With James Gunn’s move to DC, there are a lot of impending changes set to take place. With numerous shows and movies lined up, fans are eager to know how things are going.
Gunn and Peter Safran have announced ten projects of chapter 1 of their DC universe, including:
- Creature Commandos
- Waller
- Superman: Legacy
- Lanterns
- The Authority
- Paradise Lost
- The Brave and the Bold
- The Batman sequel
- Booster Gold
- Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
- Swamp Thing.
So, what is going on behind the curtains in the DC universe?
The WGA claims another victim
According to a report by Deadline, production on The Batman’s spin-off The Penguin was brought to a halt due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike. Based on the titular character, The Penguin will document the antagonist’s journey to becoming the Caped Crusader’s enemy.
The series was set to begin production on May 16, but WGA picketers arrived at the site early, preventing Teamsters and local guilds from entering the set.
James Gunn’s Twitter revelations
The Guardians of the Galaxy director seems to have gotten quite active on Twitter lately. In another one of his fan interactions, he provided an update – or announced the lack thereof – on his new Batman movie, The Brave and the Bold.
After a fan asked him about Batman’s age in the film, he responded:
“We haven’t cast him yet so we have no clue.”
We haven’t cast him yet so we have no clue.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) May 16, 2023
The Flash is Stephen King-approved
Ezra Miller’s The Flash is set to hit theaters soon, and Stephen King aka the “King of Horror” received an advance screening of the film because he’s, well, Stephen King.
While superhero movies aren’t King’s preferred genre, he “loved” the Andrés Muschietti directorial. He tweeted:
“I got an advance screening of THE FLASH today. As a rule I don’t care a lot for superhero movies, but this one is special. It’s heartfelt, funny, and eye-popping. I loved it.”
I got an advance screening of THE FLASH today. As a rule I don't care a lot for superhero movies, but this one is special. It's heartfelt, funny, and eye-popping. I loved it.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) May 17, 2023
DC’s James Gunn went on to confirm that The Shining author did receive the advance screening.
Hell yes it is.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) May 17, 2023
However, Stephen King is not the first celebrity to give The Flash his stamp of approval. According to an exclusive report by The Hollywood Reporter, Top Gun star Tom Cruise had a copy of the movie hand-delivered to his Beverly Hills home after a meeting with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. The messenger – a Warner Bros employee – reportedly stayed until Cruise was done watching the film and then took it back to the studio.
Cruise was so delighted by the film that he called director Andy Muschietti to tell him how The Flash is “everything you want in a movie” and “this is the kind of movie we need now”.
The High Evolutionary’s trip to DCEU
Chukwudi Iwuji recently joined the superhero world, playing the main antagonist, The High Evolutionary, in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Interestingly, it seems that he wouldn’t mind the possibility of embracing a DC role again. He has already played Clemson Murn in the HBO Max show Peacemaker.
While answering a question about DC characters he wouldn’t be opposed to playing, Iwuji said:
“I can’t believe I’m forgetting the name… He comes from the days of Merlin and he lives today, right now, and he sort of has a demon inside of him that comes out.”
After the interviews helped him remember, he said:
“Yes! Etrigan!…This is Jeykll and Hyde in the DC world. So Etrigan. If you told me to name one it would be Etrigan. Like I just love the idea of having two people existing in one. That’d be my DC one. Etrigan.”
DC Comics: Beachy vibes all around
DC is bringing back the swimsuit special trend in 2023, but with an interesting twist. This year’s special will be hosted by the weirdest character in the comic book universe – G’nort, the anthropomorphic Green Lantern dog who protects Space Sector 68.
DC’s official description for the special reads:
“Join our favorite fuzzball as he showcases some of DC’s best swimsuit covers and most swim-tacular stories! From the Flash in Speed Force Racing Briefs to Batman in a bat(hing) suit, this very special one-shot is summer fun from (bikini) top to (bikini) bottom.”
G’nort’s Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, a compilation of DC’s swimsuit covers, will be published on August 29, 2023.
That’s it for the recent updates on DC this time around. If there’s no progress your favorite title, remember to tune in to our next news roundup!
