerful eyes on next year's Man of Tomorrow.
Do you see Supergirl's failure as a bad omen for the DCU? Let us know in the comments down below.
"When an unexpected and ruthless enemy threatens, Kara Zor-El is forced, against her will, to team up with an unlikely companion. Together, they embark on an epic cosmic journey where revenge and justice are at stake – and where Kara must confront her origins to find her own path as a hero. Alcock is joined by Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham and Jason Momoa in key roles. Peter Safran and James Gunn are producing the film for DC Studios."
Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow will also star Eve Ridley as Ruthye Mary Knolle, David Krumholtz and Emily Beecham as Kara's parents, Zor-El and Alura, and Matthias Schoenaerts as the villainous Krem of the Yellow Hills.
Our new Girl of Steel will take flight on June 26, 2026.
Said Gunn when the project was first announced: “In our series we see the difference between Superman who was sent to Earth and raised by loving parents from the time he was an infant, versus Supergirl who was raised on a rock, a chip off Krypton, and watched everyone around her die and be killed in terrible ways for the first 14 years of her life, and then came to Earth when she was a young girl. She’s much more hardcore, she’s not exactly the Supergirl we’re used to seeing.”