Film Director James Gunn has assumed the role of co-CEO of DC Studios and has announced the next steps for the DC Extended Universe (DCU). These changes not only affect the movies and TV shows created by DC but also every upcoming video game related to the franchise. Does it mean we are getting a Superman game soon?
James Gunn has taken over DC and is planning on creating his own cohesive cinematic universe. The goal is to emulate the model used by the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This involves consistent storytelling across all kinds of media, including the gaming branch of the studio. It all starts with DC’s poster child, Superman.
According to the director, the new DCU starts with Chapter One, titled Gods and Monsters. This shouldn’t be confused with the 2015 film Justice League: Gods and Monsters, set in an alternate universe.  The chapters in the DCEU are similar to what MCU calls phases, a collection of TV shows and movies released during a specific period of time.
The projects within a phase usually revolve around a central plot that is developed and solved in one final movie. For example, Phase Three ended with Spider-Man Far from Home, which dealt with the aftermath of Avengers Endgame.
This cohesive narrative is what James Gunn will attempt to create, starting with Superman: Legacy. The script is being written by Gunn himself and will be released on July 11, 2025. The story follows a young and inexperienced Clark Kent, who is starting his career at the Daily Planet. Gunn clarified that the casting process would start once the script is finished, but we know that this version of Superman is around 25.
Under Gunn’s direction, the actors who portray the characters in the movies will also voice them in the video games. An interesting decision, considering the movies feature younger versions of the characters, and the games tend to include more mature versions.
Sadly, this direction also means that we would lose some of the iconic actors who have consistently lent their voices to the characters. The best example is Mark Hamill and his many interpretations of The Joker across games and animations.
On the bright side, it could mean that more DC games are in the works. Despite its popularity, Superman hasn’t had a successful solo video game. Perhaps now it is the time for a Superman game.
The latest DC game released is Gotham Knights, which came out in 2022. The game features the “Bat-Family,” which consists of Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon, Tim Drake, and Jason Todd. Gunn has talked about these characters and his intention to introduce them to the DCU through the upcoming Batman movie, The Brave and The Bold.
Almost every DC game released in the past seven years includes a character from Batman. In 2023, DC is releasing Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League starring Harley Quinn.
The next game announced is a Wonder Woman title, developed by Monolith Productions. It is a single-player, open-world game that introduces a story set in the DC Universe. This could be the first game included in Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, featuring the actress who takes over the role next. If that is the case, the game could get delayed for a couple of years until the DCU finds its new Wonder Woman.
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