As the all-new, all-different DCU continues to add projects to its upcoming lineup, fans continue to search for clues as to the nature of whatever large-scale crossover project its first chapter, Gods and Monsters, is building toward. Originally intended to be comprised of at least 10 projects, all of which DC Studios’ co-chairs James Gunn and Peter Safran had hoped to release by the end of 2027. While nothing is impossible, with many of those projects facing developmental delays, it’s likely the goal posts have moved. And so has the composition of the slate.
With projects such as The Brave and the Bold, Paradise Lost and Waller coming together slowly, other projects have jumped them in the queue. Though the DCU’s Batman has yet to be cast, director James Watkins‘ Clayface looks to be tasked with introducing the DCU’s Gotham and, perhaps, its villains. And the latest project to be announced, the Superman spinoff DC Crime, will also serve as a way to introduce additional DC supervillains into the DCU.
According to prior reports, DC Crime–which will feature Skyler Gisando‘s Jimmy Olsen–will be an anthology that would feature the character as he investigates supervillains for the Daily Planet. The first season of the fictional true crime series, written by Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, will reportedly feature Gorilla Grodd, a classic Flash baddie but also a key member of a group of villains that might just show up down the road.
First introduced in ABC’s Challenge of the Superfriends in 1978, the Legion of Doom has since appeared across multiple mediums and become a staple of supervillainy for DC. Originally assembled by Lex Luthor, the Legion consisted of 13 baddies from the rogues galleries of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash and Green Lantern. Gorilla Grodd is indeed counted as one of the original 13 and is the third member of the Legion set to pop up in the DCU, joining Luthor and Green Lantern villain Sinestro, who will be played by Ulrich Thomsen in Lanterns.
With Gunn’s next film in the Superman Saga, Man of Tomorrow, seemingly set to introduce Brainiac and theories that Superman‘s secondary villain, Ultraman, might return to the DCU as a Bizzaro-ized Supes dupe, the number of LoD members could climb quickly. Thinking out loud, additional members such as Toyman, Scarecrow, Riddler and Captain Cold could easily be introduced in future seasons of DC Crime, leaving just a few characters such as Black Manta, Giganta, Cheetah and Solomon Grundy for other projects (looking at you, Waller).
Given what we know about Gunn‘s sensibilities, it seems reasonable to wonder if he was a fan of Challenge of the Superfriends; if so, it’s possible he’s planning to continue to find ways to work the characters into the DCU ahead of what could be an incredible big screen crossover featuring the Justice League and the Legion of Doom, complete with a Hall of Doom hidden in Slaughter Swamp. It wouldn’t be the weirdest choice…
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