What's Next In The New Superman Franchise And DC Cinematic Universe?

Yahoo

4 days ago

The new Superman movie is storming the box office after arriving in cinemas last week, marking the start of a brand new chapter for the iconic franchise and beyond.
We've witnessed plenty of legendary comics and superhero stories undergo numerous reboots over the years, but this one is particularly exciting as it marks the start of a bold new era in the freshly relaunched DC cinematic universe (DCU) helmed by former Marvel director James Gunn.
David Corenswet suits up as Clark Kent in the new blockbuster, which also stars Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan, Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan and Nathan Fillion.
As the iconic red-caped hero is reintroduced (albeit to some rather tepid critics' responses), you might be wondering where exactly things are headed next.
Allow us to lay it out for you…
This is the start of a new DC Cinematic universe
A series of superhero movies in the DCU (previously known as the DC Extended Universe) haven't performed so well financially over the past few years, with movies like The Flash, Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom and Shazam: Fury Of The Gods bringing rather disappointing financial returns.
In response, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav hired Marvel legend James Gunn and British-American film producer Peter Safran to turn things around and revamp DC Studios.
'Three years ago, I hired James Gunn and Peter Safran to reimagine and unify the creative direction of DC under one leadership team, by breathing new life and excitement into one of the most iconic storytelling franchises in the world,' David said over Superman's opening weekend, according to Variety.
'James and Peter's commitment to honouring the legacy of the DC Universe while forging something new and enthralling is inspired.'
The CEO said he knew the Guardians Of The Galaxy director was the right person for the job, because when he spoke about DC characters, 'they were like his family'.
The revamped DCU is set to be divided into chapters, starting out under the title of Gods And Monsters. While it technically began with the 2024 animated series Creature Commandos, the new Superman movie is considered to be the 'true beginning of the DCU', as James previously shared.
What happened to Henry Cavill's Superman?
It seemed there was a bit of confusion in James Gunn's handover period.
In December 2022, Henry Cavill – who played the superhero in five movies – announced that he had been droppedby the new studio bosses less than two months after he announced his return.
'I have just had a meeting with James Gunn and Peter Safran and it's sad news, everyone. I will, after all, not be returning as Superman,' the Man Of Steel actor said. 'After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn't the easiest, but that's life.'
Henry continued: 'The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that.
'James and Peter have a universe to build. I wish them and all involved with the new universe the best of luck, and the happiest of fortunes.'
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmK7eLWJ0as/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
However, in February 2023, director James denied sacking the actor. 'We didn't fire Henry,' he told journalists, according to the BBC. 'Henry was never cast.'
He added: 'For me, it's about, who do I want to cast as Superman, and who do the filmmakers we have want to cast? And for me, for this story, it isn't Henry.'
Will there be more Superman movies?
While there's been no official announcement just yet, James Gunn has confirmed that he's working on a second Superman film.
'What I'm working on is in some way…I mean, yes, yes, yes, yes,' he responded in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. 'But is it a straight-up Superman sequel? I would not say necessarily.'
And if previous superhero franchises are anything to go by, we can be pretty confident that there might be even more movies after that.
What new films are coming in the DCU?
So far, the creative duo has mapped out a 10-year plan of stories and spinoffs.
In a recent statement (per Variety), David shared: 'This weekend, we watched Superman soar as James Gunn's passion and vision came to life on the big screen. Superman is just the first step.'
For those of you who have already watched Superman, you'll know that a brand new Supergirl is introduced in a brief cameo from Milly Alcock.
The House Of The Dragon and Sirens star is set to take the lead in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (due out sometime in 2026) helmed by I, Tonya director Craig Gillespie.
"She's a total mess. I mean, I think as we learn, she's had a completely different background from #Superman. A much more difficult background. He's had this wonderful upbringing by these two parents that loved him and were very healthy. And her background was much different than… pic.twitter.com/xq9BoAFMy9
— Screen Rant (@screenrant) July 14, 2025
So far, James has teased that her character is going to be a 'total mess', as he told ScreenRant, adding that she has 'a completely different background fromSuperman'.
Also in development is a new instalment in the Batman universe called Clayface starring White Lines actor Tom Rhys Harries in the lead role with Speak No Evil director James Watkins.
The body horror follows a shape-shifting creature made of clay which stalks Gotham City, serving as both a villain and ally of Batman.
Then there's the upcoming HBO Max series Lanterns which is also due out in 2026. It will star Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre in the leading roles as 'intergalactic cops' who investigate a murder in Nebraska, with True Detective showrunner Chris Mundy on board as showrunner.
Earlier this year, James Gunn also revealed that a new Wonder Woman is in the works, telling Entertainment Tonight that it was 'being written right now', alongside an HBO series called Paradise Island about the Amazons of Themyscira.
If all of these projects sound like they're about to be wildly different from one another, that's because, well, they are.
Speaking to IGN, James Gunn said each project in the new universe 'has its own stamp'.
'[Superman] is very different from the R-rated movie we're making, a body horror movie with Clayface,' he explained. 'It's very different from the Sgt. Rock movie we're developing. It's very different from Supergirl, which is a space fantasy…So every one of these movies is completely different.'
As and for how – or if – each of these stories will interconnect and cross over, time will only tell.
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