Why James Gunn’s Superman and Batman received’t present at SDCC 2024

After a disrupted 2023 version, San Diego Comedian-Con is again — perhaps not with the complete pressure of its glory days, however hey, there’s a Marvel panel! However whereas Kevin Feige guarantees to take Corridor H by storm — not as soon as, however twice, with a first-ever Thursday panel (devoted to Deadpool & Wolverine) — one main outfit received’t be there to rumble. DC Studios, one other comedian e-book universe on the precipice of a significant reboot, is giving Corridor H a move this yr.

The choice to skip a significant launchpad for comedian e-book leisure doesn’t seem like motivated by a insecurity. The truth is, DC may be too busy truly making stuff to indicate up for a hype circus. Presently, James Gunn, DC Studios’ co-CEO, who possible would have been the one holding courtroom in Corridor H throughout a theoretical DC-focused panel, simply wrapped a six-week stint filming his 2025 movie Superman within the nice metropolis of Cleveland. From the sound of it, there’s extra to come back. When requested if he would cease by Comedian-Con, he informed a fan, “I will likely be capturing.”

In January 2023, Gunn and his producing companion Peter Safran formally took over DC Studios, sundown the “Snyderverse” Justice League, and introduced a full slate of flicks and TV exhibits all set in a brand new, cohesive timeline known as the DCU. (In the identical breath, he defined how the upcoming Joker: Folie à Deux and The Batman: Half II have been now a part of Elseworlds canon, pure catnip to Gunn’s audience.) Gunn has solely shared a number of updates because the grand call-my-shot announcement, the most important of which was that he would personally write and direct the brand new Superman film for launch in 2025. He’s additionally tasked himself with being Fan-Responder-in-Chief, answering even probably the most bullish and nameless DC fan questions by way of Threads. Who has time for Comedian-Con while you’re working a whole universe?

The swell of DC exercise has left followers champing on the bit for data. (Simply take a look at Gunn’s mentions on social media.) The person is gracious concerning the confusion: Not too long ago, he needed to relax people excited for the proposed Marvel Lady-adjacent HBO sequence Paradise Misplaced by saying there’s no information to share, any rumors floating round are simply vaporware, and he has bupkis to report. “Nothing is “in manufacturing” until it’s been greenlit,” Gunn posted on July 17. However there’s lots in manufacturing. And in accordance with Gunn, the initiatives will roll out in “chronological” order within the new DCU timeline.

So what would DC have previewed if the studio had made its technique to Corridor H for SDCC? In response to Gunn, here’s what is admittedly, actually, actual within the DCU proper now — and what isn’t.

Occurring: Creature Commandos

The primary DCU challenge, and the opening salvo for an period dubbed “Chapter One: Gods and Monsters,” is an animated sequence coming to Max earlier than the tip of the yr, in accordance with Gunn. The present focuses on a black-ops workforce of monsters assembled by Amanda Waller to combat superpowered villainy. “Individuals aren’t going to be stunned by what it’s,” Creature Commandos govt producer Dean Lorey not too long ago informed The Wrap, suggesting the sequence is tonally just like Gunn’s The Suicide Squad — “however I feel they’ll be actually inspired to see how utterly it’s going to tell this new model of the DCU.”

The present has a locked-and-loaded roster, together with Rick Flag Sr., (Frank Grillo), Princess Ilana Rostovic (Maria Bakalova), Bride of Frankenstein (Indira Varma), Nina Mazursky (Zoë Chao), Physician Phosphorus (Alan Tudyk), Eric Frankenstein (David Harbour), G.I. Robotic (Sean Gunn), Weasel (additionally Sean Gunn!), and Steve Agee’s John Economos from Peacekeeper.

Occurring: Superman

Initially titled Superman: Legacy, the primary tentpole blockbuster of the DCU period stars David Corenswet (Twisters) as Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Highway) as Lex Luthor, plus a battalion of Gunn regulars who will play heroes starting from Hawkgirl to Inexperienced Lantern to Mister Terrific. The movie started manufacturing earlier this summer time, and by all accounts, it’s on observe for its July 11, 2025 launch date. As Gunn has mentioned many instances over the past yr, the entire thing is a dream come true.

Occurring: Peacemaker season 2

Filming on season 2 of the grandfathered-in DCU sequence Peacemaker began in April, with John Cena again below the chrome helmet. Virtually all of the sequence regulars are again from season 1, with a number of new additions, together with Frank Grillo, who will bounce from Creature Commandos to live-action enjoying Rick Flag Sr. Gunn has but to disclose a premiere date for the second season, however clarified that it’ll happen after Superman and deal straight with the film’s occasions.

Occurring: Supergirl: Lady of Tomorrow

Gunn confirmed this month that DC’s adaptation of the banger comedian Supergirl: Lady of Tomorrow is zooming ahead with Home of the Dragon season 1 star Milly Alcock within the lead function. Tailored by actor-writer Ana Nogueira for director Craig Gillespie (Dumb Cash, I, Tonya), the film not too long ago locked down a launch date of June 26, 2026. Rumor on the road is that fan-favorite area biker Lobo may present up (performed by Jason Momoa?), which might have been a really SDCC factor to disclose, however not this yr!

Occurring: Lanterns

After years in growth, Gunn, Safran, and HBO lastly introduced that the Inexperienced Lantern-focused TV sequence Lanterns lastly bought the… heh… inexperienced gentle. Chris Mundy (True Detective: Night time Nation) is about as showrunner and govt producer, with Damon Lindelof (Watchmen, The Leftovers, Misplaced) and famed comics author Tom King (Mister Miracle, Supergirl) co-writing and govt producing. Whereas Nathan Fillion is about to play Inexperienced Lantern knucklehead Man Gardner in Superman, Lanterns is a two-hander between Hal Jordan and John Stewart.

Occurring in Elseworlds: Penguin, Joker: Folie à Deux, The Batman: Half II

One DC challenge that’s headed to SDCC is The Penguin, HBO’s spin-off of Matt Reeves’ The Batman, set in Gotham’s legal underbelly. Colin Farrell returns as Oswald Cobblepot, who’s selecting himself up after the occasions of Matt Reeves’ 2022 movie. Later this fall, we’ll get the Joker sequel film, and all the way in which in 2026, Reeves’ theatrical The Batman sequel.

Not occurring… but: Paradise Misplaced

Within the preliminary DCU announcement, Gunn laid out plans for a Marvel Lady spin-off sequence that will basically be Recreation of Thrones, “however with all of the inhabitants of Paradise Island.” However it’s solely an thought on paper at this stage — not even SDCC-worthy, but.

“Paradise Misplaced like many different titles identified and unknown remains to be in very energetic growth,” Gunn mentioned on Threads. “It is going to be in manufacturing as soon as we have now a script or scripts we expect are nice and able to shoot, by no means earlier than. As an apart, we aren’t formally solid on something that isn’t greenlit.”

Not occurring… but: Waller

A proposed spinoff theoretically following Viola Davis’ character from the Suicide Squad motion pictures and Peacekeeper sequence has been floated with out significant updates over time. However Gunn assured a fan on Threads that it’s “great and [in] very energetic growth.” Final we heard, Doom Patrol creator Jeremy Carver was on board to write down the scripts.

In limbo: The Authority, The Courageous and the Daring, Swamp Factor, Booster Gold

A number of the initiatives Gunn listed within the unique DCU announcement have gone principally dormant as Gunn ramped up manufacturing on Superman. The Flash director Andy Muschietti stays hooked up to direct The Courageous and the Daring, the DCU’s official tackle Batman, whereas James Mangold was imagined to direct the Swamp Factor film. (However we’ll see whether or not a Star Wars prequel film takes up his time as an alternative.) The place may we study extra, with DC skipping SDCC 2024? As all the time, we should maintain out hope for a brand new DC FanDome.