Spinning out of “What If…Zombies?!”, Marvel Zombies promises to bring more gratuitous violence to the Multiverse when the four-episode TV-MA mini-event streams on September 24th. Ahead of the premiere, Disney has released a chaotic new trailer showcasing a flashback to the day of the breakout in San Francisco, the return of Zombie Cap and another look at Spidey’s hellacious kill.
While Clayface is one of Batman’s most interesting rogues, few would list him as one of the Dark Knight’s greatest baddies. However, it’s starting to look as though DC Studios’ upcoming horror movie, Clayface, will set the stage for–if not introduce–at least a few of Batman’s biggest big bads in the DCU.
With production on Clayface continuing in Liverpool, new photos from the set tease the very real possibility that Batman villains The Joker and The Penguin are already active within the DCU.
In the case of The Joker, it seems as though there is both a singular entity referred to as The Joker, who is leading a march against the corrupt Gotham City Police Department, and a gang who calls themselves The Jokers. Theories are already flying that The Jokers will turn out to be the DCU’s version of the Red Hood Gang, though there’s no good explanation for why they aren’t just called the Red Hood Gang.
In the case of The Penguin, the reference comes in the form of a poster for the Gotham carnival known as Amusement Mile. The poster, which invites people to “Behold” the “Penguin Man,” shares a wall with a “Freakshow” poster, insinuating that the character is one of the attractions.
Photos of props from the Liverpool set had already revealed that The Penguin’s club, The Iceberg Lounge, was among the key locations shown on a Gotham map; however, it’s unclear when Clayface is set, if some of these photos are from flashbacks or if The Penguin is already an established crime boss in the present of the DCU. Whatever the case, it seems as though Clayface might do a lot of the heavy lifting in establishing Gotham in the all-new DCU.
In September 2024, Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts landed the villainous role of Krem of the Yellow Hills in DC Studios’ Supergirl. The central antagonist of the celebrated 2021 DC comic book miniseries, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, upon which the upcoming film’s script was based, Krem was a ruthless, intergalactic outlaw whose monstrous actions propelled the entire story. Though certainly barbaric, Krem was otherwise a regular-looking, run-of-the-mill ginger alien. It sounds as though the villain will be radically changed for his DCU debut, however.
According to insider Daniel Richtman, who recently shared some positive feedback about the 2026 film, the DCU version of Krem “looks more like a monster” and “[carries] dead alien rats with him to eat.”
In our story, we have Superman who was sent to Earth and raised by incredibly loving parents. Kara was on Krypton. She was on a piece of Krypton that drifted away from the planet and she lived there for the first fourteen years of her life in a horrible situation where she watched everyone around her die. So, she’s a much harsher and more fucked up Supergirl than you’ve been used to thus far.
-James Gunn
While we’ll have to wait until seeing the film to discern whether or not the change to Krem makes much of a difference, making a villain a little more destestable is never a bad thing. Additionally, Krem isn’t exactly a household villain, which means the studio is unlikely to get too much pushback from lifelong Krem fans. DC Studios’ co-CEO James Gunn has described Supergirl as “a little more rock and roll” than Superman, which leaves some room for exploring the wilder side of the DCU, including Lobo, who will be played by Jason Momoa, who will be cosplaying as Jason Momoa.
Announced via social media on September 3, Man of Tomorrow will see Superman stars David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult reprise their respective roles and, it seems, team up against an as-yet-unrevealed threat. Though additional cast has not been officially revealed, Gunn teased that the film would feature characters from “within the group of characters we’ve already met,” leading to speculation that the Justice Gang might appear. Indeed, Isabel Merced teased that possibility shortly after Gunn‘s announcement, but Gunn has been tight-lipped about what other characters will appear in the film…until now.
In response to a question on Threads, Gunn confirmed that Rachel Brosnahan will return as Lois Lane for Man of Tomorrow in an “important role.”
Given the importance of her role in Superman and in the character’s long history in DC Comics, it’s unsurprising that Brosnahan will return for Man of Tomorrow; in fact, it’s likely she’ll be a key player in the entire Superman Saga and, perhaps, play a role in the larger, overall narrative of the DCU.
As was the case with Superman, which saw Cleveland become Metropolis, DC Studios is taking great care to make sure its Gotham is FULL of Easter eggs, nods and comic accurate inclusions when it is introduced in Clayface.
Recently, a map of Gotham City was spotted on set, complete with key locations such as Wayne Manor, Ace Chemical, The Monarch Theater, Crime Alley, Arkham and the Kane Memorial Bridge. While it’s unclear if those or any of the locations spotted on the map will factor into the plot of Clayface, it’s the kind of world building necessary to sustain what DC Studios hopes is a long-running narrative in its new, interconnected universe.
As great as it is to see some of Gotham’s most important settings show up on a map, an empty alley or asylum won’t keep Bruce Wayne up at night…but baddies do. And a new prop spotted on the Liverpool set of Clayface confirms that at least one other classic Batman villain has a footprint in Gotham.
Sionis Industries sign on the set of Clayface. The company owned by Roman Sionis, Black Mask.
While there’s no indication as yet he’ll appear in the film, a new BTS Photo Confirms that crime king Roman Sionis, aka Black Mask, is active in the all-new, all-different DCU.
Introduced into DC Comics continuity relatively recently in 1985, Sionis has grown incredibly popular over the years. The villain appeared in the Batman: Arkham video game franchise, the CW’s Batwoman and in Birds of Prey, where he was portrayed by Ewan McGregor.
As established in Creature Commandos and Superman, heroes and villains are already deeply established in the DCU and with Gotham having no shortage of baddies, it’s unsurprising to see a Sionis Easter egg; however, given the connection between Matt Hagen’s transformation to Clayface and Gotham’s criminal underworld (and the idea that the film’s villain is still unknown), it’s possible Black Mask may make yet another live-action appearance.
DC Studios first animated feature film, Dynamic Duo, is getting a major overhaul by an Academy Award-nominated pair of writers.
According to The Wrap, Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, the writing team behind 500 Days of Summer, The Disaster Artist and DaisyJones & the Six, have come on board to rewrite the project, which is currently set to hit theaters on June 30, 2028.
According to The Wrap, Dynamic Duo, which will be directed by Arthur Mintz, will “take place in a separate timeline from his films starring Robert Pattinson and, as we understand it, outside of the current DC Universe canon,” which would then establish it as an “Elseworlds” project.
Originally penned by Coco and Lightyear scribe Matthew Aldrich, Dynamic Duo will tell the story of “the early days of Dick Grayson and Jason Todd aka the Robins. The duo call themselves the Dynamic Duo. They’re orphan thieves, best friends who share dreams of a better life, but their friendship will be tested by competing visions of a future out of which will come a new Dynamic Duo.“
DC Studios will be working with Swaybox, a new and innovative animation studio that uses a “Momo animation” process that Deadline described as “a cross between CGI animation, practical elements of stop-motion, and live-action real-time performance.”
To date, there’s been no official word from Marvel or Sony and Ruffalo was not seen on set in Glasgow, Scotland when the film began production. With production having moved mostly indoors, it’s possible Ruffalo may never be seen “on set” to confirm his role but the actor was asked about the rumors in a recent red carpet interview with ET Online.
“I don’t know, I’m still waiting to hear. I haven’t read a script yet,” said Ruffalo when he was approached about his return to the role.
“If it does happen, it would be incredible,” laughed the star. “I grew up with this, and it’s changed my life in the best ways. Each time, it’s a new director, a new world, and it’s so exciting. There’s nothing else like it. A TV show doesn’t change its world from one director to the next, and that’s what is exciting.“
Based on what’s been seen and shared so far, Tom Holland and new Spidey franchise director Destin Daniel Cretton seem to have something special cooking in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which looks to diverge significantly from the previous MCU-set Spider-Man films. Adding a rampaging Hulk to the already long list of problems Holland’s Wall-Crawler will face in the film might make for one of the Multiverse Saga’s best projects, if not one of its most action-packed.
The 74-year-old Harris is one of Hollywood’s most well-respected method actors and capable of turning any role into a memorable one. Harris has played memorable villains in The Rock, Enemy at the Gates, The Truman Show and National Treasure: Book of Secrets as well as a chilling performance in A History of Violence. And now, a trade report confirms the years-old rumors about his Wonder Man role.
According to Deadline, Harris will indeed portray “Hollywood agent Neal Saroyan” in Wonder Man, which will premiere this December on D+.
Created by Gerard Jones and Jeff Johnson in 1991, Neal Saroyan was Simon Williams agent used mostly as a Hollywood caricature, designed to satirize the kind of awful behavior industry veterans have long been known for, making him a perfect fit for Marvel Television’s take on Wonder Man. Later, Peter David ramped up Saroyen’s baddie status, revealing him to be a supervillain in charge of a cadre of assassins known as The Nobility.
Since he was cast, fans have been crafting theories about just which DC Comics villain Garret Dillahunt will be portraying in the DC Studios’ streaming series, Lanterns. Trade Reports identified the character as William Macon,”a self-righteous, conspiracy-minded man who masks his ruthless ambition behind a charming and calculated facade,” but fans weren’t buying it.
One popular theory was that William Macon was actually William Hand, a character who has been antagonizing Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps since being introduced in 1964. And it looks like that theory may well be proven correct.
In an Instagram story, Dillahunt shared a photo that has fans believing he will indeed be portraying Black Hand in the show.
Garret Dillahunt may have just confirmed he’s playing Black Hand in LANTERNS. pic.twitter.com/94yJcJsrZg
William Hand was a key antagonist in the Blackest Night storyline, where he served as the herald of Nekron, the embodiment of death.
From the start, our driving force has been to deliver a layered drama – rooted in nuanced storytelling and rich world building – that balances tension and mystery with honest, authentic emotion. The goal is to create something that feels timeless and grounded without sacrificing the magic of the source material.
–Lanterns showrunner Chris Mundy
Hand’s powers are rooted in his obsession with death and his ability to manipulate it. He first appeared as a small-time crook with a device that could absorb energy from Green Lantern rings. His destiny changed when he was chosen as an agent of the Black Lantern Corps, a group of undead beings animated by the black power of death. As a Black Lantern, he can kill and reanimate the dead, turning them into subservient Black Lanterns. His primary weapon is a black power ring, which is fueled by the absence of emotion, life, and light.
Characterized by his necrophilic tendencies and a morbid fascination with death, a villain like Hand falls in the Goldilocks zone for an HBO Max streaming series baddie. He’s often depicted as mentally unstable and obsessive, with his sanity deteriorating as his connection to the black power ring grows stronger. His actions are driven by a deep-seated desire to see the universe brought to a state of complete lifelessness,
With fans looking for DC Studios to create some sort of adaptation of Blackest Night, introducing a villain like Hand alongside Ulrich Thomsen‘s Sinestro and Paul Ben-Victor‘s Antaan, when many believe to be Atrocitus (also seen in the picture shared by Dillahunt) could be an indication that some bits of that story may make their way into Lanterns.
Superman star Isabela Merced, who debuted as the DCU’s Hawkgirl shared Gunn’s social media post in an Instagram story she captioned “See You Soon.”
I’m totally done with the treatment. My treatments are incredibly intense. They’re not regular treatments. They’re 60-page treatments with dialogue and everything,” Gunn devulged. “And so, now I’m just turning that into a script. We’re planning out when we’re going to shoot that. It’s going to be much sooner rather than later.
-James Gunn
Should Merced, who also briefly reprised her role in Season 2 of Peacemaker, indeed be returning for the film, it is very likely she’ll be accompanied by Edi Gathegi‘s Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion‘s Guy Gardner and Anthony Carrigan‘s Metamorpho, all members of the Maxwell Lord-sponsored Justice Gang.
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