Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: dcu

  • DC Studios Lands ‘Penny Dreadful’, ‘Doctor Who’ Director to Helm ‘Lanterns’ Openers

    DC Studios Lands ‘Penny Dreadful’, ‘Doctor Who’ Director to Helm ‘Lanterns’ Openers

    DC Studios’ first live-action streaming series, Lanterns, continues to evolve into a n impressive construct worthy of its two lead ring bearers. Led by what DC Studios’ co-chair James Gunn labeled as a crack team of writers, the project has begun to sound more and more like a potential prestige series for HBO. After nabbing Kyle Chandler to portray Hal Jordan, the studio has narrowed the search for an actor for co-lead John Stewart to the impressive pair of Aaron Pierce and Stephan James. And now it’s being reported a director for the first two episodes has also been found.

    According to THR, James Hawes has agreed to direct the first two episodes of Lanterns. Over a career that has spanned three decades, Hawes has directed episodes of sci-fi staple Doctor Who, Penny Dreadful and, most recently, AMC’s Snowpiercer and Apple TV’s Slow Horses.

    John Stewart and Hal Jordan are two of DC’s most compelling characters, and Lanterns brings them to life in an original detective story that is a foundational part of the unified DCU we’re launching next summer with Superman.

    Though previous reports had the studio targeting HBO’s Watchmen director Stephen Williams to helm the pilot, THR’s report would seem to indicate that either Williams passed or could be working on another part of the series.

    Described by DC Studios’ co-chair Peter Safran as a “terrestrial-based investigation story” in the vein of HBO’s True Detective, the series will be focused on Green Lantern Corps members Hal Jordan and John Stewart who “find this ancient horror on Earth, and these guys are supercops on “Precinct Earth” which will play “a really big role leading us into the main story” of the studio’s initial shared narrative.

    Source: THR

  • Shadow of the Bat: With Two Robins on the Way, the DCU’s Batman Won’t Be Far Behind

    Shadow of the Bat: With Two Robins on the Way, the DCU’s Batman Won’t Be Far Behind

    As James Gunn and Peter Safran work to build out their vision of the DCU, the DC Studios’ co-chairs have made it clear that the shared narrative will extend beyond the screen and into multiple other media. Live-action streaming series, animated streaming series and video games will all help create the all-new, all-different canon of the DCU and part of the plan to maintain a sense of continuity is to have one actor play a role across all the different medium.  As an example, Frank Grillo will enter the DCU as the voice of Rick Flag Sr. in the animated Creature Commandos and then reprise the role in live-action in Season 2 of Peacemaker.

    Television, movies and games all intertwine within the same universe. We’re going to cast actors that are going to be able to play the characters in this, as well as in other things, some of which we’ve already cast.

    -James Gunn

    According to Gunn, part of the reason that they’ll seek to maintain continuity between the different projects is to ensure that all DC Studios’ projects are in equal ground. “We don’t want the series to feel in any way like step-children or lesser than,” said Gunn in a 2023 interview. It’s an intriguing way to move forward as it may continue to allow, as is the case for Grillo, actors to enter the DCU first with their voice before physically embodying their character.

    With that notion in mind, the recently announced animated film, Dynamic Duo, could become the door through which the DCU’s Caped Crusader enters the chat.

    Animation will lead into live action and back into animation. It’s a way to tell stories that are gigantic and huge, but without spending, you now, $50 million an episode.

    -James Gunn

    As part of the initial reveal of DC Studios’ Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, The Brave and the Bold was announced and described by Gunn as “a very strange sort of father-son story.” As one of the first five movies to be announced, it was easy to assume that The Brave and the Bold would make its way to screens sooner rather than later but for a multitude of reasons, that’s not yet come to pass. And that brings us to the newly announced Dynamic Duo.

    It’s important to note that as of now, there’s no clarity on whether or not Dynamic Duo will be set within the DCU, only that despite Matt Reeves‘ 6th and Idaho producing the film, it is not set in Reeves‘ Batman Epic Crime Saga. Indeed earlier this year Gunn cautioned that not every DC Studios’ animated project would be set in the DCU and Dynamic Duo may be the first example of that; however, if it is not, then it seems extremely likely that a project which features two Robins would also include Batman. In fact, Reeves pretty clearly indicated it would.

    I have wanted to make a film with Arthur and Swaybox for many years, and for that film to be Dynamic Duo, an incredibly special and unique Batman and Robin story for families, is a dream.

    With a script by Coco and Lightyear scribe Matthew Aldrich already in the works and a director on board, work could begin on the project at any time which means casting could get underway imminently. When that happens, will Gunn be searching for the voice of (and eventually the face of) the DCU’s Batman? Hopefully, given his social media presence, that question is answered by Gunn before long.

    Sources: CBR, Cartoon Brew, Deadline

  • DC Studios Developing Big Batman Baddie Team Up

    DC Studios Developing Big Batman Baddie Team Up

    Very few, if any, comic book superheroes boast a rogues’ gallery that rivals the one accumulated by Batman over the years. While the mainstays like Joker, Riddler, Penguin and Catwoman have found their way into many of the different versions of Batman’s theatrical and television stories over the years, the Caped Crusader has another dozen or so villains who are arguably more formidable than many other heroes’ archenemies.

    As Matt Reeves‘ Batman Epic Crime Saga unfolds, it’s clear that his grounded Gotham will continue to focus on the aforementioned baddies as well as the city’s organized crime families. Meanwhile, DC Studios’ co-chairs James Gunn and Peter Safran are charting a separate course for their vision of Batman who will play within the DCU sandbox that is still very much under construction. As part of the first public reveal of the plans for the DCU, the co-chairs shared the news that they were developing The Brave and The Bold as a vehicle to introduce not only Batman but also an as-yet undisclosed number of members of the Batfamily. Now, even as that project continues to be developed, a new report indicates the studio will utilize a pair of Batman’s deadliest rogues in another project.

    According to THR’s Borys Kit, DC Studios has hired Captain America: Brave New World rewrite scribe Matthew Orton to develop a script that features Batman baddies Bane and Deathstroke.

    Both villains have appeared in prior Batman films with Tom Hardy bringing Bane to life in The Dark Knight Rises and Joe Manganiello portraying Slade Wilson in the DCEU. A follow-up report by Deadline indicated that the nature of Orton’s project is not clear and that the film may not feature Bane and Deathstroke as the central characters of the piece but rather as part of a larger ensemble. As such it remains unclear what the project is but numerous online personalities are already laying down hints that Orton may be writing a Secret Six film for DC Studios.

    Source: THR, Deadline

  • ‘Lanterns’: DC Studios Search for John Stewart Reportedly Nearing Its End

    ‘Lanterns’: DC Studios Search for John Stewart Reportedly Nearing Its End

    Lanterns will be the first HBO original series created under the DC Studios banner that will be part of the shared narrative of the all-new, all-different DCU.  Described by DC Studios’ co-chair Peter Safran as a “terrestrial-based investigation story” in the vein of HBO’s True Detective, the series will be focused on Green Lantern Corps members Hal Jordan and John Stewart who “find this ancient horror on Earth, and these guys are supercops on “Precinct Earth” which will play “a really big role leading us into the main story” of the studio’s initial shared narrative.

    Developed by what Safran’s partner James Gunn described as “a crack team of writers” that consists of Tom King, Chris Mundy and Damon Lindelof, the series was ordered straight to series by HBO earlier this year. Shortly thereafter, the studio began searching for a star to portray Jordan and after being turned down by a few big names, landed Emmy-award-winning actor Kyle Chandler for the part. With Chandler on board, the search for Stewart is underway and it seems to be moving quickly. Just hours after a rumored shortlist of actors for the part made its way online, THR’s Borys Kit reported that only two actors are left in contention.

    According to Kit’s report, either Rebel Ridge breakout star Aaron Pierre or Stephan James (Beacon 23 and Selma) is expected to land the role. Additionally, Kit’s sources believe that the casting could be finalized quickly with a decision being made before the end of September.

    John Stewart and Hal Jordan are two of DC’s most compelling characters, and Lanterns brings them to life in an original detective story that is a foundational part of the unified DCU we’re launching next summer with Superman.

    –James Gunn and Peter Safran on HBO’s Lanterns

    Gunn and Safran’s DCU will debut this December with the animated streaming series Creature Commandos but, according to Gunn, kicks off in earnest when Superman hits theaters on July 11, 2025. Fellow Green Lantern Corps member Guy Gardner, played by Nathan Fillion, will appear in Superman, setting the stage for the introduction of Jordan and Stewart when Lanterns hits HBO, presumably in 2026.

    Source: THR

  • ‘Rebel Ridge’ Breakout Star Atop Rumored Shortlist for DC Studios John Stewart

    ‘Rebel Ridge’ Breakout Star Atop Rumored Shortlist for DC Studios John Stewart

    DC Studios has found one half of its buddy space cop duo, having recently landed Kyle Chandler to fill the role of Hal Jordan in the HBO series, Lanterns. With Chandler on board for the “I’m too old for this shit” part of the team, the studio has now turned its attention to landing a star for the role of John Stewart ahead of an expected January 2025 start of principal photography.

    Part of the process of finding an actor for the co-starring role will likely involve readthroughs that will help test for chemistry between Chandler and the potential Stewarts. And while DC Studios almost certainly cast a wide net in its search for the former Marine turned Lantern, a new rumor claims that its narrowed down the choices to an impressive short list of talent.

    According to social media scooper MyTimeToShineHello, Damson Idris (FX’s Snowfall) and Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge) sit atop the studio’s wishlist for Stewart while Ted Lasso star Toheeb Jimoh, Sope Dirisu and Kelvin Harrison Jr., who played Martin Luther King in Genius fill out its presumptive top five.

    Once attached to star alongside Mahershala Ali in Marvel Studios’ woebegone Blade, Pierre recently turned heads with a breakout role in Netflix’s Rebel Ridge. Ironically enough, Pierre delivered a star-making performance as a former Marine in Rebel Ridge and now may be staring at stepping right into those shoes again as Stewart.

  • Matthias Schoenaerts Lands Villainous Role in ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow ‘

    Matthias Schoenaerts Lands Villainous Role in ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow ‘

    With James Gunn‘s Superman in post production and reportedly shaping up to be a very solid start for DC Studios, Gunn and DC Studios’ co-chair Peter Safran have some time to devote to getting the next round of projects ready to roll. The studio’s HBO streaming series, Lanterns,which is scheduled for a January shoot in Atlanta, has been making headlines lately and recently found its Hal Jordan in Kyle Chandler. Now, the studio’s next theatrical project has some casting news of its own.

    According to THR, Matthias Schoenaerts has signed on to be the main antagonist in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

    Based on Tom King’s DC Comics series of the same name, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is set to film in the UK in January ahead of a June 27, 2026 release. Milly Alcock landed the lead role of Kara Zor-El in January 2024, beating out Emilia Jones and Meg Donnelly to play the cousin of Kal-El. Alcock’s Supergirl is expected to first appear in 2025’s Superman.

    According to the trade report, Schoenaerts will play a villain known as Krem of the Yellow Hills. While that’s not a name that sounds as scary as Darkseid or Doomsday, Krem is a fairly ruthless baddie and, he did cross the line by inflicting damage on Kara’s dog, Krypto, in the comics, leading to Kara’s Shooter moment.

    Source: THR

  • DC Studios ‘Lanterns’ Finds Its Hal Jordan

    DC Studios ‘Lanterns’ Finds Its Hal Jordan

    First announced by DC Studios’ co-chairs James Gunn and Peter Safran in January 2022, the streaming series Lanterns is poised to play a major role in the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. Described by Safran as a “terrestrial-based investigation story” in the vein of HBO’s True Detective, the series will be focused on Green Lantern Corps members Hal Jordan and John Stewart who “find this ancient horror on Earth, and these guys are basically supercops on “Precinct Earth” which will play “a really big role leading us into the main story” of the studio’s initial shared narrative.

    Led by what Gunn described as “a crack team of writers” that consists of Tom King, Chris Mundy and Damon Lindelof, the series was ordered straight to series by HBO earlier this year. Following that news, the studio began searching for big names on both sides of the camera, eyeing Primetime Emmy Award-winning director Stephen Williams to direct the pilot and targeting star Josh Brolin to portray an older, grizzled version of Hal Jordan. With Brolin passing on the role, the studio continued its search for a big star but reportedly had trouble landing an A-lister for the role. With an eye on a January start of production, there was no true rush to find an actor to fill the role; however, according to a trade report, the studio has found its Hal Jordan.

    THR’s Borys Kit and Rick Porter reported that Primetime Emmy award winner Kyle Chandler will be suiting up as the DCU’s Hal Jordan.

    John Stewart and Hal Jordan are two of DC’s most compelling characters, and Lanterns brings them to life in an original detective story that is a foundational part of the unified DCU we’re launching next summer with Superman.

    -James Gunn and Peter Safran on HBO’s Lanterns

    Chandler won his Emmy in 2011 for his portrayal of Texas football coach Eric Taylor in the NBC series, Friday Night Lights. Over the past decade, Chandler has had plenty of other memorable roles, starring as FBI Agent Denham in The Wolf of Wall Street and in both Godzilla: King of Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong. With Chandler on board, the studio will continue its search for an actor to portray John Stewart, though Elvis star Kelvin Harrision Jr. was recently rumored to be a top choice.

    Source: THR

  • DC Studios ‘Lanterns’ Struggling to Land A-List Lead

    DC Studios ‘Lanterns’ Struggling to Land A-List Lead

    While their Power Rings are flashy, the members of the Green Lantern Corps are nothing without willpower…and right now DC Studios could use a heavy dose of it as they continue the search for their Hal Jordan. Just a couple of weeks after a star-studded shortlist for the “grizzled vet” of the Corps was revealed, a new report indicates that several stars on that list have passed on the role.

    Nexus Point News originally reported that Goonies and Avengers star Josh Brolin was DC Studios’ top choice to bring Hal Jordan to life in the DCU. Shortly after that, THR’s Borys Kit and Aaron Couch shared the news that Brolin had passed on the role and that the studio was moving down its wishlist, which reportedly included names such as Chris Pine, Ewan McGregor and Matthew McConaughey. However, THR’s report cast some doubt on those reports while also sharing that McConaughey was not going to be suiting up as Jordan either.

    This is a story of a couple of Green Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan.
    We have a few other Lanterns peppered in there but this is really a terrestrial-based TV show which is almost like True Detective with a couple of Green Lanterns who are space cops watching over Precinct Earth in it they discover a terrifying mystery that ties into our largest story of the DCU.

    _James Gunn on DC Studios Lanterns

    With production on the series slated to kick off in Atlanta in January 2025, the studio still has time to fill the role of Jordan; however, given that the series will focus on both Jordan and fellow Lantern Jon Stewart, they’ll likely want to roll through at least a couple of rounds of table reads with potential actors for Stewart to ensure the two leads have the right chemistry.

    Described by DC Studios’ co-chair Peter Safran as a “space opera” and  “terrestrial-based investigation story” in the vein of True Detective, Lanterns will play a “really big role leading us into the main story” of Chapter One. With a series bible put together by the “crack team” of Damon Lindelof, Tom King and Ozark showrunner Chris Mundy, Lanterns was ordered straight to series by HBO and DC Studios was reportedly eyeing Primetime Emmy-Award winning director Stephen Williams to helm the pilot episode. A new report by insider Daniel RPK indicates that the studio is also in talks with Lucy Tcherniak to direct some episodes of the series as well. However, until they land a Hal Jordan, Lanterns will remain grounded.

  • James Gunn Confirms Which DC Studios Project Will Follow ‘Superman’

    James Gunn Confirms Which DC Studios Project Will Follow ‘Superman’

    DC Studios’ new shared cinematic universe is set to get off the ground with Creature Commandos, an animated streaming series set for a December release on HBO. Studio co-chair James Gunn recently explained that Creature Commandos will give fans “a little nibble” of what to expect from the DCU before it begins in earnest in 2025 with Superman. Since Gunn and Peter Safran revealed their plans for the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters in early 2022, some projects have leaped ahead of others causing some confusion about what’s up next for DC Studios after Superman. Thanks to Gunn, that won’t be a problem anymore.

    While responding to a fan on Threads, Gunn confirmed that Peacemaker Season 2 is on deck behind Superman and on track for a 2025 release.

    Before the extended work stoppages in Hollywood in 2023, another streaming series, Waller, was expected to follow Superman. However, Gunn revealed that the writers’ strike had slowed Waller’s development, causing the studio to rethink its streaming slate.

    Season 1 of the John Cena-led Max series, which Gunn created, caught fans by surprise. Production on Season 2 began while Gunn was still working on Superman, leading to some speculation that David Corenswet’s Man of Steel could appear in the streaming series. Given that Peacemaker is now confirmed to be the direct follow-up to Superman, it does seem increasingly likely that not only will there be some crossover between the two projects but it will be used to explain how Cena’s character comes to be active in the new DCU.

  • ‘Creature Commandos’: James Gunn Reveals Animated Series Release Date, Teases Its Place in the DCU

    ‘Creature Commandos’: James Gunn Reveals Animated Series Release Date, Teases Its Place in the DCU

    James Gunn and Peter Safran set themselves the titanic task of creating an all-new, all-different DCU from the rumble of the previous iteration. To do so, the DC Studios co-chairs had to ensure that their projects looked and felt as different as possible from their predecessor…and by launching the new shared universe with a canonical animated series, they’ve done just that.

    Written by Gunn, the seven-episode streaming series Creature Commandos will provide what he calls “a little nibble” of what to expect from the DCU, allowing fans to “see what it tastes like.” Now fans finally know when they can expect the hors d’oeuvres.

    Gunn took to social media to reveal that Creature Commandos will debut on Max on December 5th.

    In an interview with EW, Gunn explained that part of what drew him to Creature Commandos was how far removed it was from the “mainstream” DC Comics series that most folks know and love.

    The thing I’ve always loved about DC Comics was that you had your mainstream comics that always ran, but they also had these tonally different comics like Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns and All-Star Superman. It was different from Marvel in that way. That’s something that I really want to retain within the studio, that every project is going to bring a different vision by the artists who are creating it.

    -James Gunn, EW, September 2024

    And for Gunn, dealing with “different” has proven to be his wheelhouse in superhero fare so far. While working with Marvel Studios, Gunn bravely launched a Guardians of the Galaxy franchise full of misfit comic book characters that general audiences had never heard of before and turned them into household names. While fans might see some similarities between the Guardians and the Commandos, Gunn cautions that this isn’t just an animated Guardians redux. “I’m used to dealing with oddballs and irregular types and weirdos,” said Gunn. “That’s what Guardians is, and Creature Commandos is kind of like Guardians without the sentimentality. The Guardians are all really good characters at their heart, and that just isn’t necessarily the case with the creatures.“

    While kicking off an all-new, all-different shared universe with an animated series filled with characters that only hardcore fans of DC Comics will know and that may not prove as loveable and Rocket and Groot might seem risky, Gunn is confident that Creature Commandos will effectively set the table for the DCU. “Superman is the true start of everything, it’s a humongous epic. This is a way for people to just take a little nibble and see what it tastes like,” Gunn says. “There are a ton of fun references to other DC stuff, a bunch of hints for things that are coming. So I think it’s just an extraordinarily fun way to start.“

    Source: EW