James Gunn Says DC Studios' DCU Slate Remains In Development But Warns Some May Not Come To Fruition

DC Studios' James Gunn has explained that the DCU's "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters" slate was announced as being in development, meaning not every one of those movies and TV shows is guaranteed to happen...

By JoshWilding - Oct 15, 2024 10:10 AM EST

Filed Under: DC Studios

Last January, DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran announced a slate of upcoming DCU movies and TV shows.

On the big screen, fans were promised Superman, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, and Swamp-Thing. As for the small one, Creature Commandos, Lanterns, Waller, Paradise Lost, and Booster Gold were all unveiled.

Last year's WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes slowed things down a little but Superman is in post-production, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is gearing up to begin shooting soon, and Lanterns is assembling its cast. Creature Commandos is also fast approaching.

However, the DCU slate has continued to evolve. Peacemaker season 2 seemingly came out of the blue, while the trades have shared word on animated Blue Beetle and Robin projects along with movies revolving around the Teen Titans, Bane, and Deathstroke. Definitive updates on many of the titles announced last year have also been few and far between.

Taking to Threads, Gunn set out to clear the air by explaining, "Just to clarify, I said everything we originally announced was still in development not that it’s still coming. That all depends on the scripts! We’ll never put a half-assed script in production just because it was announced."

While it doesn't necessarily sound like Gunn is saying some of the announced movies and TV shows won't happen, that "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters" slate doesn't appear to be as set in stone as we expected.

How wise it was to announce projects in development rather than those guaranteed to happen is up for debate. Unfortunately, this brings back memories of the DCEU slate unveiling which prematurely hyped up the likes of Cyborg and Justice League 2.

Asked why they were announced, Gunn added, "Because they would all get out there with or without us announcing (as projects since have), so we simply announced the projects we were putting in development."

"I wish we lived in a world where I could wait to have a script before the development of a project got out," the filmmaker concluded.

Check out his posts, and a Creature Commandos tease for New York Comic Con, below.

Post by @jamesgunn

View on Threads

To those attending #NYCC, your assignment is to report to Belle Reve. Your new prison inmates will be there to greet you, and if you step out of line, you’ll have to answer to the #CreatureCommandos. Follow protocol, and you will be rewarded with exclusive gear.

From DC… pic.twitter.com/pfJskHC4SB
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) October 15, 2024

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21 Comments

Spoken - 10/15/2024, 10:06 AM

Well sure as shit looks that way

thedrudo - 10/15/2024, 10:17 AM

Not buying his rationale at all

WakandaTech - 10/15/2024, 10:26 AM

We might not get swamp thing,

but for sure will get peacemaker season 2

Typical Gunn

dracula - 10/15/2024, 10:49 AM

@WakandaTech - Well Peacemaker season 2 is already filmed and has been in the works since before Gunn took over

Swamp Thing has a director and the script needs to meet both's expectations

Wouldn't worry about Swamp Thing

NightEagle3 - 10/15/2024, 10:27 AM

"Cavill was never fired, because he was never hired" ahh response lol

Shivermetimbers - 10/15/2024, 11:05 AM

@NightEagle3 - I will never understand why people started replacing ass with ahh. Nothing against you, but it seems so silly.

AllsGood - 10/15/2024, 10:27 AM

Forthas - 10/15/2024, 10:42 AM

Lets hope James Gunn's entire slate does not come to fruition!

Clintthahamster - 10/15/2024, 11:04 AM

@Forthas - I've never been a DC guy, but I sincerely hope that these DCU movies are more successful than anyone ever imagined, because I think it'll be funny to see you try to spin them as failures.

Forthas - 10/15/2024, 11:17 AM

@Clintthahamster - Well we have two models that are going on to judge by....The Batman/Penguin grounded chracter driven model which I prefer...and The Suicide Squad/Peacemker slapstick comedy model that James thinks is good. Whish one do you think is doing better?

"I sincerely hope that these DCU movies are more successful than anyone ever imagined..."

Forthas - 10/15/2024, 11:28 AM

@Clintthahamster -

This is the ratings for the Anti-James Gunn DC! You know the one he is now trying to put the DC Studio brand on to make people think he had something to do with it.

Penguin ratings
https://www.thewrap.com/the-penguin-episode-4-ratings-hbo/

MuadDib - 10/15/2024, 10:44 AM

I think Zaslav is tightening the purse strings until he sees how Superman plays out in the box office. They are running out of money quick which is why we hear rumors of WB or DC getting sold every few months.

Assuming Superman does well, I suspect more autonomy will be given to Gunn to green light projects, similarly if Superman flops, which I think it unlikely but not impossible, the DCU could be dead before it ever really starts.

If Gunn can succeed in establishing the DCU with resounding financial success and the hits keep coming with the likes of Laterns and Brave and the Bold, we could be in for a golden era of DCU movies unlike what we’ve gotten previously

BruceWayng - 10/15/2024, 10:48 AM

I’m really looking forward to seeing what Gunn does with the DCU but having Creature Commandos be their first official project to be released might not have been the best idea…

dracula - 10/15/2024, 10:51 AM

@BruceWayng - betting it and Waller are left over projects from before he took over

he was developing more Suicide Squad spin offs before he took over

BruceWayng - 10/15/2024, 11:11 AM

@dracula - True and I’m definitely not opposed to seeing the behind the scenes gov sponsored side of the DCU. I just kinda wish we got an ARGUS show over Creature Commando

CLTMAN29 - 10/15/2024, 10:50 AM

It's the EXACT SAME story all over again. Go back to WB's 2014 slate announcement after Man of Steel was released and look how much of that never happened/got pushed back/got added. DC are in SUCH a rush to catch up with Marvel, their tripping over their own feet. No one seems to have realised that if you take your time and build your product, ultimately people will have more faith in it. I like that Gunn wants us to jump into an established universe - but the amount of heroes and cameos already in Superman feels like an overstuffed hot mess.

THEKENDOMAN - 10/15/2024, 11:01 AM

As far as I'm concerned, this man announced too soon. He should have just been patient, got scripts ready(at least half ready), and then announced. This chasing Marvel, who is over 12 years ahead, will do him no good.

Now, he is saying, "Because it was announced doesn't mean it will go into production." What kind of stupid comment is that? I think we all know that, but look at Joker 2 😒.

Gunn should also stop responding to messages on Twitter and focus on building the studio; why does he need to engage, for [frick]s sake? All the movies so far have bombed, shut the [frick] up and focus on the job at hand.

AmazingFILMporg - 10/15/2024, 11:08 AM

So why announce them? Business as usual at WB 😳

OgHerManM - 10/15/2024, 11:47 AM

@AmazingFILMporg - He answered this question twice…

TheJester187 - 10/15/2024, 11:40 AM

As long as Reeves Batman Epic Crime Saga continues and Kore Spin-offs in that universe idc really what he does until I see or hear what I like.

TheVisionary25 - 10/15/2024, 11:41 AM

I mean I get it…

There’s no winning because if they don’t officially announce a project then the trades will do best to get ahead of the situation as much as possible.

Plus , people don’t really understand the industry as much as they think they do since in development usually means projects are looking for writers and directors or script is still being written and take it as this will definitely happen which isn’t the case.

I do think also announcing a partial slate before these projects have been officially greenlit is not the best idea from both companies since it creates that expectation in people so best to do so after that is done.

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James Gunn Says DC Studios' DCU Slate Remains In Development But Warns Some May Not Come To Fruition

DC Studios' James Gunn has explained that the DCU's "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters" slate was announced as being in development, meaning not every one of those movies and TV shows is guaranteed to happen...

PARADISE LOST Gets Update From James Gunn As Filmmaker Addresses The Importance Of Test Screenings

DYNAMIC DUO: New Details About The Animated Movie's Plot Have Been Revealed