All 22 Upcoming DC Movies & Shows (2023, 2024 & Beyond)
Over the past dozen years or so, DC was a total wreck. Not only the DCEU but all of their projects went through turmoil, even those that eventually worked out – like CW’s Arrowverse. Warner Bros. and DC turned a new page with Peter Safran and James Gunn spearheading a new, revamped, and rekindled DCU.
Some people and characters got the boot, while some are destined to return to their prominent roles. To add to it, DC announced a ton of projects that will exist outside of the main DCU continuity, under a banner known as DC Elseworlds, or even outside of that, too!
Long story short – being a DC Comics fan is a very exciting time. But, with all those new announcements, cancelations, and projects that are still in doubt, it’s hard to keep track of everything. Therefore, I’m bringing you the ultimate list of all 22 upcoming DC movies & shows, in and out of the DCU. We’ll exclude DC animated movies from the list due to their abundance.
1. ‘Blue Beetle’ (August 18, 2023)
The first project of the new DCU era will be ‘Blue Beetle,’ arriving this month on August 18, 2023. It’ll be the first time we see the Beetle on-screen, but we can expect a great project! Angel Manuel Soto will be the director of the film, whereas Xolo Mariduena will portray the titular hero, Jaime Reyes.
Jaime is the third Blue Beetle in DC Comics – a teenager from El Paso, Texas, who finds the alien blue scarab in a creek, which bonds with his spine and allows him to become the super-powerful host of the Blue Beetle. It’ll be very interesting to see how the film’s story differs from the comics and to see the direction of the DCU that’ll be opened up with this project.
2. ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ (December 20, 2023)
The long-delayed ‘Aquaman’ sequel is (*knocks on wood three times*) officially coming out on December 20, 2023. After all the DCEU changes and restructures and all the Amber Heard public drama, I was actually convinced this movie would, in the end, never see the light of day. Well, it turns out I was wrong, as we saw Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry in ‘The Flash.’
Well, in the movie’s post-credit scene, to be precise. James Wan will return to direct ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ while Momoa, Patrick Wilson, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II are all returning in their respective roles. Also, rumors suggested that Amber Heard’s role was reduced to less than ten minutes of screen time, but we’ll see what they have in store for us.
Also, it’s still not clear whether this movie will take place before or after the events of ‘The Flash’ – meaning, we don’t know if it’s a pre-DCU or a DCU movie. Meaning, we have no idea what the future holds for Momoa’s Aquaman. We’ll have to wait and see.
3. ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ (October 4, 2024)
Barring any delays, the sequel to Joaquim Phoenix and Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker’ (2019 is coming out on October 4, 2024. The movie initially wasn’t going to have a sequel, but the bombshell success of the film made Warner Brothers reconsider, and voila – we’re getting a sequel!
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ will be a movie revolving around the same psychologically disorder-oriented version of the Joker, but only this time, he’ll have a companion in Lady Gaga, who portrays the infamous Harley Quinn. This particular film won’t be a part of the main DCU but rather one of the projects existing under the DC Elseworlds banner.
4. ‘Superman: Legacy’ (July 11, 2025)
No, Henry Cavill is not coming back.
“We didn’t fire Henry. Henry was never cast. 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.” – said James Gunn.
Basically, Cavill’s all-grown-up, mature Supes doesn’t work for ‘Superman: Legacy.’ While it’s not supposed to be an origin story, it will explore the younger days of Clark Kent working as a reporter. He’ll struggle between being a superhero and an ordinary guy and being a kind soul in a world full of hate and evil.
We already have a July 11, 2025, date for the release of the new DCU and the two leads – David Corenswet and Rachel Broshanan, who’ll play Clark Kent and Lois Lane, respectively.
5. ‘The Batman Part II’ (October 3, 2025)
Much like ‘Joker’ (2019), ‘The Batman’ wasn’t supposed to have a sequel. However, Robert Pattinson as Batman kind of worked, and the movie was rather successful, so Matt Reeves and the team are gearing up to helm another movie – a direct sequel to 2022’s ‘The Batman.’
Much like the first film, the sequel won’t be a part of the official DCU, as the main DCU continuity is getting its own new Bruce Wayne. Still, this DC Elseworlds story will surely be a hit, bringing us something different and more psychological to the Caped Crusader. Some might find that a bit slow and boring, but it’ll undoubtedly hold quality.
6. ‘Superman & Lois’ Season 4 (TBD)
I was almost sure that ‘Superman & Lois’ was getting booted, but CW surprised us all by renewing the show for a fourth – and, likely the final – season of action. I’m happy to hear that because, although it does cost a lot, ‘Superman & Lois’ is a super entertaining show with tons of quality and great story development.
The fourth season will be ten episodes long, and the exact release date is still to be determined. (SPOILERS) Season 3 ended on a cliffhanger with Supes and Doomsday still engaged in a fight, so I just hope they don’t kill off Superman that easily, and then focus the rest of the season on side characters.
Naturally, CW’s ‘Superman & Lois’ isn’t a part of the DCU, but it is still a DC project.
7. ‘The Brave and the Bold’ (TBD)
I’m actually quite excited about this one because I didn’t quite enjoy Ben Affleck’s interpretation of the Caped Crusader. That’s not to say he was bad, it’s just a matter of taste. Well, ‘The Brave and the Bold’ will be a new story about Batman, with a new actor portraying Bruce Wayne.
And, the best part – we’re getting a Robin in the DCU for the first time. And not just any Robin, but Damian Wayne – Bruce Wayne’s own son. Yup, DCU’s Batman will be a daddy! As James Gunn shared:
“This is based on Grant Morrison’s great comic book run. Damian Wayne is my favorite Robin, he’s a little assassin who Batman tries to get in line and so this is the story of the two of them and the beginning of sort of the Bat Family in the DCU.”
8. ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ (TBD)
‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ is currently in development, and it’ll revolve around Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin who spent most of her life living on a fragment of Krypton that got separated from the rest of the planet as it was destroyed. She watched everything and everyone she knew and loved die while she remained alive.
“So she’s a much harsher and more f***ed up Supergirl that we’ve been used to this far.” – said Gunn when announcing the project.
It’s unclear if Kara Zor-El will be portrayed by a new actress or by Sasha Calle, who portrayed supergirl in 2023’s ‘The Flash.’ We do know that Tom King is associated with the project, the writer behind the graphic novel of the same name where Supergirl helps a girl find her father’s killer, traveling through the galaxy to do the right thing.
As for the movie’s release date, Gunn said that the plan is to get Superman out, and then ‘two years later,’ Superwoman. We know that Supes is getting his movie in mid-2025, so we can expect this project to be delivered somewhere in 2027.
9. ‘The Authority’ (TBD)
James Gunn kind of made a name for himself by bringing out Marvel’s obscure group of characters – the Guardians of the Galaxy – to the forefront, making them exponentially more popular than they ever were in the comics.
I’m guessing they are ‘gunning’ (stupid pun intended) to do the same with The Authority – a group of misfit antiheroes who were actually a part of Wildstorm Comics before becoming a part of DC. Basically, they wanted to do the same thing as the Justice League – protect Earth and its people – but they never shied away from getting down and dirty to get their ‘justice.’
Honestly, this project excites me the most out of all others on this list, as I finally hope we’re getting something bloody and R-rated yet superhero-related in theaters.
10. ‘Swamp Thing’ (TBD)
Another horror-ish DC property is getting a new live-action opportunity to shine after the 2019 series got canceled after a single season. Yes, I’m talking about the ‘Swamp Thing.’ The project is in development, with James Mangold developing the script (the director of ‘Logan’).
I sincerely hope that people recognize this character’s insanely awesome, and I have no doubts about this movie being a hit when it comes out.
11. ‘Waller’ (TBD – possibly 2024)
While many DCEU characters and projects are getting canned, James Gunn’s Amanda Waller, portrayed by Viola Davis, is not only returning to the DCU – she is getting her own spin-off TV show.
If you recall, Waller is the operative behind The Suicide Squad who’s never afraid to do the nasty thing to complete an objective – even if it means hiring criminals and serial killers to do the dirty work. She was also the brains behind ‘Peacemaker’ – who, by the way, is also getting another season of action.
We don’t know when ‘Waller’ is coming out, but some sources suggest it could come out as early as 2024. What we do know, however, is that it’ll take place right after the events of Peacemaker Season 1.
I’m honestly excited that, with ‘Waller,’ ‘Peacemaker,’ ‘The Authority,’ and ‘Swamp Thing,’ the DCU looks much more mature and darker than what we’re used to seeing from superhero flicks. Count me it!
12. ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 (TBD)
As mentioned, a lot will change in the DCU, but ‘Peacemaker’ is remaining a part of it. James Gunn’s project was a major hit on HBO Max, and now, it’s confirmed that a second season is coming and that John Cena – along with the majority of the cast for Season 1 – is returning for another season of action.
The release date is still unknown, but we do know that it’ll come out after ‘Waller.’ So, don’t count on it arriving before mid-to-late 2024 or possibly even later.
13. ‘Creature Commandos’ (TBD – possibly 2024)
‘Creature Commandos’ will be the first-ever animated series that’ll be a part of either the DCEU or the DCU. It’s a dark comedy show about a hilarious group of monsters and creatures forming a Suicide Squad-esque team, yet again formed by Amanda Waller.
It might be an obscure DC group that not many people are acquainted with, but again, so were the Guardians of the Galaxy, and now, they’re one of Marvel’s major hits. So yeah, can’t wait to watch this one. Gunn stated that all seven episodes are already written and in production, so a 2024 release date seems rather realistic.
14. ‘Booster Gold’ (TBD)
DC fans know very well who Booster Gold is, because he’s simply hilarious, but still a guy who wants to do good. So, he was a total loser in the future, so he uses some basic future technology to return in time and act like a superhero. And he does heroic stuff, but he’s totally goofy and just wants people to love him.
We have no idea when ‘Booster Gold’ is hitting HBO Max, but we know that the TV series will still be a part of DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. Seeing that Booster was best friends with Blue Beetle (although, technically, he was best buds with Jamie Reyes’ predecessor, Ted Kord), it’ll be interesting to see if Gunn and Safran plan on connecting the two in the show.
15. ‘Paradise Lost’ (TBD)
‘Paradise Lost’ has been announced as a ‘Game of Thrones-like’ TV show taking place on Themiscyra, the ‘Paradise Island’ where Wonder Woman was born, and the Amazons live. There’s a comic book storyline called ‘Paradise Island Lost,’ a two-part story featured in ‘Wonder Woman’ #169-169.
Basically, all of the inhabitants of Themyscira will take place in a conflict that’ll see the island invaded and defended by the Amazons – or so it seems. It’s also rumored to be a prequel to the first two Wonder Woman films, but none of these pieces of information have been confirmed, other than the ‘Game of Thrones’ reference that James Gunn made.
16. ‘Lanterns’ (TBD)
‘Lanterns’ will be a TV show about a group of Green Lanterns – John Stewart, Hal Jordan, and a couple of other Green Lanterns. We don’t know the exact plot, but we do know that it’s ‘really a terrestrial-based TV show,’ according to Gunn.
Basically, a group of ‘space cops,’ as Gunn called the Green Lanterns, will be watching over Earth and discovering a ‘terrifying mystery’ that ties into the larger DCU storyline. It was recently confirmed that Nathan Fillion will portray the obnoxious ‘Guy Gardner’ version of Green Lantern in ‘Superman: Legacy,’ and the rest of the DCU.
17. ‘Arkham Asylum’ (TBD)
Just before ‘The Batman’ came out, a word about a potential spin-off based on the Gotham PD came out as well. It was supposed to be based on Sidney Lumet’s ‘Prince of the City’ storyline that talks about Bruce Wayne’s first year as the ‘Caped Crusader.’
The project would focus on a corrupt cop in the Gotham PD, as well as the life inside the Arkham Asylum. However, the Gotham PD project was shelved, but another series that is actually in development is a series completely focusing on Arkham.
“It’s like a horror movie or a haunted house that is Arkham.” – said Matt Reeves, the director, and producer of ‘The Batman’ and its upcoming spin-offs, and we’re all in for it!
18. ‘The Penguin’ (TBD)
Both ‘Arham Asylum’ and ‘The Penguin’ are actually HBO Max spin-offs on Matt Reeves’ highly successful ‘The Batman’ film. Naturally, these are working titles and may change before the shows actually come out.
Anyways, ‘The Penguin’ has been confirmed, revolving around Colin Farrell’s interpretation of the infamous Penguin. It’s been compared to the movie ‘Scarface’ in terms of theme and vibe and is expected to come out as early as 2024.
19. ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ (TBD)
The pre-production of ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ started way back in 2021. The group of horror-ish detectives already appeared in ‘Doom Patrol’ Season 3 and are now getting their own detective series, but full of horror. The story follows two dead detectives as they help an alive friend solve horror-filled mysteries. Count me in!
20. ‘The Sandman’ Season 2 (TBD)
The first season of ‘The Sandman’ on Netflix by Neil Gaiman garnered incredible reviews and popularity. However, there were questions about whether a second season was happening or not. After it became official, we also learned that the second season will revolve around the ‘Sandman’ volume called A ‘Game of You,’ or Volume 7, named ‘Brief Lives.’
It’s unclear when the season will premiere, but it was initially expected to drop in mid-2024.
21. ‘Constantine 2’ (TBD)
Although over two decades have passed, Keanu Reeves’ John Constantine is finally returning to the big screen! A sequel titled ‘Constantine 2’ is confirmed to be happening, about the exorcist/demonologist who fights demons and prevents them from reaching Earth.
It’s most likely that ‘Constantine 2’ will have its own universe outside of the DCU, under the mantle of DC Elseworlds, but until more information emerges, there’s no way to know for sure.
22. ‘Wonder Woman 3’ (TBD/not confirmed)
Drum roll please…
Yes, it seems that ‘Wonder Woman 3’ is, indeed, happening. At least according to Princess Diana herself, aka Gal Gadot. In a recent interview with ComicBook.com, Gal said this:
“I love portraying Wonder Woman. It’s so close to and dear to my heart. From what I heard from James and from Peter is that we’re gonna develop a ‘Wonder Woman 3’ together.”
Now, it seems that the third movie will be without Patty Jenkins, the initial director of the first two Wonder Woman films, but still, it’s refreshing news to Wonder Woman fans. I find it a bit odd that some characters are getting the boot from the DCEU, and some are returning, but hey, in Gunn we believe!
Other canceled projects
Throughout the past decade or so, about a dozen other DC-related projects have been announced but were then either canceled or never materialized, or we still have no idea what’s going on with them. I won’t go into depth since we can only speculate, but I think it’s worth noting that they were planned.
First one, of course, was ‘Man of Steel 2.’ Henry Cavill was all set to return as Superman, and even made a cameo in ‘Black Adam,’ but then, all of a sudden, it all came crashing down after the DCEU became the DCU. It’s absolutely certain that it won’t happen – not in this universe.
Then we have the Green Lantern Corps, a ‘reboot’ of the miserable fail Ryan Reynolds ‘Green Lantern’ film from 2011. Several changes, rewrites, and delays occurred, but it eventually never happened for two reasons. One – we’ll get a Green Lantern series in the DCU, and two – Reynolds had little to no interest in reprising his role of Hal Jordan.
Next up, a potential Supergirl movie starring Sasha Calle was supposed to happen, but it seems that this project was replaced by ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.’
A TV show revolving around John Constantine was also rumored, and even reported that HBO Max started developing it in 2021. It fell through, however, due to Warner Bros. focusing on a ‘Constantine 2’ movie.
Another canceled show was about Madame X – a project created by J.J. Abrams that would be a Justice League Dark spin-off. The same happened to a potential Batgirl movie, starring Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon – a movie that was actually already shot and included the likes of Michael Keaton and Brendan Fraser.
The one project I’m still optimistic about, although no news about it emerged for a while now, is the Michael B. Jordan-produced Black Superman TV series. The famous actor’s production company, Outlier Society, was linked to the HBO Max series about Val-Zod – a Black version of Supes – but we still don’t know anything about the show, and when it’s happening – if it’s happening at all.
A few other projects that we have no clue about – whether they are canceled, in development, or were only rumored in the first place, are the ‘Hourman’ movie, a ‘Static Shock’ film produced by Outlier Society as well, an ‘Aqualad’ series, and a ‘Justice League Dark’ project that was supposed to be either a movie or a TV show – but we now have no idea if it’s even a thing.
One thing is for certain – DC has their hands full over the next couple of years, be it as a part of the DCU, DC Elseworlds, or something completely new. I can’t wait for it all to start with Blue Beetle on August 18, 2023.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
