Peter Safran and James Gunn‘s vision for the new DCU will kick off with the animated series Creature Commandoes, continue in the streaming series Waller and begin in earnest in 2025’s Superman: Legacy. However, there are four projects left over from the old regime that are set to debut before DC Studios projects begin rolling out. At a press event in Los Angeles, Gunn explained how those projects were viewed and what potential futures they might have.
“We will say that we’ve gotten very lucky with the next four projects,” said Gunn. “Shazam 2’ is coming out. ‘Shazam’ is kind of off to itself. But then ‘Shazam’ leads into ‘Flash’ and ‘The Flash’ resets everything. I will say here that ‘The Flash’ is probably one of the greatest superhero movies ever made,” he added. “It’s an amazing film and then it goes into ‘Blue Beetle,’ which is awesome. That has its own world and that fits directly into our DCU which goes into ‘Aquaman’ which will then lead into ‘Superman’ and the other projects that we’ll talk about in a moment.“
Co-chair Peter Safran then chimed in with some interesting thoughts.
These four movies are terrific. There’s no reason why any of the characters and the actors playing those characters are not part of the DCU. There’s nothing that prohibits that from happening. There is no reason why all the people you mentioned couldn’t be part of the DC. We just haven’t decided what the story that we want to tell that incorporates Shazam or Aquaman.
Peter Safran
So while the new vision for the DCU takes shape, there’s still room for some of the old guard, including Aquaman star Jason Momoa. Now whether or not those potential stories would be part of the main continuity or fall under the newly revealed DC Elseworlds designation remains to be seen, but the opportunity exists for more stories which is something that recently seemed unlikely.
As part of DC Studios’ big slate rollout, the sequel to 2022’s The Batman was given an official release date and an interesting new designation. The film, The Batman: Part II, will release in theaters on October 3, 2025 under the banner of DC Elseworlds.
The new DCU will be a functional multiverse but projects which are not in the same continuity as projects like Superman: Legacy and The Brave and The Bold will be designated as DC Elseworlds stories, a designation taken straight from the comics. DC co-chair Peter Safran explained the concept during a press event in Los Angeles.
The DCU, as we can see it, is a multiverse. But we’re going to be focusing on one universe within that multiverse. We’ll incorporate, as I said, some of the actors and characters from the past but mostly we’re going to cast new. Now if something is not DCU – if it’s blatantly adult like Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker’ or Matt Reeves’ ‘Batman’ or ‘Teen Titans Go,’ those properties we’re going to label clearly as DC Elseworlds just like the comics do. We’re going to be very clear. The bar is going to be very high for projects that are going to be outside the DCU, the Elseworlds projects, but every now and again, there’ll be something that lives up to that. And we’ll make that film or television series.
Peter Safran
While its likely that most projects approved by Gunn and Safran will fall in the main continuity of the DCU, the Elseworlds designation will provide an interesting path forward for creator driven projects such as Joker and The Batman in the future.
The future of the DC Universe is starting to take shape. At January 30th press event in Los Angeles, DC Studios co-chairs JamesGunn and Peter Safran shared the first details of the new slate of projects which includes 5 films and 5 streaming series. Among the projects introduced was Superman: Legacy, written by Gunn, The Brave and The Bold, which will feature the live-action debut of Damian Wayne, and a streaming series featuring Amanda Waller. The projects make up the first half of DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters and will release over the next several years. Here’s a full breakdown of what fans have to look forward to.
Superman: Legacy
Gunn’s Superman film is set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025. In late 2022, Gunn called the character a “huge priority” for the new DC Universe. Gunn has always been a fan of the character and his film, which will focus on a younger version of the character, will establish Superman as a major player in the plans for the DCU in what Gunn calls the true beginning of the DCU.
“This is really the start of the DCU. It’s currently being written by James and I sincerely hope that he can be persuaded, perhaps, to direct it as well,” Safran said.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Kara Zor-El will be featured in a film based on Tom King’s series Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. It’s unknown if Sasha Calle will reprise the role from The Flash.
The Brave and The Bold
Not to be confused with Matt Reeves’ Batman projects which now fall under the Elseworlds category, The Brave and The Bold will introduce a new Batman who will share the screen with his son, Damian Wayne. The film will be based on Grant Morrison’s Batman run. Gunn calls this the beginning of the Bat Family in the DCU.
Paradise Lost
A streaming series set on Themiscyra before the birth of Wonder Woman, Paradise Lost will be “about the political intrigue behind a society of all women.” Gunn calls it Game of Thrones but on Paradise Island!
Booster Gold
Shortly after taking the job as co-chair, Gunn revealed that Booster Gold was the character most commonly requested by fans interacting with him on Mastodon. Those fans should be thrilled as a Booster Gold series is in the works at DC Studios and will stream on HBO Max.
Creature Commandos
An animated series based on a group of character who made their first appearance in Weird War Tales #93, Creature Commandos is already in production and will be the first projectfrom the new slate to debut. The seven episode series was written by Gunn.
Waller
Amanda Waller has played a part in Gunn’s two previous DC entires, The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, and now “The Wall” will be featured in her own streaming series. Viola Davis will be back in the role and the series will serve as a bridge between the Seasons 1 and 2 of Peacemaker.
Lanterns
Iconic Lanterns Hal Jordan and Jonathan Stewart will be the focus of a streaming series. The series takes the place of the “space opera” Green Lantern series that was originally in development. Gunn describes the HBO series as a terrestrial based TV show in the vein of True Detective. The two Lanterns will discover a terrifying mystery that ties into the DCU’s overarching narrative.
Swamp Thing
The DCU will introduce The Green in a Swamp Thing origin film.
The Authority
Based on Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch‘s Wildstorm imprint series which was picked up by some of comics’ most well-regarded creators over the years, The Authority will introduce audiences to a no-nonense group of heroes including Superman and Batman analogs Apollo and Midnighter.
Dave Bautista may not be playing Bane in the new DC Universe, but there’s one character on his list that may make for an intriguing fit. In an interview with Comic Book, the former wrestler revealed that he’s up to portray one of DC’s most iconic villains.
Comic Book’s Chris Killian recently pointed out a bit of a resemblance between Bautista and DC mega villain Lex Luthor.
Bautista responded to Killian’s post by saying, “I never thoughy about that! And now I’m not going be able to stop thinking about it.” When asked about his response to the post, Bautista expanded on his original thought.
I just never thought about playing that character. As soon as I saw that picture of myself next to Lex Luthor I was like, ‘Man, that’s really interesting.’ It’s interesting to me. I’d be totally up for that, James Gunn.
Dave Bautista
Though there’s been no official confirmation that Luthor will be part of DC’s new slate of projects, it’s hard to believe Gunn won’t work the character into the DCU somehow. As for the possibility of Bautista playing the character, Gunn has said that he hopes to work with Bautista and his fellow Guardians of the Galaxy stars on some DC projects meaning there’s some potential for it to happen.
John Wick’s war against the High Table is set to explode this Spring in John Wick 4. After swearing fealty to the Elder in Parabllum, Wick reneged on his oath when he refused to kill Winston. Now injured and on the run, Wick will have a menacing new villain, Marquis de Gramont, on his heels.
Bill Skarsgård will bring the “viciously ambitious” Marquis to life and while he may not seem like a match for Baba Yaga, Skarsgård’s character will pose a unique threat to Wick.
“The Marquis is a young man of unknown origin who has quickly climbed the ladder within the High Table doing god knows what“, says Skarsgård of his villainous new character. “I always saw him as someone from the gutter that now savors the glittery suits he’s wearing,” he added.
As for the threat he poses to one of the world’s most dangerous assassins, Skarsgård’s Marquis manipulates the “bureaucratic evils” of the High Table to gain leverage over Wick…and attempt to get end his run.
He functions as the new sheriff set out to rid the world of John Wick once and for all. John’s getting old and tired, the Marquis is offering him a way out. To be the one who finally kills the Baba Yaga would secure his status and power within the High Table.
Bill Skarsgård
Of course, The Marquis won’t be the first person trying to make a name for himself by taking out Wick; however, the question fans need to ask is if he will be the last.
Fans of 2005’s Constantine have eagerly awaited a sequel and now the resurgence of Keanu Reeves as John Constantine is finally underway, with Francis Lawrence back as director. Reeves expressed his love for the character and eagerness to collaborate with Lawrence again.
I don’t know if it was unfinished business but it was definitely a role that I loved. And I thought that Francis Lawrence, the director, did such amazing work. I loved playing that character, and I really enjoyed the film. I was like, [adopts Oliver Twist voice] ‘Can I please have some more?
Keanu Reeves
In a recent interview with Total Film magazine, Reeves spoke of his excitement for the upcoming project, though he remains cautious and aware of the unpredictable nature of the industry. Despite initial criticism from hardcore comic fans, Constantine has earned a strong following, attaining a 72% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and was a financial success, generating a global box office total of $250 million on a $100 million budget.
The announcement of Constantine 2 was one of the first by Warner Bros. Discovery in 2022. However, prior plans for a slate of HBO Max original projects featuring “dark” DC characters were canceled following the merger. Regardless, Reeves sees this as a new opportunity to bring the character back to life in a new and exciting manner.
It’s exciting. It’s almost like an open playground that we can hopefully cook something up and play in, and I guess get out of the playground and prepare a meal… But I’m looking forward to it, and hopefully it can happen. You don’t know how these things go. But I’m definitely going to try my darndest to try and realize that dream.
– Keanu Reeves
Though Reeves himself isn’t sure if the film will be made, fans eagerly await the return of the beloved actor as John Constantine and to see what the future holds for this beloved character.
Over the course of the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, an ongoing feud was established between Obi-Wan Kenobi and the cybernetic Separatist General Grievous. Star Wars fans will remember well how the feud ended but some interesting new comments from series’ writer Henry Gilroy indicate it could have started much differently.
I’m an interview with /Film, Gilroy revealed that while crafting Grievous’ origins, Star Wars creator George Lucas initially considered giving him a much more personal connection to Kenobi.
George was considering that Grievous was Maul behind the armor plate. It made sense. He’s cut in half, and he’s in this robot body or whatever. I’m glad that Grievous is his own thing anyway, but I thought it was interesting that the concept guys almost talked George into that
Henry Gilroy
Maul and Kenobi’s paths first crossed on Naboo where Kenobi and his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, battled the Dathomirian Sith Lord. After Maul killed Jinn, Kenobi avenged his Master’s death by cutting the Sith in half, apparently ending his story. Obviously, Lucas went in an entirely different direction with Grievous instead, choosing to craft his origins from scratch which also allowed for the creators of The Clone Wars and Rebels to find a way to bring Maul back into canon. Maul’s rage and ongoing feud with Kenobi served as a recurring plot point in the animated series until the two dueled again. Though Kenobi won their rematch and killed Maul, the two reconciled in Maul’s final moments.
While the idea of Grievous being Maul may have been compelling, choosing to go a different route proved to create not only a second, worthy antagonist for the franchise but also give Maul fascinatingly rich follow-up chapters to his own story, ultimately serving the franchise in the best possible way.
In 2019, Kevin Feige announced that Marvel Studios was developing a FantasticFour film much to the excitement of fans of the property. Four years and two directos later, little is known about the upcoming project. No actors have been announced for any member of the First Family and only the vaguest of rumored details about the potential plot have made their way online. However, according to a new rumor, the film’s villain may have been revealed.
Twitter users My Time To Shine Hello and Tom Smith have indicated that Galactus will be the villain of 2025’s Fantastic Four.
The rumors kicked off during a Q&A with My Time To Shine Hello. When asked who the main villain of the project would be, she simply stated “Galactus.” A matter of hours later, Smith backed up the claim that Galactus would be involved.
Starting off the franchise with a threat such as Galactus would be a bold move for Marvel Studios. While the character is one of the most well-known antagonists of the team in the comics, it’s been generally believed Marvel would start out with a less enormous threat. It’s unknown what route director Matt Shakman‘s adaptation of the character might take, but hopefully, if the rumors are true, fans will get to see Galactus fully revealed as Jack Kirby intended and not a cloud of cosmic dust in the wind.
With Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania set to start Phase 5 in February, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to dramatically change course in the midst of the Multiverse Saga. Much like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the official list of what a fan should watch to prepare for the film is not quite as simple as you’d think. Part of this is the mere fact that the MCU now has 30 films, 8 Disney+ series, 2 Disney+ special presentations, and I Am Groot. Still, considering the absolute chaos of the Multiverse, the introduction of the Multiverse Saga’s main villain, a Young Avengers setup, and threequel status make Quantumania a fun one for our latest Ultimate List of Things to Watch Before.
At the end of the day, 16 projects made this list with varying degrees of relevance. First, the top three tiers are focused on Scott Lang/Ant-Man’s story as well as the Multiverse. After that, it is hard to ignore that Cassie Lang’s role in Quantumania is setting up yet another (likely) future Young Avenger, so the list takes a stroll down memory lane of others we have already seen. As is tradition, the last category really pushes the limit of what makes sense. In any event, somehow every single MCU Disney+ series has made this list, so get started.
Top Tier
The top tier, as you would suspect, comprises the most important projects to watch before Quantumania based on what we know about the film.
1. Ant-Man
It should go without saying that anyone watching the third film in a solo franchise should start with the original film. In 2015, Ant-Man was the epilogue of Phase 2 and introduced Scott Lang, Hank Pym, and Hope Van Dyne for the first time along with several other key players. From the official Quantumania trailer, we also know that the villain Darren Cross appears to be the face of M.O.D.O.K.
2. Ant-Man and the Wasp
While Ant-Man and the Wasp received notoriously mixed reactions, its focus on the Quantum Realm set up so much of the future of the MCU. The film brought the character Janet Van Dyne into reality but also set up the Quantum Realm as a real place to exist—this is where we will find our characters for much of Quantumania. It also highlights Scott’s relationship with his young daughter Cassie, who will be a teenager and seemingly much more important character in the threequel.
3. Loki
Other than the Ant-Man franchise, the Disney+ series Loki is probably the most important project to watch before Quantumania. The finale introduced us to the first variant of Kang the Conquerer in Jonathan Majors’ He Who Remains, though “Kang” is set to make his more formal debut in the third Ant-Man film. He Who Remains provided an extremely important monologue about who he was and what would happen if variants of himself were allowed to live on. Now, we’re going to watch the consequences of Loki begin to play out, presumably all coming to an end in Avengers: Secret Wars. Quantumania may have gotten the Multiverse Saga’s most important character as its solo film antagonist, and we will surely see the actual multiverse truly come into play in the wider MCU after this film.
Tier Two
The second tier of “must watches” before Quantumania is short, but it focuses on the remainder of Scott’s on-screen story as well as the Quantum Realm’s connection to the multiverse.
4. Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Endgame very casually dropped the first hints of the Multiverse and the first major consequences of the Quantum Realm and quantum-related technology. Of course, the film shows another appearance of the character, and it is the first time we saw Cassie as a teenager. The father and daughter’s lost time is clearly central to Quantumania, so their reunion early in this film has major significance. A pro tip for the real fans here is that it is always best to watch Avengers: Infinity War along with Endgame, even though there is virtually no Ant-Man significance.
5. Captain America: Civil War
The events of Captain America: Civil War will likely not have much relevance to Quantumania’s story, but in the true MCU spirit of preparing oneself for a solo threequel, all appearances of the character should be watched.
Tier Three
The third tier is (mostly) dedicated to the multiverse. While Quantumania is the first film of the second phase of the Multiverse Saga, Kang’s introduction will likely kick the stakes up a notch.
6. Ms. Marvel
True, Disney+ series Ms. Marvel is not related to the Multiverse. But the series (or at least the first minute or two of the first episode) is here because it mentions that Scott has become a relatively famous person and Avenger post-Endgame. The beginning of the Quantumania trailer also alludes to this fact, so this moment in Ms. Marvel is a significant connecting piece.
7. What If…?
The entrance of Kang and the beginning of Phase 5 can only mean that the MCU’s Multiverse is actually going to start coming out to play. Whether or not it’s a major factor in the main portion of Quantumania is yet to be seen, but the fallout of the film probably carries a lot of multiversal weight. The best way to get into the multiverse mindset is to watch the only project actually dedicated to it, even if it’s at the bottom of most people’s Phase Four favorites lists.
8. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
How can you talk about the Multiverse without the film that has the word in its title? Several potential Young Avengers are present here (discussed more below), but Multiverse of Madness was the first live-action project to genuinely explore the multiverse to a significant extent. While it did not live up to all fans’ expectations, Quantumania will surely build on what we know from the Doctor Strange sequel.
9. Spider-Man: No Way Home
The events of Spider-Man: No Way Home are likely well-removed from the world of Quantumania, but the film is a Multiverse classic, and likely the general population’s favorite of all MCU Multiverse-centered projects to date.
Introducing the Young Avengers
An ongoing rumor—or, more likely, prediction—is that the Young Avengers are slowly being assembled throughout several projects. Cassie Lang’s status as a teenage superhero in Quantumania means yet another obvious candidate will be introduced. Notably, Multiverse of Madness (which is already listed above) introduced America Chavez and featured young versions of Wiccan and Speed for the second time in the MCU.
10. Hawkeye
Kate Bishop’s inclusion in Disney+ series Hawkeye got plenty of Young Avengers hype. Not only is she a classic Young Avenger in the comics, but the character has received by far the most attention of any of the likely future members.
11. WandaVision
Wanda’s children, Billy and Tommy, perhaps sparked the first rumors of a future Young Avengers project. The duo’s powers as Wiccan and Speed were also featured in the Disney+ series WandaVision, making it clear that they likely have a superhero future outside of the show.
12. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Often overlooked, another likely Young Avenger made his debut in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Elijah Bradley, who becomes the superhero Patriot in the comics, has a couple of brief appearances alongside the focus on Isaiah Bradley, a lost/covered-up supersoldier Bucky encountered during the Korean War.
Why Not?
The title of this section says it all. The following projects do have some connection (maybe) to Quantumania in some way, but those connections are extremely distant from anything particularly important. This category is for the true fans.
13. Moon Knight
While Disney+ series Moon Knight notably omits references to the broader MCU, one of its few Easter eggs is actually Kang-related. In its third episode, the image on the back of one of the generic goons Marc Spector fights is a reference to Kang the Conquerer’s time as the pharaoh Rama-Tut in the comics (and presumably the MCU as well).
14. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
One of the worst connections thrown your way yet, the post-credits scene of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings shows that the Ten Rings have a beacon—and the Quantumania teaser trailer also featured a beacon that clearly led to the Quantum Realm and likely Kang directly. Are all beacons the same? No. But could the Quantum Realm be relevant to mystical items like the Ten Rings or Ms. Marvel’s bangles? Maybe—you should probably watch this just in case.
15. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
The final two projects in this list are certainly a reach but a connection can still be made. The final Disney+ series so far, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, teased the criminal organization the Intelligencia. While we do not know if the name is the only thing borrowed from the comics, we do know that M.O.D.O.K., a Quantumania villain, is a member of the supervillain and super-scientist organization in the comics.
16. Iron Man 3 (AIM)
Like She-Hulk, Iron Man 3 has a loose connection to Quantumania involving M.O.D.O.K.’s comic book history. M.O.D.O.K. has an extensive history with the criminal organization A.I.M., which was briefly introduced and teased in the final Iron Man film.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hits theaters on February 17, 2023.
In what may come as a surprise to some, Marvel Studio’s Eternals was the most streamed film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2022. The Chloe Zhao-directed film ranked 13th in Nielsen’s list of the Top 15 Streaming Movies of 2022, and is the only film from Marvel Studios present. Below is the full list of films and their view count.
Encanto (27.416 billion / Disney+)
Turning Red (11.427 billion / Disney+)
Sing 2 (11.347 billion / Netflix)
Moana (8.629 billion / Disney+)
The Adam Project (6.141 billion / Netflix)
Hocus Pocus 2 (5.697 billion / Disney+)
Don’t Look Up (5.141 billion / Netflix)
Frozen (5.133 billion / Disney+)
Luca (4.974 billion / Disney+)
The Gray Man (4.972 billion / Netflix)
Zootopia (4.437 billion / Disney+)
Coco (4.253 billion / Disney+)
Eternals (4.236 billion / Disney+)
Frozen II (4.195 billion / Disney+)
Uncharted (4.179 billion / Netflix)
The list from Nielsen highlights the dominance that both Disney+ and Netflix hold in the streaming landscape. Based on their view counts and subscriber numbers, the two are definitive benchmarks for successful streaming services. This group of 15 films also highlights the domination child-oriented family movies hold in the film industry.
When it comes to Eternals specifically, this type of data could be seen as a promising sign for fans of the original film. While the 2021 theatrical release was one of the lowest performing from both financial and critical perspectives for Marvel Studios, it appears the film has found a sizeable audience on Disney+. With that in mind, one could see such a high view count as a check in the plus column for continuing the franchise for at least a sequel project (if it was ever in doubt to begin with). Though an interesting possibility could then be to move the Eternals franchise exclusively to Disney+. The film has at least appeared to be more accessible via streaming. And allowing a longer runtime that isn’t constrained for a sequel could help further expand the stories of these characters, something that could’ve helped the critical success of the rare mixed performance of a Marvel Studios film.
We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using our site, you consent to cookies.
This website uses cookies
Websites store cookies to enhance functionality and personalise your experience. You can manage your preferences, but blocking some cookies may impact site performance and services.
Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website.
Name
Description
Duration
Cookie Preferences
This cookie is used to store the user's cookie consent preferences.
30 days
These cookies are needed for adding comments on this website.
Name
Description
Duration
comment_author_email
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
comment_author_url
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
comment_author
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
Statistics cookies collect information anonymously. This information helps us understand how visitors use our website.
Google Analytics is a powerful tool that tracks and analyzes website traffic for informed marketing decisions.
Contains information related to marketing campaigns of the user. These are shared with Google AdWords / Google Ads when the Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked together.
90 days
__utma
ID used to identify users and sessions
2 years after last activity
__utmt
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests
10 minutes
__utmb
Used to distinguish new sessions and visits. This cookie is set when the GA.js javascript library is loaded and there is no existing __utmb cookie. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
30 minutes after last activity
__utmc
Used only with old Urchin versions of Google Analytics and not with GA.js. Was used to distinguish between new sessions and visits at the end of a session.
End of session (browser)
__utmz
Contains information about the traffic source or campaign that directed user to the website. The cookie is set when the GA.js javascript is loaded and updated when data is sent to the Google Anaytics server
6 months after last activity
__utmv
Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
2 years after last activity
__utmx
Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.
18 months
_ga
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gali
Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked
30 seconds
_ga_
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gid
ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity
24 hours
_gat
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager
1 minute
Marketing cookies are used to follow visitors to websites. The intention is to show ads that are relevant and engaging to the individual user.
Pinterest Tag is a web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic.
