Comic book writer Tom King is part of DC Studios' writers' room, and the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow scribe (the comic, not the movie) has now shared quite the bombshell about HBO Max's Creature Commandos animated series.
James Gunn has already confirmed that actors cast as characters for animation will play them in live-action as well, but thanks to King, we know of at least one who is destined for more than just this show. Talking to ComicPop (via Toonado.com) in an interview that's since been made private, King teased plans for Doctor Phosphorus in the wider DCU.
"[Creature Commandos is] the first kickoff. That’ll be the launch of the new universe, will be Creature Commandos," he said of DC Studios' plans. "And what I like about that...Doctor Phosphorus is on that team, which is created by Walt Simonson who’s, maybe, my favourite person ever...And he loves Doctor Phosphorus. He created him back in 1977, or whatever."
"And so I couldn’t wait to tell Walt like, 'Doctor Phosphorus is going to be in a movie.'"
We're unsure what movie King is referring to here, though Gunn has previously said a character from Creature Commandos will be part of Peacemaker spin-off Waller.
Doctor Phosphorus first appeared in 1977's Detective Comics #469 and was a scientist called Alexander James Sartorius who wanted to build a nuclear power plant in Gotham City. After the city turned him down, he decided to create it at sea before a crack in the reactor core transformed him into a metahuman.
We don't currently know who will play Phosphorus in Creature Commandos, but we do expect an official announcement about the cast sometime this year (likely at Comic-Con in San Diego this July).
While Viola Davis will lend her voice to Amanda Waller and Sean Gunn has been confirmed as Weasel, other characters who have yet to be cast include Rick Flag Sr., Nina Mazursky, Eric Frankenstein, the Bride of Frankenstein, and G.I. Robot.
Creature Commandos is expected to arrive on HBO Max in 2024/2025.