When James Gunn’s Superman hits theaters next year, it might for a moment feel like you’re seeing more than one Man of Steel up on the screen. That’s because, as reported by Variety, the son of the late Christopher Reeve, Will Reeve, shot a cameo scene for the Superman film this week in Cleveland, Ohio. Will Reeve, the youngest of the late Superman star’s three children, is the spitting image of his dad. So it’s sure to be a touching moment when he and David Corenswet share the screen in the DCU movie. Will Reeve is actually a journalist and ABC News correspondent, so his Superman cameo will fittingly be that of a TV reporter who meets the Last Son of Krypton.

Locals caught the filming of many scenes from the Superman movie, including Will Reeve’s appearance on set. In the past week, we’ve seen David Corenswet in costume on set, not only as Superman but also as Clark Kent. This version of Clark has a curly mop of hair and thick glasses. The Clark Kent disguise actually makes us believe that people would believe that Superman and Clark are two different people. Also spotted on set is Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hault as Lex Luthor. We’ve also seen Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), wearing his comics-accurate costume. But seeing Christopher Reeve’s son appear in the Superman production is definitely a very fun surprise.

Aside from the upcoming James Gunn film, Will Reeve will appear, along with his two siblings, in the documentary Super/Man. This new film chronicles their late father Christopher Reeve’s rise to fame as Superman, which led to three sequels. His acting career came mostly to a halt after a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995. The incident left him paralyzed from the neck down. Christopher Reeve would become an advocate and spokesperson for those suffering from similar injuries until his death in 2004. It’s safe to say his son’s appearance in Superman will be a more fitting tribute to Christopher Reeve than his CGI recreation in The Flash. Super/Man releases later this year, and Superman hits theaters in July 11, 2025.

The post Christopher Reeve’s Son Will Cameo in James Gunn’s SUPERMAN appeared first on Nerdist.

In a real “didn’t we already know this?” piece of news, HBO has officially greenlit the DCU drama series Lanterns based on the Green Lantern comics. This was one of the titles James Gunn mentioned in his now infamous DCU slate video in early 2023. That certainly made it seem like it was a sure thing. However, given how fickle Warner Bros. is these days, I suppose it wasn’t. At any rate, HBO has given an eight-episode, direct-to-series order to Lanterns. Emmy-nominee Chris Mundy (True Detective: Night Country; Ozark) will serve as showrunner.

The synopsis of the series says it follows “new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.” Pretty interesting concept for a Green Lantern series. Intergalactic cops solving an mystery on Earth. Definitely has True Detective vibes.

Joining Mundy in the writing of the show are none other than heavy hitters Damon Lindelof (Watchmen, The Leftovers) and comic writer Tom King (Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow). James Gunn and Peter Safran said of the announcement: “We’re thrilled to bring this seminal DC title to HBO with Chris, Damon and Tom at the helm. John Stewart and Hal Jordan are two of DC’s most compelling characters, and Lanterns brings them to life in an original detective story that is a foundational part of the unified DCU we’re launching next summer with Superman.”

No word yet on when the series will debut. We will, of course, keep you up to date on any casting news as it develops.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

The post DC’s LANTERNS Series Officially Greenlit at HBO appeared first on Nerdist.

Of all the projects announced for James Gunn’s new DCU, the one that was already in production was the animated Creature Commandos series for HBO Max. And now, James Gunn has announced the voice cast for this series about a squad of monster soldiers based on the cult DC Comics title from the early ’80s. Gunn has filled it with quite a few names you’ll recognize, including some making the jump from the MCU. Here’s the full line-up of the DC voice cast for the upcoming Creature Commandos and a little bit more about what we can expect from the project and when we might see it release.

Creature Commandos Voice Cast

Creature Commandos will showcase the voice talents of the MCU’s former Crossbones, Frank Grillo, who will portray Rick Flag Sr. Another MCU alum joining the Creature Commandos cast is David Harbour as Eric Frankenstein. Speaking of Frankenstein, Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Indira Varma will be playing The Bride. Also in the cast are Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana Rostovic, Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky, and Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus. Sean Gunn is reprising his role as Weasel and also playing G.I. Robot. Finally, Steve Agee will reprise his role as John Economos from the Peacemaker series. Already announced for this series is Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, who’s giving the Commandos their marching orders.

Additionally, The Witcher‘s Anya Chalotra has joined the DCU as the voice of Circe. James Gunn confirmed the news, though he indicated the role may be a more minor part of the series. Circe is a Wonder Woman villain and power sorceress/goddess in the world of DC. And we couldn’t think of someone better to give life to the role than Anya Chalotra.

James Gunn mentioned in his DCU announcement that actors who voiced characters in animation would also portray them in live-action. So this voice-cast announcement for DC’s Creature Commandos means we’re likely to see David Harbour as Frankenstein and the rest of the squad in a live-action project—probably even a project DC has already announced. If we were to guess, it’s likely to be the Amanda Waller series. Of course, they could all turn up in a future second season of Peacemaker. However, that’s now a long way off.

Creature Commandos Will Integrate Animated and Live-Action DCU Worlds

At the Annecy Animation Festival, more was revealed about the DCU’s Creature Commandos. Variety reports that, continuity is a key aspect of Creature Commandos. The publication notes that at the Warner Bros. panel it was revealed that Creature Commandos narrative would be “both narrative and stylistic, with the animated series playing as a direct follow-up to Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad” and “Peacemaker,” while the creatures designed for animation will keep their same looks once they turn up in upcoming live-action offerings like the Gunn directed “Superman” reboot and the Viola Davis-led “Waller” spinoff.”

Gunn noted specifically about this DCU continuity, “What this means in practical terms is that our characters can move in and out of animation or jump into a game or onto the big screen, but they will remain consistent throughout: same character, same history, same actor.”

Integrating animation and live-action offerings will certainly be a fascinating play by the DCU if it is successfully executed. It could also open doors for exploring unified adventures in ways not possible with live-action outings alone.

More About Creature Commandos

Warner Bros. also revealed the following brief from James Gunn about Creature Commandos, initially written in 2022. The memo notes that Creature Commandos is “dark, humorous but never goofy and unsentimental, [an] adult-themed show with political storylines.”

Additionally, Gunn revealed, “The new series picks up directly after our Peacemaker season one finale, which leaves Waller with her hands tied operationally, meaning that she’s no longer able to get away with putting human lives on the line to carry out her clandestine morally questionable mission. Instead, she recruits a ragtag band of misfits, not unlike the Suicide Squad and Peacemaker.”

What Is the Release Date for Creature Commandos?

There’s no specific date given for when Creature Commandos is set to premiere, so we’ll have to wait to see this cast in action. However, we now know that Creature Commandos will release on Max in December. Currently, Gunn notes, “Animatics and all recording done. Waiting on the first animated cuts.”

We did have a feeling it would be among the first DCU projects to make it to our screens. Hopefully, we’ll see a more specific release date emerge soon.

Originally published on April 12, 2023.

The post DC’s CREATURE COMMANDOS Will Release in 2024, Confirms James Gunn appeared first on Nerdist.

Soon, the world will meet a new Clark Kent in Superman. (Formerly titled Superman: Legacy). DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran are rebooting the most famous superhero in the world as they transition the franchise from the DCEU to the DCU. Who will play the Man of Steel on the big screen this time around? What kind of story will we see him in? And who will bring it to life? We’re keeping track of all these answers and more.

Here’s everything we know about Superman so far.

Title

The DCU’s first official movie (though not its first official release) is now titled simply Superman. Of course, the movie began its life as Superman: Legacy. It will kick off the film side of what James Gunn has called the franchise’s first chapter, “Gods and Monsters.” He has also called this movie “the true beginning” of the DCU.

Superman‘s Plot

While the film still has no official synopsis, Warner Bros. did provide a description of what we can expect from the story, which James Gunn says is not an origin tale.

Superman tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.

Gunn announced the film with art from the cover of All-Star Superman by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely. Whether or not that means the story is influenced, inspired by, or adapted from the 12-issue comic series in any way is unclear. What Gunn has said is the movie will focus on “an earlier part of Superman’s life,” where he is still old enough to already be working for the Daily Planet.

We also have our first look at David Corenswet as the DCU’s Superman.

Superman‘s Cast

David Corenswet will play Superman, while Rachel Brosnahan will play Lois Lane.

In addition, four more actors have joined the cast of Superman. Isabela Merced will play Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi will play Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion will play Green Lantern Guy Gardner, and Anthony Carrigan will play Metamorpho. María Gabriela de Faría will play the villain The Engineer in the movie. Also known as Angela Spica, the character has nanotechnology built into her body. Additionally, Sara Sampaio will play Eve Teschmacher, Skyler Gisondo will play Jimmy Olsen, and Wendell Pierce will play The Daily Planet boss Perry White. Saturday Night Live‘s Beck Bennett will play The Daily Planet‘s sports journalist Steve Lombard. James Gunn has also confirmed that Nicholas Hoult will play Lex Luthor.

Gunn also recently confirmed the casting of Ma and Pa Kent on Threads. Pruitt Taylor Vince (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) will play Jonathan Kent, a.k.a. Pa Kent. Meanwhile, Neva Howell will play Martha Kent.

Behind the Scenes 

James Gunn wrote the (definitely completed) script and is directing.

Superman‘s Release Date

Superman will soar into theaters faster than a speeding bullet on July 11, 2025.

Originally published on April 11, 2023.

The post Everything We Know About the DCU’s SUPERMAN: LEGACY appeared first on Nerdist.

The DCU, under new heads James Gunn and Peter Safran, is already shaking things up. Not only is Peacemaker season two coming out ahead of the Waller series, but there is officially a different film following Gunn’s Superman. That title goes to Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the adaptation of Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s astonishingly good miniseries of the same name. According to Deadline, the movie will come out June 26, 2026.

From the House Targaryen to the Kryptonian House of El, actress Milly Alcock, who played the young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in the Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon has been cast as Supergirl for DC Studios. She’ll reportedly first appear in a small role in Superman before starring in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. That film will be based on the comic by Tom King and Alcock won the role over Emilia Jones and Meg Donnelly. The latter voiced Supergirl in DC animated films Legion of Superheroes and Crisis on Infinite Earths Part One. The Supergirl movie has also found its director in a very interesting choice, Craig Gillespie.

The Supergirl in the Woman of Tomorrow celebrates her 21st birthday in that series, so at only 23, Alcock is the perfect age in real life to portray that version of the character.

Gunn noted of Alock’s casting as Supergirl, “Strangely, Milly was the FIRST person I brought up to Peter for this role, well over a year ago, when I had only read the comics. I was watching House of the Dragon & thought she might have the edge, grace & authenticity we needed for the DCU’s Supergirl. And now here we are. Life is wild sometimes.”

When it comes to the movie’s director, The Hollywood Reporter notes that Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will be directed by Craig Gillespie. In the past, Gillespie has directed Disney’s Cruella and the figure skating movie, I, Tonya. Both movies certainly had a distinct style, so it will be fascinating to see what the director does with Supergirl.

The character of Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El first appeared in 1959, during DC Comics’ Silver Age. She’s been a mainstay of the DC Universe ever since, in one form or another. Supergirl has appeared on the big screen twice before. First in the 1984 film Supergirl, played by Helen Slater, and then in last year’s The Flash, played by Sasha Calle. Of course, Melissa Benoist portrayed Kara Danvers on the CW Arrowverse series Supergirl for six seasons. We’re sure that Milly Alcock will bring her own spin to DC Comics’ iconic heroine.

Originally published on January 29, 2024

The post SUPERGIRL Movie Will Be Second in DCU, Summer 2026 Release appeared first on Nerdist.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 concluded with the following sentiment, “The legendary Star-Lord will return.” But in what form he would return wasn’t yet known. But now, Chris Pratt seems to imply that he’ll return as Star-Lord in the MCU’s future. But don’t count Pratt out of James Gunn’s DCU either. In response to where he was heading next (DCU or Marvel), here’s what the actor shared:

Well, it probably make more sense that I would be Star-Lord again. But anything is possible, and especially with James [Gunn] over at DC. Maybe there’s something that would be right over there. Maybe both. How about both? Let’s do both. I think it’s 100% both.

Of course, this is all hypothetical. Still, given this response and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s message, it seems likely that we’ll see Pratt back as Star-Lord in the MCU. And, given Pratt’s connection with James Gunn it additionally seems likely, he’ll be in the DCU as well. So 100% both is only a slight exagguration.

The post Chris Pratt Hints at MCU Star-Lord Return and Possible DCU Role appeared first on Nerdist.

The DCEU is officially over. James Gunn and Peter Safran’s all-new DCU will soon replace it. Well, their cinematic universe will be mostly new. Some remnants of the franchise’s previous iteration are sticking around, we’re just don’t yet know exactly how that will work. One element not going anywhere is Gunn’s Max series Peacemaker. How will the show’s second season connect to the first? How will the first connect to the DCU? Which previous stars are returning alongside John Cena? And how will the show explain any changes?

Most recently, we learned that Frank Grillo has joined Peacemaker season two as Rick Flag Sr. Grillow will first voice this role in the animated DCU series, Creature Commandos. James Gunn revealed on Threads, “Pleased to announce the great @frankgrillo1 will be reprising the role of Rick Flag, Sr – the role he’ll first play in animated form in Creature Commandos – throughout Season 2 of Peacemaker. Christopher Smith and Rick Sr have a little unfinished business to take care of…” We can’t wait to see it all go down.

Here’s everything we know about Peacemaker season two so far.

Peacemaker Season Two‘s Plot

Peacemaker‘s second season does not yet have an official synopsis, but Gunn has shared some intriguing tidbits about it. He said the show’s first season “isn’t canon,” but that season two is “full DCU.” Gunn isn’t dismissing the character’s past entirely, though. He also wrote “many strands” of Peacemaker’s story “will remain consistent.” That indicates some aspects of Christopher Smith’s history from both The Suicide Squad and the Max show’s first season will still matter to the character’s future. Gunn has also said the explanation for the changes within the story will be easy for viewers to understand.

On social media Gunn also said the events of his Superman movie will matter for Peacemaker season two.

The show’s second season will also air before Waller, a new series announced as part of the DCU’s initial lineup. It was originally expected to serve as a bridge between Peacemaker seasons, but the events of Waller will take place entirely after Peacemaker season two, which will also have a new opening credits sequence. (If it’s as good as the original we’re fine with that. Otherwise….)

Behind-the-Scenes

Gunn has confirmed that, just as with season one, he wrote every episode of Peacemaker‘s sophomore outing. Unlike last time, though, he won’t be directing every episode because of his other DC responsibilities. He’s directing “only some” episodes this time.

Gunn also wrote what will be the first DCU movie, the new Superman. He’s directing that film, which will overlap with Peacemaker‘s shooting production, set to begin this summer. Despite his job overseeing the franchise and directing a Superman movie, Gunn has described Peacemaker‘s second season as a “priority” for him.

Peacemaker Season Two‘s Cast

“Team Peacemaker” is coming back. Gunn made that official in the lengthy Threads post where he shared much of what we know about the show. That indicates star John Cena will once again be joined by many (all?) of his season one colleagues. The DCEU version of the show also featured Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Freddie Stroma, Danielle Brooks, Nhut Le, and Amanda Waller herself, Viola Davis.

With a canon-shifting event changing the universe of the show as we know it, it’s unclear if the memory of Robert Patrick’s Auggie Smith will continue to haunt his son, which the end of season one teased. But whatever explanation Gunn has planned means he could also find a way to bring back characters who died in season one, like Chukwudi Iwuji’s Murn.

Gunn’s comments about the events of Superman having an impact on Peacemaker also indicates stars of that film could also show up on the Max series.

And don’t worry: Eagly is coming back.

Peacemaker Season Two‘s Release Date

Peacemaker season two does not have an official release date yet, but Gunn’s Superman movie does. It flies into theaters on July 11, 2025. We know Peacemaker won’t debut until after that film, so a fall 2025 release on Max seems possible, as does an early 2026 premiere.

Originally published on March 12, 2024.

The post Frank Grillo Joins PEACEMAKER Season 2 as Rick Flag Sr. appeared first on Nerdist.

Get ready for some serious excitement. James Gunn has finally revealed our first look at David Corenswet in costume as Superman in 2025’s Superman. Of course, this look includes our first glimpse at the Corenswet’s DCU Superman suit, something that’s been highly anticipated for quite a while.

James Gunn Reveals Our First Look at David Corenswet’s Superman and His DCU Suit

In this Superman DCU first look from James Gunn, we see Corenswet donning the traditional Superman red and blue, with his S logo emblazoned across his chest. We know that this S-logo takes inspiration from three different eras of Superman comics.

Gunn additionally shares about the first-look image from Superman, “The above photo was taken on set by Jess Miglio and was entirely in-camera.” It’s a pretty stunning shot and definitely increases our already intense excitement for the movie. In addition to Superman’s costume, we also see what we assume to be Metropolis and some kind of power surge. Very mysterious.

James Gunn’s Superman Will Include Superman’s Red Trunks As a Part of His Costume

But could it be? Yes, it can! After much debate about “will they” or “won’t they,” James Gunn has elected to give Corenswet Superman’s red trunks as a part of his DCU Superman: Legacy costume. Last year, Gunn held a Twitter poll to see whether fans preferred Superman’s costume with or without the red trunks. And “with trunks” won by a margin of about 10%. And it seems like now the people have received what they want.

When Will We Get to See David Corenswet and His Superman Suit Take Flight?

Of course, in our first-look image from Superman: Legacy, David Corenswet’s Clark Kent is just sitting there, donning his red boots. But hopefully, we’ll soon get to see him take to the skies as Superman. Could a teaser trailer be around the corner? Maybe when we’re exactly one year out from Superman‘s release, we’ll get another tidbit. Superman: Legacy releases on July 11, 2025.

The post James Gunn Shares First-Look at David Corenswet’s SUPERMAN Suit appeared first on Nerdist.

An MCU star is ready to cross the streams into James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DCU. Black Panther‘s Winston Duke revealed he’d like to play Batman in the upcoming DCU movie, Batman: The Brave and the Bold. We haven’t heard too much about this Andy Muschietti-directed film yet, but we’re more than willing to start the campaign for this Batman casting.

When asked about playing Batman, Duke shared the following with Slash Film, “Listen, man, can you start that [campaign]? [Laughs] I would say I challenge you to get on all these socials and push for me. Get your community. I would love to. I would love to do that as Batman. I’d love any opportunity to explore new characters, to change narratives around some of these entrenched ideas of how these characters are supposed to look, sound, and perform. I’m all for it.”

Duke, of course, has voiced Bruce Wayne/Batman in the podcast Batman Unburied. Casting Winston Duke as Batman would be perfect for the DCU and for us. Ten out of ten, no notes. And we’d love to see Winston Duke’s Batman interact with David Corenswet’s Superman. Do the right thing, James Gunn.

The post Winston Duke Wants to Play Batman in James Gunn’s DCU (And We Want It Too) appeared first on Nerdist.

When people think of DC Comics hero Green Lantern, they tend to think of one of two characters — Hal Jordan, or John Stewart. But there’s another Lantern from the planet Earth who debuted after Hal, who has his fair share of fans, and has since the mid-‘80s. We’re talking about Guy Gardner, the loud-mouthed insufferable braggart with a power ring. And now, Firefly and Castle actor Nathan Fillion will play Guy Gardner in Superman: Legacy, and even beyond, according to James Gunn. But who is Guy Gardner, and why do people even like this big jerk?

Guy Gardner: Earth’s First Backup Green Lantern

Although he’s thought of as an ‘80s character primarily, Guy Gardner first appeared in 1968’s Green Lantern #59. In that issue, they established that the dying alien Abin Sur, who bequeathed his Green Lantern power ring to pilot Hal Jordan in his famous origin story, only gave it to him due to close proximity. Guy Gardner was Abin’s other choice, but was simply too far away to be eligible for selection. In this early appearance, Guy was a physical education teacher, and also a football player. He’s chosen as Hal’s backup as Green Lantern of Sector 2814 whenever Hal was incapacitated, but his time as Hal’s replacement was short-lived.

Guy Gardner ended up hit by a bus while trying to save one of his students during an earthquake, resulting in a brain injury. Hal’s new backup Lantern then became John Stewart, who was far more popular with readers. Guy only made a handful of appearances for much of the next decade following John’s introduction. He was eventually knocked into the Phantom Zone, home of Kryptonian criminals like General Zod, who tormented him for an undetermined period of time. Although he was eventually rescued by Superman and Hal Jordan, his mind was shattered. He ended up in a deep coma for years.

Guy Gardner Becomes the Green Lantern of the ’80s

During the ‘80s, Hal Jordan quit the Green Lantern Corps, and John Stewart became the permanent ring slinger of Sector 2814 (which included Earth). Guy was all but forgotten by DC writers, left to languish in a permanent off-panel coma. But during the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Guy awakened finally. The Guardians of the Universe, the Green Lantern Corps’ immortal alien bosses from the planet Oa, offered Guy a permanent power ring at last.

However, Guy’s traumas—his head injury, his time in the Phantom Zone, and his subsequent coma—had left him brain-damaged. He was also not happy to find that Hal Jordan was dating his girlfriend Kari Limbo when he was gone. During this era, they also revealed that he suffered an abusive childhood at the hands of his father while growing up in Michigan. His personality was no longer that of a kindly teacher. He was now brash, antagonist, and rude. They gave Guy a new costume, designed by artist Joe Staton, and he really became a whole new character. One with a fairly ridiculous (yet iconic) new bowl cut to match his new attitude.

Guy Gardner Becomes the Justice League’s Useful Idiot

Guy became super jingoistic, a parody of “rah-rah” ‘80s Americanism. He loved to quote Ronald Reagan, and tried to emulate the action movie characters of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. The other members of Earth’s Green Lantern Corps all couldn’t stand him, so he joined the newly formed Justice League International in 1987. There, Guy’s popularity soared, mainly as the member readers loved to hate. He constantly rallied to be elected leader of the team, even if no one else wanted it in the slightest.

His braggart, bullying ways constantly got on his fellow Leaguers’ nerves, until finally, Batman sucker punched him. Guy awoke from this latest head injury now a sweet, kindly sap. Irritating his fellow Leaguers in all new ways. But eventually, his “jerk” persona reemerged. Despite this, he began a romance with Ice, the only JLI member who saw Guy’s good side buried underneath the bravado. JLI writers Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis wrote Guy as the butt of the joke, but one that readers grew to love regardless.

Warrior: Guy Gardner’s New Superhero Alias

In the ‘90s, Guy underwent several transformations. He decided he was tired of being second and third fiddle to Earth Lanterns like Hal Jordan and John Stewart. He challenged Hal Jordan to a ring-free fistfight over who is the greatest Green Lantern. Hal won, leaving Guy humiliated and defeated. He turned in his power ring, and his role in the Corps. But he was later able to procure the villain Sinestro’s yellow power ring, and became a superhero once more. Finally, wearing the old yellow-powered Sinestro ring, he got his own ongoing series, simply titled Guy Gardner.

Although this iteration of Guy Gardner with the Sinestro ring lasted a few years, even helping Superman fight the monster Doomsday. Passed over to be Earth’s Green Lantern for new kid Kyle Rayner, eventually Guy received yet another makeover in the mid-90s. It was revealed to him that he had alien DNA, passed down from a race called the Vuldarians. These Vuldarians had tampered with mankind’s genetic code, particularly those of Gardner’s ancestors. With the genetic code unlocked, Gardner could now shapeshift his body into literal weapons. The unlocking of his code also cured him of many of his personality disorders, making him far less of a jerk than before. He took on the codename Warrior, and they changed his series to Guy Gardner: Warrior. He also opened a bar for the superhero crowd, appropriately named Warrior’s.

Guy Gardner Undergoes His Own Green Lantern: Rebirth

In the early 2000s, writer Geoff Johns reinvigorated the Green Lantern franchise, turning it into one of DC’s biggest sellers, right next to the Batman titles. He brought Hal Jordan back to life in Green Lantern: Rebirth, after ten years of being dead. He also removed all traces of the Vuldarian DNA from Guy Gardner, and returned him to Green Lantern status. This included his classic costume as well. Guy was brash again, but less of an outright jerk and bully. The Guardians of the Universe tasked Guy with training the next generation of Lanterns, and he reluctantly agreed. He fought in several significant battles during this era, like the Sinestro Corps War, the Blackest Night, and others.

Guy Gardner Trades a Green Ring For a Red One

During this time, Guy Gardner joined the Red Lantern Corps. Rage fueled the Red Lantern rings, much as pure willpower fueled the Green Lantern rings. Although he was seemingly a member of these anger-fueled ring bearers, he was actually still working undercover for the Green Lantern Corps, under orders from his frenemy Hal Jordan. He was a main character in the series Red Lanterns, where he tried to turn the crimson warriors into a force for good. Not long after, he was able to wield both red and green rings. But eventually, Guy’s Green Lantern ring purges the red energy, and Guy became a true Green Lantern again.

Nathan Fillion Will Play Green Lantern Guy Gardner in James Gunn’s DCU

Guy has had limited exposure in most outside comics media. Hal Jordan was the Green Lantern in the Super Friends cartoon, while John Stewart was the resident Lantern of the Justice League animated series. However, Guy Gardner has made a few appearances over the years, including guest starring roles in series like Young Justice, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and the 2011 Green Lantern animated show on Cartoon Network. But now, he’s about to get this biggest audience of all time, thanks to the Man of Steel.

After many years of fans dream casting Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Hal Jordan, he played the role in animation eventually three times. First in Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, then in Justice League: Doom, and Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. Now, James Gunn has cast his old friend in Superman: Legacy. That means Fillion will be the first big screen Lantern since the 2011 Ryan Reynolds movie.

Fillion recently shared of his DCU role:

The reality is that people have flaws. We all have quirks. We all have vulnerabilities. You could have the most wonderful family, but be like, ‘Oh, my God, my dad drives me nuts. He’s got this one thing.’ Everybody’s got something, and I love to lean into those faults and flaws. It’s what makes people real and what allows audiences to relate, because we all know what that is. We all have our own. We witness it in other people. Guy Gardner is 90% flawed and doesn’t care. That’s one of his flaws. I think there’s a real freedom in playing that. So, for a guy who likes to play flaws and flawed people, Guy Gardner is a gold mine.

Gunn has promised that Fillion’s Guy Gardner would continue on in the DCU. Although the upcoming Lanterns series will focus on Hal Jordan and John Stewart, it seems that Fillion will at least appear on it once. For someone once viewed as the “third most famous Green Lantern,” Guy Gardner has a bright future ahead.

Originally published on July 13, 2023.

The post Guy Gardner, DC’s Most Obnoxious Green Lantern, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

Two years ago, DC Comics’ ongoing flagship Justice League title ended with issue #75. It featured the death of the entire League. Oh, they got better pretty quickly. By the end of the Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths event, they were all back in the land of the living. Having said that, the comic giant decided to let the concept of the Justice League rest while they figured out their next move, leaving the Titans as Earth’s protectors. However, these two years have been the longest DC has ever gone without publishing a title with “Justice League” in the name since 1960. So what’s the hold up with a new Justice League series? And how can DC make sure a new iteration becomes a necessary and talked about comic book?

DC Comics: A World Without a Justice League

The Justice League of America first appeared in Brave and the Bold #28, published in February 1960. After a successful three-issue trial, the JLA received their own series by the end of that year. Unlike the World War II era Justice Society, the JLA had Superman and Batman as regular members. This elevated the team to A-list status. Since 1960, an ongoing book with the words Justice League in the title has been published by DC. That unbroken run ended after 62 years in 2022. The idea was that they’d come back bigger and better very soon. But unless you’re talking about out-of-continuity tales like Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong, we’re all still waiting for the League’s return.

DC is probably thinking “absence makes the heart grow fonder” in considering when to bring back the League, which makes sense. Marvel did a similar thing when the flagship series Fantastic Four ended its decades-long run in 2015. When the quartet relaunched in 2018, it was to much fanfare. But what will make this League relaunch stand out from so many in the past, aside from an unusually long break? We have some ideas on angles DC could take with League when the World’s Greatest Superheroes make their very welcome return. In fact, some of these ideas could inform James Gunn’s new DCU.

The Original 7 Justice Leaguers Have All Died and Come Back, Forming a Unique Bond Among the Team

The original Justice League was founded by seven members—Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Flash (Barry Allen), Aquaman, and the Martian Manhunter. Many other members have come and gone over the years. Yet in a lot of ways, those original seven remain the most iconic version of the team. However, since Barry Allen died in Crisis on Infinite Earths, the founders have not headlined a book together. When Barry returned after 23 years in 2009’s Flash: Rebirth, the assumption was a big JLA reunion book was next. Then 2011’s New 52 reboot happened, and everyone met again for the very first time. However, the New 52 continuity has largely been undone, with much of the original history of the League restored. And we haven’t seen the Big Seven reunite as a team since. Now seems like an ideal time.

The Original Justice League: Death Becomes Them

Besides being a nostalgic reunion, one thing bonds the original seven. They’ve all died and come back. And not just the standard “We thought they were dead, but it was a clone/they were in a coma/it was an alternate universe version.” They all actually died, went on to a form of an afterlife, and returned. Yes, even the very human Batman in the event series Final Crisis. Some were dead for many years, like Barry Allen and Hal Jordan. Others, like Wonder Woman, for just a few months.

With this detail in mind, the Leaguers all having gone to face the Grim Reaper and come out the other side could serve as the basis of an interesting team dynamic. Are they all functionally immortal now? Writer Grant Morrison played with the metaphor of the “Big Seven” Leaguers as Olympian Gods of the DCU in his ’90s JLA series. Could that interpretation be more literal than metaphorical? They certainly share a weird bond no other team has at DC. (However, we must note, that the X-Men at Marvel certainly do.) It’s fodder for an interesting reunion take for DC Comics’ most famous heroes.

It’s Time for Justice League Unlimited in the DC Universe

Having said that, the original seven should just be a starting point for whatever DC does next. Because let’s face it, that’s a heavily white and male team for the year of our Lord Darkseid 2024. It’s time for the League to take a cue from their greatest media incarnation of the team, the Justice League Unlimited. It’s time to open the doors to every hero in the DCU. In the JLU animated series, the League became more than a team. It became almost a conglomerate for superheroes. It was a true society of superpowers, in a way their predecessors the Justice Society of America never were.

The comics have played with this notion before, like the excellent Justice League International run of the ‘80s. Yet never on the scale of the Justice League Unlimited cartoon show. The League expanding in this manner allows it to truly grow into something unique, something its rival the Avengers over at Marvel have never been. Maybe, the original seven founders realize they had to return from their respective graves to make the League something bigger than they ever dreamed of in the beginning. It could be something grander that goes beyond the definitions of what we now think of as a superhero team.

A Strong Comic Book Justice League Can Inform the Big Screen Version

Of course, comics are the primary source of inspiration for most live-action content. The New 52 League was the main inspiration for the DCEU version, from Cyborg as a founding member, to their first villain being from the planet Apokolips. So it would be fitting for whatever DC’s new Justice League becomes to inspire the eventual DCU version. We’ve believed for some time now that Gunn’s DCU would have an already existing Justice League in it, but if the comic book League is a gigantic group with many members and branches, we wouldn’t hate for that concept to make that transition to film and TV.

Whatever DC does when it inevitably relaunches the Justice League title, there should be top-notch creatives on it. Justice League should always be DC’s biggest title. It was in the Silver Age, again in the post-Crisis JLI era, and also in the ’90s Grant Morrison years. Like it or hate it, the New 52 Justice League carried the line, sales-wise, for a good long time. It was not an afterthought series for the publisher. It would be shocking if we don’t see a relaunch by 2025, the Justice League of America’s 65th anniversary. Here’s hoping it’s something that gets the readership excited, and springboard’s comics’ greatest superhero team into the future. They deserve a series that reflects their status as the world’s greatest superteam.

The post Here’s How DC’s Justice League Should Return After a Two Year Comic Absence appeared first on Nerdist.

Recently, DC Comics fans were overjoyed to find out that the Teen Titans would be coming to the big screen in James Gunn’s new DCU. The property has had a long history in non-comics media, most notably the massively successful Teen Titans animated series from the early 2000s, and its long-running spin-off, Teen Titans Go! In 2018, there was also a live-action Titans series produced for the Max streaming service, which lasted four seasons and ended in 2023. Will the third time be the charm in adapting the comics in a truly faithful manner? Here are the crucial ingredients needed to make the Teen Titans truly fly as a feature film.

Use the Best Teen Titans Roster

The Teen Titans first appeared in 1965, and were not much more than a quartet of “Junior Justice Leaguers” led by Robin, the Boy Wonder. The series was a moderate success, but DC canceled it several times in the ’70s. However, the 1980 revival The New Teen Titans, by creators Marv Wolfman and George Perez, was a runaway success for DC Comics. Although three original Titans remained, the breakout stars were new characters Starfire, Raven, and Cyborg, and a re-imagining of the obscure Doom Patrol hero Beast Boy (then Changeling). This team line-up became iconic, and although other Titans teams have come and gone since, DC always defaults back to a version of this most popular roster.

So why is this version the best? Wolfman and Perez made this team a true family, more Fantastic Four than Justice League. Because of this, while there have been other lineups, even decent ones, they almost always paled in comparison. It’s why the animated show mostly used these characters, as well as the live-action show (which left out Cyborg). Currently, the adult Titans title from Tom Taylor is the same lineup as in their ’80s heyday, minus the “teen” part. Some newer additions might be warranted for a film, like Damian Wayne as Robin. Yet DC Studios would be wise to not stray too far from what has worked best for over 40 years when bringing the Teen Titans to the big screen.

Show Dick Grayson’s Transition From Robin To Nightwing

It just doesn’t feel like the Titans, teen or otherwise, unless it’s got Dick Grayson in the lead. This is why I think the Teen Titans movie should cover Dick Grayson’s transition from Robin, Batman’s kid partner, to Nightwing, his own adult heroic identity. In the comics, it was in the pages of The New Teen Titans where Dick Grayson made the transition from Batman’s sidekick in little green shorts and booties into the popular grown-up superhero that we know and love today. A character who is easily one of DC Comics’ most popular heroes. The show should cover his Robin to Nightwing journey, before spinning him off into a solo Nightwing film.

Teen Titans Must Find a Way to Include Cyborg

Although a founding member of the New Teen Titans in the comics, as well as a crucial part of the Teen Titans animated series, once DC Comics graduated the character of Cyborg to full Justice League member back in 2011, they totally severed his connection to the team where he debuted for years. He was nowhere to be found in the recent Teen Titans: The Judas Contract animated movie for instance, and wasn’t in the live-action series either. Although DC has somehow let the character remain in Teen Titans Go! on Cartoon Network. In recent years, DC has realized this mistake, and incorporated Victor Stone back into the Titans. Cyborg’s friendship with Beast Boy is also an important element of the team dynamic, one Gunn should absolutely include.

Teen Titans Can’t Forget Wonder Girl Donna Troy

While the movie will almost certainly include Starfire and Raven, the third most important female member of the team is Donna Troy, a.k.a. Wonder Girl. To some, she may seem like just a junior version of Wonder Woman, and that is how she started. But by the time the New Teen Titans formed she was a crucial balancing role in the dynamic of the team’s primary three ladies. Starfire was the wildly emotional and passionate member. Meanwhile, Raven had to control her emotions to the point of almost being a female Spock. So Donna was the balancing element in the middle of this trio. Plus, having an Amazon like Donna Troy opens up the world of Greek mythology, and that could be super cool.

Don’t Adapt The Judas Contract Right Away

The Judas Contract is the most seminal Titans story of all time, even after 40 years. It is to the Titans what The Dark Phoenix Saga is to the X-Men. So it’s got to be tempting for filmmakers to jump right to that story. But they shouldn’t. The 2017 animated film did a pretty good job of adapting it. Yet 80 minutes just scratches the surface where this story is concerned. Like Dark Phoenix, this is a story intended for long-form storytelling. There’s a reason X-Men: The Animated Series is the best version of Dark Phoenix Saga to this day—both the live-action movies rushed things.

The DCU can’t make the same mistake with Teen Titans. The basic premise of The Judas Contract played out over two years in the comics. The Titans welcomed a plucky young teenage girl named Tara Markov who has earth-based powers to the team. The team eventually discovers she’s a mole their deadliest enemy, the mercenary Deathstroke, placed within the team as a spy. This whole saga deserves to play out over several films, not the first out of the gate. If Teen Titans gets sequels, then maybe cover this story.

Teen Titans Should Visit the Exotic Locales from the Comics

With the likely inclusion of both Starfire and Raven on the team, that means we are going to be dealing with the worlds of both aliens and demons. The Titans TV series didn’t have the budget to pull these off. However, a big-budget feature can show us Tamaran, Starfire’s home planet, or Azarath, the magical dimension home to Raven. Wonder Girl’s home is Themyscira, home of the Amazons, which could also be a location. It would be wild if Donna Troy was the new DCU’s way into Greek mythology before Wonder Woman herself arrives.

Make Sure to Use Titan’s Tower

The Justice League has their Watchtower, and their Hall of Justice. The Avengers have their tower and their compound. But the Teen Titans have a famous HQ of their own—Titan’s Tower. Located on an island across the bay from New York (or sometimes, San Francisco), this T-shaped structure is both wonderful and silly, in the best way possible. The movie must use it, even if it’s only at the end of the film. The animated series used a fairly accurate version, while the live-action show had just a standard skyscraper. We think a Teen Titans movie can do better and we can’t wait to see what Gunn and company cook up.

Originally published April 26, 2017.

The post 7 Things a Successful TEEN TITANS Film Adaptation Needs appeared first on Nerdist.

Jams Gunn and Peter Safran might be leading DC’s greatest heroes into a new cinematic universe, but their DCU isn’t completely abandoning the old DCEU that preceded it. At least three actors with major parts—Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller, John Cena’s Peacemaker, and Xolo Maridueña’s Blue Beetle— are reprising the roles under Gunn. We don’t know exactly how he’ll explain their presence within the new story, but their involvement means these are the DCEU movies (and one show) you need to watch before the DCU kicks off.

Suicide Squad

Warner Bros. doesn’t even want you to remember David Ayer’s 2016 Suicide Squad. The studio basically remade the film in 2021 with Gunn’s DCEU debut The Suicide Squad. But despite that rewriting of antihero history, the film is still important to Amanda Waller’s story. It’s where Viola Davis made her debut as the ruthless, pragmatic fascist willing to kill anyone it takes to keep her country safe.

The Suicide Squad

Gunn’s soft reboot/remake/sequel hybrid not only saw Davis return as Waller, it also introduced Cena’s Christopher Smith to the franchise. Peacemaker made his debut alongside a group of fellow inmates tasked with a seemingly impossible mission. Considering both Peacemaker and Waller will have their own shows in the DCU, knowing everything they did before (even if those events are no longer canon) will give their new story more context.

Peacemaker

The only DCEU television series will have major ramifications for the DCU. The show’s second season will follow Gunn’s upcoming 2025 Superman movie, which will feature the debut of David Corenswet as the Man of Steel. In addition to Cena, Gunn has also confirmed “Team Peacemaker” is coming with him to the new franchise. That means we will likely see the return of many stars from the show, especially those who also appeared in the two Suicide Squad movies. Gunn has already said Freddie Stroma will be back as Peacemaker’s unstable friend Vigilante. The best candidates to also reprise their roles in the DCU are Jennifer Holland as Emilia Harcourt, Danielle Brooks as Waller’s daughter Leota Adebayo, and Steve Agee as John Economos.

Even characters who died during Peacemaker‘s first season (or died at any point during the DCEU) could also come back, and we’re not just talking about Robert Patrick’s Auggie Smith as a memory like the show’s season one finale hinted. Gunn has said Peacemaker‘s first season is not canon for the DCU. However, “many strands” of the character’s story will remain the same or similar. That seems likely to be true of the new version of Waller and Xolo Maridueña’s Blue Beetle.

Black Adam

We promise we did not include Black Adam simply to avoid receiving a strongly-worded letter from Dwayne Johnson. The film marked the return of Davis’ Waller and the introduction of the Justice Society. She was the one who contacted Carter Hall about capturing Teth-Adam. She later sent Superman to meet/threaten Adam when he said no one on Earth could stop him.

Shazam: Fury of the Gods….End-Credits Scene

Zachary Levi’s second (and seemingly last) film as Billy Batson features a post-credits sequence that is likely to never get paid off, yet will still technically connect to the DCU. In the scene Emilia Harcourt and John Economos show up on Amanda Waller’s behalf to recruit Shazam into the Justice Society (a.k.a. the group without Wonder Woman).

The Flash

The Flash ultimately might not feature a single actor who will reprise their role in the DCU, but the movie might end up being the most important to understanding how Gunn’s cinematic universe will be all-new while still remaining elements of the one that came before it. In the film, Barry Allen learns he can change the past, present, and future by time traveling. By altering the past, he creates entirely new histories on perpendicular timelines of existence. That immense power can even change who someone is or when they exist. It’s how he ended up meeting three different Bruce Waynes, all of different ages and appearance, in the film.

Gunn has told fans they’ll need to wait and see how the DCU will be new and independent of the DCEU while maintaining consistent elements between the two. But he did say The Flash would “reset” the DCU, so the events of this film seem important to know.

Blue Beetle

Of all the DCEU projects to know about before the DCU, this one is the simplest. It marks the only appearance of Xolo Maridueña’s Blue Beetle. Gunn said that although the movie is not part of the DCU, Maridueña’s superhero is.

Until we learn if any other actors will also reprise their DC roles un Gunn and Safran’s cinematic universe, you can wrap up your DCU prep with Blue Beetle.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who thinks we should get a new Batman movie every year. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post DCEU Movies and Shows to Watch to Prepare for the DCU appeared first on Nerdist.

When fans think of the DC Universe, chances are the first team that comes to mind is the Justice League. The Justice League is undoubtedly one of the most famous groups in fiction. However, the Teen Titans are arguably the glue that holds the world of DC Comics together. The significance of the Titans did not develop overnight, but rather over the course of several decades. And this is what makes the announcement of a live-action Teen Titans movie set in the DCU exciting. To define the Teen Titans lineup of characters is to define the course of the DCU’s future. 

So what’s so special about the Teen Titans? Unlike many areas of Marvel Comics, DC Comics is deeply entrenched within an idea of legacy and plurality. It’s why so many superhero mantles have been carried by different people over time. (Five people have been Robin in DC’s main continuity, for instance.) The Teen Titans as a group have thus become a springboard for the next generation of DC heroes. Three different Robins—Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, and Damian Wayne—have led the team at one point or another. It’s also no accident that Nightwing was declared to be “the center of the DC Universe” during the 2022 Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths event. His time with the Teen Titans gave him ties to several different corners of DC lore. 

Which Teen Titan Lineups Could Appear in the Upcoming Live-Action DCU Movie?

The New Teen Titans Lineup From Marv Wolfman and George Perez’s Era

The lineup for the upcoming Teen Titans movie has a few different options. The most famous iteration is from Marv Wolfman and George Pérez’s run, aptly titled The New Teen Titans, beginning in 1980. The team was led by Robin, and featured established characters like Wally West’s Kid Flash, Donna Troy’s Wonder Girl, and Beast Boy. Brand-new characters of Cyborg, Starfire, and Raven also came into the mix. The bulk of this lineup would star in the hit 2003 Teen Titans animated series. (The show tragically left out Kid Flash and Wonder Girl from the cast.)

But while massive parts of Titans lore were created during Wolfman and Pérez’s New Teen Titans and New Titans series, like Nightwing’s iconic “Disco-wing” suit and their archenemy Deathstroke, the team’s membership has indeed changed over time.

The Original 1960s Teen Titans Lineup

When the Teen Titans first debuted in 1964, they originally consisted of Justice League sidekicks, Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad (Aquaman’s buddy named Garth). Donna Troy then joined the team as Wonder Girl. There’s also Green Arrow’s sidekick, Speedy (Roy Harper). The 1960s lineup had deep, personal ties to the Justice League. It’s not a surprise, then, that some of the original Titans, like Roy Harper and Wally West, would go on to join the Justice League decades later. 

The Geoff Johns and Mike McKone Teen Titans Lineup From the 2000s

Another Teen Titans lineup worth mentioning is from Geoff Johns and Mike McKone’s run, which began in 2003. The team was led by Tim Drake, Batman’s third Robin, and featured Cassie Sandsmark’s Wonder Girl, Superboy, and Bart Allen’s Kid Flash replacing Wally West in the role. Bart is the grandson of Barry Allen, the DC Universe’s main Flash, and a cousin of Wally West.

The 2003 Teen Titans cemented the theme of legacy that defines the DC Universe, considering that many of them were the second person to hold their particular superhero mantle. Using this specific team in the DCU would imply the existence of Dick Grayson as Nightwing and Wally West as The Flash elsewhere in the universe. Johns and McKone’s run also revealed that Superboy was the clone of both Superman and Lex Luthor. With Nicholas Hoult already cast as Luthor in James Gunn’s Superman movie, the building blocks for this dramatic reveal are already laid. 

The Relationships Between These Teen Titan Characters and the Justice League

And this is precisely why the Teen Titans are such an important team to the DCU’s future. If the film goes with the ‘60s lineup, which still has yet to appear in its full glory in live-action, this would mean that Justice Leaguers like Green Arrow, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and of course Batman would make their DCU debut further down the line.

Characters like Speedy and Kid Flash can’t materialize out of thin air. Kid Flash is The Flash’s nephew, for starters. Wally West is the tip of the iceberg in terms of the larger Flash Family in DC Comics. Similarly, Green Arrow’s network of sidekicks and allies, many of whom have been on the Teen Titans, form the Arrow Family. The same applies to Wonder Woman and two of the Wonder Girls, Donna Troy and Cassie Sandsmark. Plus, the Teen Titans have acted as a window for Justice League members’ different mentorship styles, which HBO’s Titans largely left out. 

It’s hard to overstate the importance of the Teen Titans to the DC Universe. As a flagship team, they have incubated a given decade’s most promising characters. And they serve as a branching off point for various character “families” within DC. With so many different Titans lineups to choose from, DC Studios’ decision ultimately reflects the tone they want to set for the DCU. Do they want to establish a more comic-accurate picture of the DC Universe, with Green Arrow, The Flash, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman are nexus points to larger groups of characters? Time will only tell.

The post How The TEEN TITANS Movie Lineup Will Determine the DCU’s Future appeared first on Nerdist.

One year ago, DC Studios co-head James Gunn announced an ambitious slate of movies and series. Since then, we’ve learned of many more characters joining the new DCU, like Metamorpho, Mister Terrific, Hawkgirl, and Guy Gardner. But there are a few DC Comics heroes we’re still hoping to see announced for Chapter 1 of Gunn’s DCU, called “Gods and Monsters.” We didn’t include Wonder Woman and Aquaman on our list, as they are almost certain to show up eventually. And we didn’t mention members of the Bat-Family like Nightwing, because it’s implied we’ll meet them in Brave and the Bold. Here are the DC Comics heroes we hope to see in Chapter 1 of the DCU.

Green Arrow (Oliver Queen)

Billionaire Oliver Queen, a.k.a. the vigilante called Green Arrow, became a mainstream hero after starring in the series Arrow for eight seasons. The Emerald Archer of Star City was so popular that he started his own branch of the DC Universe, the “Arrowverse.” But because he was in his own separate corner of live-action DC, we never got to see him suit up on the big screen with the likes of Batman or Green Lantern, his best bud in the comics. Hopefully, James Gunn will remedy that situation in his DCU, and add him in somewhere in Chapter 1. Maybe first as civilian Oliver Queen in the announced Green Lantern streaming series?

The Flash (Wally West)

After nine successful CW seasons and one underperforming solo movie, we think it’s time to put a moratorium on Barry Allen’s version of the Flash. Even if he is arguably the most famous of the Scarlet Speedsters. Gunn’s DCU does need a Flash, though. The character is way too important to leave on the side of the road. So we suggest Barry’s nephew and successor, Wally West, the former Kid Flash, as the DCU’s main Flash. Wally was the sole Flash for over 20 years in the comics, and is the current star of DC Comics’ Flash book. Also, the idea of a former kid sidekick who must inherit a heroic legacy is great source material for a series or movie—one that has yet to be realized in live-action.

Zatanna

Marvel Studios has made a superstar out of the Avengers’ resident sorceress, the Scarlet Witch. But the Justice League’s most famous resident spell caster, Zatanna the Magician, has not appeared in live-action since Smallville. Hopefully, James Gunn corrects this oversight. Before the old DCEU died, a Zatanna project was announced, written by none other than Saltburn writer/director Emerald Fennell. However, it was canceled before production began. The DCU needs its backward-talking mistress of magic, and we hope she shows up somewhere in “Gods and Monsters.” Perhaps in the supernatural-tinged Swamp Thing?

Vixen (Mari McCabe)

The mid-80s Justice League Detroit era was not particularly well-loved. In fact, fans hated it so much, DC killed off several prominent members introduced in that run. However, JL Detroit member Vixen survived and thrived, rejoining the League on several rosters. Supermodel Mari McCabe could summon animal powers via her African Tantu Totem, passed down from her ancestors. It allowed her to channel the speed of a cheetah, or the strength of a rhino, and more. The CW Arrowverse had two versions of Vixen. One in the present, and one as her WWII-era grandmother on Legends of Tomorrow. But hopefully Gunn and co. introduce Mari to the DCU soon. Maybe even played by Zoe Saldana, his old Guardians of the Galaxy pal? We think she’d kill it.

Martian Manhunter (J’onn J’onzz)

One of the founding members of the Justice League of America, the DCEU never really included J’onn J’onzz, the Manhunter from Mars—not until a cameo appearance in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, retconning Man of Steel actor Harry Lennix into the role. The character was a mainstay on the CW Supergirl series, played by David Harewood. For years, J’onn has been called the heart and soul of the Justice League, and the new DCU needs him as an anchor. We’ve been waiting years to see a live-action J’onn fight alongside Superman and Batman. We hope he appears, and a perfect place for him to pop up is in the Green Lantern streaming series.

The Question (Victor Sage/Renee Montoya)

Like Blue Beetle, the mysterious faceless detective the Question originated at publisher Charlton Comics, before transferring to DC in the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Victor Sage was a reporter who took on the faceless identity of the Question, to fight crime and look for the answers to the questions he posed as a journalist. A beloved version of this Question appeared in the Justice League Unlimited cartoon as a conspiracy theorist superhero. In the comics, Vic died of lung cancer, and passed on his superhero mantle to Gotham City detective Renee Montoya. Either version (or both) would make for great additions to the DCU. Maybe first in Peacemaker season two? After all, Peacemaker also started out as a Charlton hero.

Mister Miracle (Scott Free) and Big Barda

Jack Kirby’s New Gods characters almost had a movie of their own, before Warner Bros. pulled the plug on Ava DuVernay’s film. But Kirby’s Fourth World mythology is too rich to not appear in Gunn’s plans for his DCU. We think the best entry point for this mythology is a more Earthbound one—escape artist supreme Mr. Miracle, and his wife, the strong woman Big Barda. Both characters are from Darkseid’s planet of Apokolips; they escaped to Earth seeking refuge. The DCU might downplay those aspects of the characters in favor of a husband and wife team of circus performers and part-time superheroes. We’re not sure where they’d appear in Chapter 1, but both characters are friends and teammates of Booster Gold, who has a series coming.

Static (Virgil Hawkins)

The Milestone Comics heroes need to be introduced into live-action. Before the DC shakeup, there were preliminary plans for the electrically powered teen hero Static to show up. First appearing in 1993, young Virgil Hawkins gained amazing electricity powers after an accident exposed him to radioactive “Quantum Juice.” A comic book geek in real life, Virgil became a hero just like the ones he read about, or saw in video games. Of all the Milestone Comics heroes, Static has the most popularity, thanks to his animated series Static Shock. We’re not sure where he fits into Chapter 1, but we feel he should appear somewhere.

Deathstroke (Slade Wilson)

The superpowered mercenary Deathstroke is one of DC’s most popular antiheroes, and has made live-action appearances in both the Arrowverse, as well as the Titans streaming series. But although DC teased Deathstroke for the DCEU in the theatrical cut of Justice League, with actor Joe Manganiello, we never saw him face DC’s biggest heroes. So, he should appear somewhere in Chapter 1 of James Gunn’s plans. Certainly, The Brave and the Bold makes the most sense, if only because we’d see him take on the Bat-Family, particularly Nightwing. We know Gunn doesn’t want to carry over many former DCEU actors. However, Joe Manganiello only appeared for a few seconds. That shouldn’t count. Let him play Deathstroke for real in the DCU.

Fire and Ice (Beatriz Da Costa and Tora Olafsdotter)

These powerful ladies started from humble beginnings in the pages of DC Comics, in the non-continuity Super Friends series. Back then, they were known as the fire-projecting “Green Flame” and the polar-powered “Icemaiden.” But in the ‘80s, DC reinvented the duo as Fire and Ice, members of the Justice League International. The Brazilian Fire (Beatriz Da Costa) was the hot-tempered firecracker of the team (naturally), while her best friend Tora Olafsdotter was the shy and even-tempered Ice. The two were the perfect counterparts to JLI’s Booster Gold and Blue Beetle. They currently star in their own DC Comics series, and we hope they pop up in the Booster Gold Max series too.

The post DC Comics Heroes We Hope to See in Chapter 1 of James Gunn’s DCU appeared first on Nerdist.

Margot Robbie nailed the role of Harley Quinn in the DCEU in her three outings as the character. But lately, she seems very ready to move on from the role. James Gunn is not necessarily done with Margot Robbie, however, after a great working relationship with her in The Suicide Squad. Much like fans want Jason Momoa to get a new role in Gunn’s DCU, probably Lobo, many want Margot Robbie to get a new role in the DCU as well. But playing which character? Actually, several DC heroines and villains would be a great fit for Margot Robbie. Here are our top picks.

Power Girl (Kara Zor-L)

We know there’s a movie coming up called Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. But we’re not talking about that version of Kara Zor-El. That Kara will likely be a teenager or early twenty-something. No, we think Margot Robbie is perfect for the other Kara Zor-L, a.k.a. Power Girl. Power Girl is a version of Superman’s Kryptonian cousin from another universe, who wound up in ours. With the same powers as Supergirl, she’s older and has way more attitude and self-assuredness. She’s one of DC’s most popular female heroes who has yet to make it into live-action in any form, and we think, if anyone can pull it off, it’s Margot Robbie.

Circe

Sure, Harley Quinn is technically a “villain,” but she’s more of an antihero. We’d love to see Margot Robbie take on the role of delicious true villainy—especially villainy that looks amazing in incredible couture outfits. So we think the role of Wonder Woman villain Circe is perfect for her. The sorceress of Greek myth has long been a thorn in the side of the Amazons, and one of Diana’s major adversaries. When DC introduces Wonder Woman into Gunn’s DCU, we feel the first villain she should face should be Circe. We’d love to see Margot Robbie chew the scenery as a borderline campy witch like Agatha Harkness in the MCU. We know she’d look amazing with purple hair too.

Black Canary (Dinah Lance)

When talking ladies in the Justice League, after Wonder Woman, the JLA’s most iconic member is the sonically powered Black Canary. Dinah Lance is an expert martial artist, and her mother was part of the WWII-era Justice Society. Plus, she had those nifty sonic scream powers. Eventually, Gunn’s DCU will have some kind of Justice League project. And we think this time, Canary needs to be a part of it. We know from her various action scenes in the DCEU as Harley that Margot can pull it off. Although she wouldn’t be originating the role in live-action (Katie Cassidy played her in Arrow, and Jurnee Smollett portrayed her in Birds of Prey), we think Margot could fill Dinah’s stylish boots very nicely.

Poison Ivy (Pamela Isley)

Everyone wants to see Harley and Ivy together. So when Margot Robbie was Harley, no one ever thought to dream of her as plant-controlling eco-terrorist Pamela Isley. But if she’s moving on from the role of Harleen, we say why not? We could see Margot Robbie looking very fetching in green, planting deadly kisses on her enemies. If Margot Robbie did play Poison Ivy in the DCU, she would likely pair up romantically with Harley Quinn eventually. That would make it extra wild to see Robbie snuggling with a character she brought to life before and now had handed off to someone else.

Saturn Girl (Imra Ardeen)

A member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the far-off future of the 31st century, Imra Ardeen was a telepath from the planet Titan. She was extremely skilled in mental powers, even for a race of people who all had them. So as a teenager, she became a founding member of the Legion. Although most comic book portrayals featured Saturn Girl as a teenager, there were versions where the Legionnaires grew into adulthood. The Legion of Super-Heroes is a team fit for James Gunn’s sensibilities. Thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy, he’s an expert at cosmic super teams. And if they do appear in the DCU, we can’t think of anyone better suited to be DC’s Jean Grey than Margot Robbie.

Barbara Gordon (Batgirl/Oracle)

We’re eternally miffed that Warner Bros. shelved its Batgirl movie starring Leslie Grace. But at some point, the DCU should introduce Barbara Gordon. It would be interesting to see a Barbara Gordon in the DCU who was Batgirl in her youth, but forced to retire due to an injury, allowing her to take on the cyber identity of Oracle. We think a more adult version of Barbara Gordon as Oracle would be an ideal part for Margot Robbie—even if we admit we’d also love to see her put on the cape and cowl too. Can we have both?

Artemis

She’s already been Harley Quinn, so why not Wonder Woman? Actually, we don’t mean the Princess Diana version of Wonder Woman we all know and love. We mean the Amazon warrior named Artemis, who once took over for Diana as Wonder Woman back in the ‘90s. Far more aggressive than Diana usually is, and sporting a truly wild ponytail, Artemis hailed from a band of militant Amazons who often clashed with Queen Hipppolyta’s tribe. She wasn’t Wonder Woman for long, but has remained a mainstay of the DC Universe ever since her introduction. We think that Margot Robbie would kill it in this role. Perhaps on the upcoming Paradise Lost series?

The post Characters We’d Love to See Margot Robbie Play in the DCU appeared first on Nerdist.

James Gunn has said the new DCU will make room for “Elseworlds” style stories. In other words, it will allow for DC Comics-based stories not tied to any overall continuity. Matt Reeves’ The Batman and the upcoming Penguin series as well as The Batman – Part II are part of this standalone approach. But the Max Arkham Asylum series, announced in 2022, and also produced by Reeves, won’t take place in that version of Gotham City. Instead, it will take place in the Gotham that exists in the new DCU. Via IGN, we learned Gunn was asked by Threads user if Reeves was “producing another Batverse project, other than The Batman 2, Penguin and Arkham?” This is how Gunn replied:

“Right now Matt is producing Arkham as a DCU series, so there’s just the two for now. We love Matt as a director and producer so he’ll be producing stories both within his The Batman universe and within the DCU.”

This is a pretty big change. Until now we only believed Matt Reeves’ involvement extended to one iteration of Gotham City and the Batman world. And we’re not sure this was always the case. Comments from Reeves previously about the Arkham series made it seem as if he tied it to The Batman world. So why the change? We can only guess as to why this is part of the DCU and not a totally separate thing. But we have a theory.

Given how realistic and grounded the Gotham City of The Batman is, maybe Reeves wanted something a little more sci-fi? Or maybe something leaning into the supernatural? Something that did not fit in with the world established in The Batman. This means we might see more bizarre villains from Batman’s rogues’ gallery, like Mr. Freeze, Clayface, Poison Ivy. Heck, why not Man-Bat? These villains will eventually battle whoever the eventual DCU Dark Knight may be. We think it’s long overdue that we see some of these iconic characters on the big screen.

The post Matt Reeves’ ARKHAM ASYLUM Series Will be Set in James Gunn’s DCU appeared first on Nerdist.

With the recent news via Deadline of Sean Gunn’s casting as billionaire Maxwell Lord in the DCU, comics fans may have started to see a potential plan form. Many know Max Lord as a Wonder Woman villain, a role DC gave him in the 2000s. It’s a role he also played in live-action in Wonder Woman 1984, as well as The CW Supergirl series. But when the character originated, he wasn’t evil at all. He was a smarmy business executive to be sure, but his intentions were ultimately noble. And he intended to form a new Justice League, one which would represent the whole world. A Justice League International.

A post about about Maxwell Lord from James Gunn’s Instagram (around the same time Gunn was mentioned for the role) seemed to confirm that he prefers the Justice League International version of the character, and not the modern villainous version. So this begs the question, with Max and other JLI characters already announced for the DCU, does this mean the world’s goofiest iteration of the Justice League is on the way for live-action? We don’t know, but it sure seems to be pointing in that direction. Before we explain how this could work, here’s a brief history of the Justice League International in the comics, and how Max Lord was tied to them.

The Justice League Reinvents Itself (Take One)

For the first quarter century of its existence, the Justice League of America consisted of DC’s biggest stars. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman were almost always front and center. They were usually flanked by DC’s second tier of heroes, like Green Lantern, Aquaman, and the Flash. The roster expanded over the years, but the superstars were always at the core. But by 1984, sales dipped on JLA, and DC decided to take the Teen Titans/X-Men approach. Mix in new, younger heroes, with some classic old-school members. And thus, Justice League Detroit was born. Okay, so that was not their official name. But since their HQ was a bunker in Detroit, and not a satellite in space, the name stuck.

The DC trinity left the book, leaving stalwarts like Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, and Elongated Man in charge. But the focus was on new, younger members like Steel, Vixen, Vibe, and the unfortunately named Gypsy. All of these members visually evoked pop culture trends of the moment, like breakdancing or MTV pop stars like Cyndi Lauper and Tina Turner. Within a year or two, it was hopelessly dated. Fans rejected it. The new JLA series was a flop, and DC canceled it after only two years. But then they tried something new. And this time, the new take worked.

How Justice League of America Became Justice League International

After the Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot, the biggest DC icons were rebooted and re-energized. But there was no Justice League comic on the horizon. The editors of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Flash didn’t want their characters playing in someone else’s sandbox as they reestablished them, so they forbade them from joining any new Justice League series. DC editor Andy Helfer asked the Batman office to let them use the character, and they relented. Allegedly they felt bad that this new League had no stars. This new Justice League was simply “The Justice League.” No more “of America” in the title. They launched their own new #1 issue in the spring of 1987, from the creative team of writers Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis, and artist Kevin Maguire. Those first issues sold like hotcakes, despite almost no big names in the group besides Batman.

Aside from longtime Leaguers like Batman, Martian Manhunter, and Black Canary, this League’s roster was largely newcomers. Not necessarily newcomers to comics, but to the team. They were known heroes, but with lesser degrees of fame. There was Captain Marvel/Shazam, as well as former JSA member Doctor Fate, two 1940s relics. New Gods characters like Mister Miracle also joined, and the team’s resident Green Lantern was not the well-respected Hal Jordan or John Stewart. It was blowhard Guy Gardner, who no one really liked. In fact, Batman sucker-punched him in the face once, to the visible delight of all his teammates.

A new character, a mysterious financier named Maxwell Lord elevated the League to a new status, as the United Nations’ first official superhero team. Like a sovereign country, they would have embassies all over the globe. By issue #7, DC Comics renamed the series Justice League International. Eventually, the story revealed that Lord encountered a supercomputer from New Genesis, home of the powerful New Gods. It programmed him to use his vast wealth and resources to fund a group of metahumans to replace the now-defunct Justice League of America, in order to protect the Earth from various threats.

Justice League International Mixed Comedy with Superheroics

From the start, JLI was different. Giffen and DeMatteis leaned heavily on comedy, in the middle of the dark and grimy age of comics. The series was genuinely laugh-out-loud funny, but it was also a great superhero adventure series. Guy Gardner was the JLI’s resident arrogant jerk, who rubbed everyone on the team the wrong way. Batman was the gruff uncle who occasionally visited, while Martian Manhunter was the always exasperated dad of the family.

Meanwhile, Blue Beetle and new member Booster Gold (who joined in issue #4) were the constant wisecracking “big brothers” of the team, while Captain Marvel was the dorky kid brother just happy to tag along. JLI became the home of known DC characters—ones often treated with disrespect or considered as jokes. JLI later brought in true D-list characters, like Fire and Ice, a duo who originated in some old Super Friends comics, or the Russian hero Rocket Red. JLI made the readers fall in love with them.

The comedic tone of the writing blended perfectly with Kevin Maguire’s detailed art. The artist had a knack for drawing hyper-realistic facial expressions, so the team’s constant laughter or shock always came through. The series was a big hit for DC, who then spun off several titles. The main JLI book became Justice League America, while its spinoff team was Justice League Europe. A Justice League Quarterly series appeared, and several crossover events took place between them all. Fans responded to the blend of comedy and action, with character interactions that, while mostly funny, could get downright serious. If there was any live-action superhero property these days that reflects the tone of JLI, it’s probably James Gunn’s own Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy.

Is James Gunn Bringing the Justice League International into the DCU?

With the addition of Max Lord to the DCU, one of the key pieces of the Justice League International team is in place. They’ve already cast Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), with Booster Gold officially announced as getting his own streaming series. The Blue Beetle film hinted heavily that Ted Kord is still out there. And if they absorb Beetle into Gunn’s new DCU, we assume that includes Ted too. Add in Batman (we know he’s coming) and Justice League Europe member Metamorpho, and the core of Justice League International is right there. But what form will it take in live-action?

At some point in the future, there will be a new Justice League movie. We doubt it will feature anything but DC’s biggest heroes in the lead. It’s hard to sell a $250 million movie on characters like Fire and Ice, or Mister Miracle. However, it would make sense for Gunn to develop two branches of the League. The “Big Guys” for the movie franchise, and the JLI for an ongoing TV series. Maxwell Lord could form a separate League for the United Nations, and we’d get to see a streaming series featuring them before we even see the famous icons get together to save the Earth.

Gunn perfected the comedic superhero team dynamic for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. He could work similar magic for the JLI for the DCU. Maybe bigger characters like J’onn J’onzz the Martian Manhunter and Batman could be the liaisons between the All-Star League up in their orbiting watchtower, and the “little guys” on Earth. It would be truly wild if the first Justice League we see in Gunn’s DCU was the era when the roster mostly consisted of so-called “lovable losers.” But wouldn’t that be the most James Gunn move ever? If we suddenly hear casting announcements for characters like Fire, Ice, and Rocket Red, then we think it’s safe to say it’ll the Justice League International will be well on its way soon.

The post Is James Gunn Bringing the Justice League International Into the DCU? appeared first on Nerdist.

Dwayne Johnson was right when he said, “The hierarchy of power in the DC universe is about to change.” He was just wrong about who would end up on top. Power now rests in the hands of new co-heads of DC, James Gunn and Peter Safran. We’ve wondered what their ascension would mean for the superhero franchise since the moment they got hired. But we don’t have to wait any longer. Gunn has announced “Chapter 1” of projects in a unified DC universe, or what is known as the DCU.

Gunn shared the plan for the new DC Universe that he and Safran have devised for the first 8-10 years of their regime. That will include a space for other projects that don’t fall under the main DC Universe purview. Films like The Batman Part 2, Teen Titans Go, and Joker: Folie à Deux will fall under the DC Elseworlds banner, same as in DC comics.

Movies already in the works like Shazam: Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, and Aquaman 2, will lead to Gunn and Safran’s new unified DC Universe. (Notably, Gunn said The Flash “resets the entire DC Universe.”) That singular universe will encompass film, television, and gaming. Gunn said characters will even move between animation and live-action, with the same actors playing the voices for the former.

But the biggest news from Gunn is the slate of new films and television shows DC is calling “Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.” Below, we break down what we know about these DCU entries so far.

DC UNIVERSE CHAPTER ONE MOVIES

Superman: Legacy: The film side of the new DCU will kick off on July 11, 2025 with Superman: Legacy. Gunn is writing the script, which he says is “the true beginning” of this new unified era.

According to a release, the Superman movie will “focus on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing.”

You can check out everything we know about Superman: Legacy here:

The Authority: Gunn’s “passion project” is a “big movie” that will introduce a very different group of superheroes. They believe the world is broken and needs saving. But they will also interact with all of the franchise’s other big characters.

A release shares more about this DC Universe movie, It notes “WildStorm characters will join the DCU as members of The Authority take matters into their own hands to do what they believe is right.”

The Brave and the Bold: Batman will come to the DCU in a story based on Grant Morrison’s comic series. It will feature Batman’s actual son, Damian Wayne, as Robin.

According to Gunn, “This is a story of Damian Wayne, who’s Batman’s actual son that he didn’t know existed for the first eight to ten years of his life. He was raised as a little murderer and assassin. He’s my favorite Robin.”

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow: Tom King (and Bilquis Evely)’s comic book series from last year is getting turned into “a big science fiction epic film.”

Gunn shares, “In our story, we have Superman, who was sent to Earth and raised by incredibly loving parents. Kara was on Krypton. She was on a piece of Krypton that drifted away from the planet, and she lived there for the first fourteen years of her life in a horrible situation where she watched everyone around her die. So, she’s a much harsher and more f*cked up Supergirl than you’ve been used to thus far.”

It was recently reported that Ana Nogueira will write the DCU’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow movie.

Swamp Thing: Though “tonally outside the rest of the DCU,” the origin story of Swamp Thing will still feed into the rest of the DC Universe’s stories.

DCU CHAPTER ONE TELEVISION SHOWS

Creature Commandos: The first project for the new DCU is an animated series based on characters first introduced in 1980.

A release shares that this show will be “a seven-episode animated show in which Amanda Waller creates a black ops team out of monstrous prisoners; Gunn wrote all the episodes of the first season.” Gunn further shares, that team will include, “Rick Flag, Sr. He’s going to show up in other stuff. Then Nina Mazursky. Doctor Phosphorus, a Batman villain. Frankenstein—Eric Frankenstein, specifically. The Bride of Frankenstein, who’s the lead. Finally, G.I. Robot and Weasel.”

Waller: The second series from Gunn and Safran is Waller, a live-action spinoff from Peacemaker. It will see Amanda Waller teaming up with members from the Peacemaker team.

Christal Henry (Watchmen) and Jeremy Carver (Supernatural) will write this entry in the DC Universe.

Lanterns: Gunn says Lanterns will be a big HBO series starring Hal Jordan and John Stewart. The “terrestrial-based” show will be akin to True Detective. The two will investigate a “terrifying mystery” that has huge ties to the entire franchise.

Paradise Lost: Paradise Lost will take place on Themyscira, home of Wonder Woman. Gunn says it has a lot in common with Game of Thrones. A release shares this entry into the DC Universe “focuses on the genesis and political intrigue of an island of all women.”

Booster Gold: Booster Gold might be DC’s most popular loser. He’s a hero who travels back in time with technology from the future that lets him be a superhero. That tech is also getting him his own show.

Even more exciting for DC fans? Gunn says these are just the stories he can tell us about right now. But this slate is enough to know the hierarchy in the DC universe really has changed.

Originally published on January 31, 2023.

The post James Gunn Announces First Slate of TV Shows and Movies for the DC Universe appeared first on Nerdist.

There’s a lot happening in the entertainment world. The first season of Ahsoka came to a close, the second season of Loki is just beginning, and all kinds of cool creations have made their way into the world. But amidst all of that, there are some other fun (and some not-so-fun) things you should probably know about.

Here are some of our favorite pop-culture news odds & ends from this week.

This Week’s Odds & Ends in News:

• Animal Crossing and LEGO Announce Collaboration
• James Gunn Confirms Peacemaker Season Two Is in His DCU, Currently Writing Season
• Hayao Miyazaki Is Already Working on his Next “Final Movie”
• The Barbie Movie Releases on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD on October 17
• Discovery+ Announces First Price Hike, Raises Cost of Ad-Free Tier
• $400 Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic Collection Comes with Foil Original Starters
• The Boys‘ Spinoff Gen V Creates Its Own In-World Social Network, “V”
• One Piece‘s Monkey D. Luffy Will Become a Float in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
• Dunkin’ Donuts Releases Inflatable Spider Donut Decoration

Animal Crossing and LEGO Announce Collaboration

Get ready to tend to your LEGO garden! Nintendo has officially teased a collaboration between Animal Crossing and LEGO. Both playing Animal Crossing and building LEGO masterpieces are two extremely calming activities, so we can only imagine how much fun they’ll be when they combine. Rumors of a collaboration have been floating for some time, and we can’t wait to see which official sets we’ll receive.

For more soothing LEGO builds, check out the latest LEGO Ideas set.

James Gunn Confirms Peacemaker Season Two Is in His DCU, Currently Writing Season

Rejoice, Peacemaker fans, Peacemaker season two is not only in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe, but it is actively being written. A little while ago, Gunn noted Peacemaker season two would be his next project after Superman: Legacy. This news, of course, heavily implied that Peacemaker season two would be in the new DC Universe, but it’s always nice to hear some confirmation. In response to a fan question on Threads that read, “Will season 2 of Peacemaker take place in the new DCU/ new continuity?” Gunn replied, “Yes and Yes.” We saw this news via IGN.

Additionally, James Gunn revealed he is currently writing season two of Peacemaker and he’s “having so much fun.” We can’t wait to hear more about the future of the series.

To see what else is in store for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe, check out our article, here:

Hayao Miyazaki Is Already Working on his Next Movie Despite “Final Movie” Buzz

Soon, Hayao Miyazaki’s latest “final movie,” The Boy and the Heron, will release in the United States. This movie was greatly touted as the last work by the animation genius. However, Hayao Miyazaki has announced many “final movies” before. So we were not very surprised to read that The Boy and the Heron would most likely not hold the title of the last Miyazaki movie.

French publication Libération recently spoke to Studio Ghibli President Toshio Suzuki. And Suzuki said, “He’s constantly thinking about his next project. I can’t stop him, in fact, I’ve given up. Suzuki adds, “He started talking about a new project, so I’m not stopping him. As long as he’s working, I won’t be able to retire.”

This fits in with news that came from the Toronto International Film Festival. Studio Ghibli executive Junichi Nishioka noted to the CBC, “Other people say that this might be his last film, but he doesn’t feel that way at all… He is currently working on ideas for a new film. He comes into his office every day and does that. This time, he’s not going to announce his retirement at all. He’s continuing working just as he has always done.”

To this, we say, bring on the next Miyazaki movie.

You can watch the trailer for Studio Ghibli’s latest movie, The Boy and the Heron, here:

The Barbie Movie Releases on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD on October 17

It is time to say “Hi, Barbie!” once again. After an incredible theatrical run this summer, Barbie headed over to streaming to continue her reign of excellence. But now, she’s driving on back to the physical world. Life in plastic is fantastic! And also life in Blue-ray and DVD. The Barbie movie will release for purchase on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on October 17. Alongside the movie, purchases of Barbie on physical media will see some special features, six featurettes to be exact. Plus, the 4K UHD, Blu-ray case is so pink and sparkly; how could anyone resist?

To learn more about we thought of the Barbie movie, check out our review, here:

Discovery+ Announces First Price Hike and Raises Cost of Ad-Free Tier, Netflix Rumored to Also See Price Increase

No streaming service is safe right now. From price hikes to ad-tiers to password-sharing crackdowns, streaming is becoming more costly and less welcoming than it used to be. The latest to throw their hat into the fray is Discovery+. Discovery+ recently announced its first price increase ever, focusing on its ad-free tier. In a change that became immediately effective, Discovery+ announced that in the United States, “the price of a new Discovery+ ad-free monthly subscription in the U.S. will increase from $6.99 to $8.99 plus applicable taxes. The ad-lite subscription will not change and remains $4.99/month.” Meanwhile, “Existing subscribers will see their monthly rate increase on their next billing cycle on or after November 2.” As always, the streamer frames the price increase as necessary for continued quality programming.

Elsewhere, The Wall Street Journal reports Netflix is also considering a price hike for its ad-free tier. Seems like basically every streamer wants to push subscribers to ads… Or have them pay the price. Good luck to all subscribers out there.

For more on the latest streamer shenanigans, check out what Disney+ is doing.

$400 Pokemon Trading Card Game Classic Collection Comes with Foil Original Starters

Pokémon Trainers of a certain age will soon be able to get a second chance at owning certain cards they coveted as a child. A brand new Pokémon set titled the Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic collection is on sale, and for $400, it will bring all your Pokémon dreams to life. This collector’s item, which we first saw on GameSpot, includes three 60-card Pokémon decks, comes in snazzy packaging, and promises the three original Pokémon starter cards in foil form. You may not get all the hours you spent hunting for a shiny Charizard back, but you will get the satisfaction of finally having the creature in hand. The Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic collection also features a two-player game board, toolbox case with randomizer, and more.

For even more Pokémon adventures, learn more about the upcoming Pokémon live-action series:

The Boys‘ Spinoff Gen V Creates Its Own In-World Social Network, “V”

Can’t get enough of The Boys‘ spinoff, Gen V? Well, you’re in luck because Gen V and Prime Video have teamed up with gaming browser Opera GX to create a Gen V in-universe social network called V. Obviously, this is a bit of a play on Twitter’s new name—and that’s The Boys‘ universe for you.

A release shares:

Super-powered by Opera GX, V is the new social media arm of the fictional Vought International. V allows users to get to know the supes featured in Gen V, and interact with in-world profiles of their favorite members of The Seven, including characters from The Boys such as Homelander, A-Train, and dozens of other official characters from Gen V and The Boys.

V users can also explore the official in-world  Godolkin University, and catch up with some of its most popular students. Users will be able to keep up with Godolkin University’s latest student rankings as students battle for the top position and the opportunity to join The Seven, as well as access an array of exclusive Gen V content.

V will be continuously updated with new content throughout the season, echoing the hum of a real-world social network.

Sounds like a super fun way to get the most of your Gen V viewing experience. You can learn how to log-on to V, here.

Gen V is now available to watch. Check out our guide to all the new Supes and their powers, here:

One Piece‘s Monkey D. Luffy Will Become a Float in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

You know him, you love him, and now you’ll see him float in a parade. One Piece‘s Monkey D. Luffy is the latest nerdy character to become a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. On November 23, Luffy will set sail on his latest, biggest adventure yet, down the streets of New York City. The One Piece Monkey D. Luffy balloon will be 43-feet long, 39-feet wide and 50-feet tall. We bet this balloon Luffy eats A LOT. And while he won’t have his typical crew with him, we’re told “he will be led the entire way by his own pirate crew of skilled marchers—all honorary Straw Hats for the day.” We bet they’ll wear straw hats, too, and that’s honestly delightful. It’s truly what Luffy deserves.

It’s been a big year for One Piece as the series made the leap into live-action. Check out why we thought the series was truly successful.

Dunkin’ Donuts Releases Inflatable Spider Donut Decoration

 It’s October, the best month. There are many ways to decorate for the season, but Dunkin’ Donuts wants you to consider a new unique piece of Halloween fun. The coffee chain recently released an inflatable version of their iconic spider donut. No, you can’t eat it, but if this is your favorite Halloween treat, why not take it home?

As the description for the Dunkin’ inflatable spider donut aptly shares, “For everyone that’s ever said “Man, my yard could really use a 6-foot-tall, lit up Inflatable Spider Donut to turn my Halloween decor game up a notch,” this is for you*. 

*It’s also for everyone that’s never said that, too.”

Cheers to that! This fun inflatable is available at the Dunkin’ Shop for $99. Happy pumpkin spice season!

Dunkin’ recently released a line of hard iced coffees and teas. Check out what we know about Dunkin’ Spiked, here.

The post ANIMAL CROSSING Comes to LEGO, Streaming Price Hikes, and More News Odds & Ends appeared first on Nerdist.

There has been much speculation about which characters from the old DCEU would make the transition to James Gunn’s new DCU. No one, including Gal Gadot, seems to know if she is coming back as Wonder Woman or not. Well, now we know three actors who are definitely coming back in this new DC Universe. They are John Cena as Peacemaker, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, and Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes, the Blue Beetle. This was all confirmed by Gunn on social media, via The Hollywood Reporter.

So does that make the previous Peacemaker series, or Gunn’s own Suicide Squad canon? What about the very recently released Blue Beetle? After all, the actor playing him is officially returning. Here’s what Gunn said in a post on Threads when a fan asked about the new DCU canon.

“Nothing is canon until Creature Commandos next year — a sort of apéritif to the DCU — & then a deeper dive into the universe with Superman: Legacy after that. It’s a very human drive to want to understand everything all the time, but I think its okay to be confused on what’s happening in the DCU since no one has seen anything from the DCU yet. And, yes, some actors will be playing characters they’ve played in other stories & some plot points might be consistent with plot points from the dozens of films, shows & animated projects that have come from DC in the past. But nothing is canon until Creature Comandos and Legacy.”

It will be fascinating to see if any other characters from the old canon make the transition. Margot Robbie is very liked as Harley, and is personal friends with Gunn, she seems like a sure thing. But what about Jason Momoa as Aquaman? That one seems very up in the air. Hopefully, as Superman: Legacy approaches, we start to see a clearer picture of who is, and who is not, making the transition to Gunn’s new DC Universe.

The post James Gunn Confirms 3 DCEU Actors Carrying Over to the New DCU appeared first on Nerdist.

With James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe on the horizon, one Blue Beetle character could provide the connective tissue between the previous studio regime and the future that’s to come: OMAC. The film introduced OMAC—an acronym for “One Man Army Corps”—as a technological enhancement for the villain Carapax (Raoul Trujillo). It was featured as an armored exoskeleton that could be implanted into the spines of ordinary humans. It then turns them into bulky weapons of war. Blue Beetle (Xolo Maridueña) and his family and friends destroyed the OMACs at Kord Industries. However, the OMAC mythos is too big and too promising to be contained in one film. A film about DC’s Authority is in development and OMAC could tie the emergent threads of the DC Universe together. 

The Origin Story and Purpose of the First OMAC, Explained

The original OMAC first appeared in Jack Kirby and Mike Royer’s OMAC #1 (1974). We meet Buddy Blank, a mild-mannered office-worker chosen by an omnipotent peace-keeping agency to become OMAC. Using an enormous eye-shaped satellite called Brother Eye, the peace-keeping agency imbued Blank with superhuman strength, speed, and durability. He also got a costume reminiscent of the Greek god of war, Ares, complete with a decorative fin. 

From the very beginning of OMAC’s history, the character focused on the relationship between technology and the human body. In the beginning pages of his first issue, OMAC muses, “Where does humanity stop and technology begin? We no longer know…”

Seeing how much Blue Beetle explores the connections between Jaime Reyes and the Scarab, OMAC is a natural point of comparison for the protagonist. 

OMAC, Superman, and the Authority’s DC Comics Relationship

OMAC could be an essential part of the DCU because of a relationship with a team on the horizon: the Authority. The Authority is traditionally made up of members like Apollo, Midnighter, and Jack Hawksmoor. In the nineties, The Authority was the edgy alternative to the Justice League. Their members were flawed and disinterested in being the model of heroism for anyone. 

But recently, The Authority’s lineup and purpose got a new reimagining in print form. Grant Morrison and Mikel Janín’s 2021 series, Superman and the Authority, debuted a new OMAC as a team member. This OMAC, nicknamed “Mac,” is distinct from Buddy Blank’s iteration of the character as well as the militaristic vision of OMAC presented in Blue Beetle.

Blank’s OMAC suit includes a warlike fin and eye insignia. Conversely, Mac dons a pink mohawk hairstyle and pink facial marking shaped like an eye on his forehead. When Mac introduces himself to Superman and the rest of the new Authority team, he mentions that he uses he/him and they/them pronouns. Mac’s OMAC suit includes heavy armor. It works by him verbally commanding how much power he wants to use on a scale of one to ten. Mac is from Earth 9, and is in love with Earth 9’s version of Lightray. This makes him a character from DC’s multiverse.  

Because of Mac’s uniqueness, as well as his comic book ties to the characters in future film projects involving the Authority and Superman, he presents a striking opportunity to strengthen this emergent lore in the DC Universe. This new OMAC has shaped the course of Superman’s mythology over the past two years in DC Comics.

We see their journey in the Warworld Saga arc, spanning principally Action Comics #1029-1036 and Superman: Warworld Apocalypse by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Daniel Sampere, Riccardo Federici, David Lapham, and more. Along with the rest of Superman’s new Authority team, Mac went to Warworld, a desolate gladiatorial planet ruled by the tyrant, Mongul, in order to liberate the people trapped there. The Warworld Saga laid the foundation for a new era for Superman and redefined the Authority within DC’s status quo. 

The Future of OMAC in James Gunn’s DCU

James Gunn said the comic book influences for the new DC Universe includes stories written by Grant Morrison. These include stories such as All-Star Superman and their Batman run. Morrison’s Superman and Batman work is setting the stage for two pillars of the DC Universe. Therefore, it isn’t a stretch to wonder if Superman and the Authority’s OMAC will make an appearance in Superman: Legacy or The Authority as a member of the team. There is no way of knowing if another OMAC was already operating outside of Palmera City in Blue Beetle. And we also don’t know if there is one like Mac existing someplace else within the multiverse.

Grant Morrison explored the multiverse heavily in works like The Multiversity. So fans will have to wait and see if this element is adapted into the DC Universe. Featuring OMAC in the Authority’s team would cultivate a greater sense of cohesion between Blue Beetle and the future DCU. Mac’s version of OMAC in The Authority would be relatively accessible to newcomers, even if they don’t know much about this collective.

OMAC’s thematic focus on the hybridity between technology and the human body is relevant to today’s world and era of superheroes. It would be a huge missed opportunity if OMAC is just a one-off character. From everything that James Gunn and Peter Safran have revealed about the new DCU, it’s clear that the franchise will pull from the lore from DC Comics. OMAC is a powerful example of the creativity in DC’s superhero comics and it’s time to bring it into full focus.  

The post How BLUE BEETLE’s OMAC Could Tie Into the DCU’s Future appeared first on Nerdist.

DC Studios co-head James Gunn previously mentioned how he was already mapping out his DCU geography and realizing it to the same degree as Game of Thrones’ Westeros. Unlike Marvel, which mostly takes place in real-world locations, DC’s main locales are totally fictional cities, each with its own flavor. Gunn mentioned the obvious examples, like Metropolis and Gotham, but also Green Arrow’s Star City and Nightwing’s Bludhaven. But DC Comics has a metric ton of other cool fictional cities, ones we’d love to see on the big (and small) screens. Here are the fictional DC Comics cities that we’d love to see in the DCU.

Gateway City (First Appearance – Wonder Woman #101 (1995))

Superman famously has Metropolis. Batman has Gotham. And so on and so on. But the third member of the DC Trinity, Wonder Woman, didn’t get a cool fictional city of her own till the ‘90s. Sure, she had Themyscira, but she didn’t hang her lasso there Monday through Friday. Originally, she lived in Washington, D.C., and then post-Crisis reboot, in Boston. Yes, somehow DC Comics America has room for all these fictional cities and the real ones. It’s crowded. But in 1995, John Byrne moved Diana Prince to the fictional Gateway City. Intended as a stand-in for San Francisco, it was there Diana worked at an ancient history museum. Later, heroes like the Spectre and Mister Terrific would operate out of Gateway. When Diana finally appears, whoever she may be, we’d love to see her live in Gateway.

Opal City (First Appearance – Starman #0 (1994))

Opal City didn’t appear until the 1994 series Starman, written by James Robinson and illustrated by Tony Harris. It was the home of the Justice Society’s Starman of World War II, Ted Knight. He protected the city with the use of his stellar-powered cosmic rod. As he got older, he passed on his heroic mantle to his son David. But when he died, his other son, a slacker type named Jack, had to pick up the legacy. Opal was a city with much history in Starman, and home to supernatural beings like the immortal Shade. The history of Opal was a huge springboard for stories in this series. Artist Tony Harris designed Opal within an inch of its life, giving every building an Art déco flair. This is one of the most well-planned fictional cities in the DC universe, and it deserves to appear on screen at some point.

Gorilla City (First Appearance – The Flash #106 (1959))

You know what’s cooler than a talking gorilla? A whole city full of talking gorillas. Gorilla City, found in a secret location in the jungles of Equatorial Africa, is home to a highly advanced race of gorillas who were given artificially enhanced intelligence centuries ago. These apes were wise and benevolent. Their sovereign King Solovar ruled them. But one of their own, a gorilla named Grodd, went rogue. He eventually became a primary Flash villain. Like Atlantis and Themyscira, Gorilla City is one of the cooler high-tech hidden megalopolis from the comics. We saw a version of it in the Flash TV show, but we want something a little more like the comics. Basically, we want apes living in a Jetsons world. We believe James Gunn can deliver that.

Keystone and Central Cities (First Appearance – Flash Comics #1 (1940)Showcase #4 (1956))

We’ve already seen Central City, home of the second Flash Barry Allen, in both The Flash movies and TV shows. But in the comics, it is one of two twin cities in the Midwest along with Keystone City. Central City was supposed to be in Missouri with Keystone in Kansas. Both towns have a long history with speedster heroes. Keystone was home to the original Flash, Jay Garrick, during the 1940s and 1950s. Later, Barry Allen made its sister city Central his home. Fun fact: Both cities existed on different Earths, but when Earth-One and Earth-Two merged into one after Crisis on Infinite Earths, they became adjacent to each other. The third Flash, Wally West, then became the protector of both. Seeing twin cities with one hero protector would be a fun approach for the DCU.

Dakota City (First Appearance – Hardware #1 (1993))

The Milestone Comics heroes arrived in the early ‘90s to add some much-needed African-American representation to DC’s heroic ranks. And like any good DC heroes, they reside in their own fictional American city. Much like Metropolis is a fictional version of New York City, they designed Dakota to be a fictional variation of Detroit, Michigan. It’s home to heroes like Static, Icon, Hardware, the Blood Syndicate, and more. Originally, the Milestone heroes were part of their own separate continuity, but it then merged into the mainline DC Earth in 2008. If we ever see the Milestone heroes come to life, like in the long-rumored Static Shock live-action project, then Dakota is a must.

Coast City (First Appearance – Showcase #22 (1959))

In many ways, Coast City has had the wildest publishing history of any DC Comics city. DC introduced it as a stand-in for a Southern California city like L.A. or San Diego in the early ‘60s Green Lantern comics. This was at the height of the period when California was the number one location for the aviation industry. And since Green Lantern Hal Jordan was a test pilot, it made sense to have Coast City as his home base. Hal Jordan worked out of Coast City for years, until the Reign of the Superman story in the ‘90s, when the alien Mongul destroyed it, killing millions. Later, they rebuilt the city in record time, because comics. Still, it’s a fun idealized version of mid-century California, and we’d love to see it on screen.

The post The Fictional DC Comics Cities We Want to See in the DCU appeared first on Nerdist.

In the film Blue Beetle, we learn that industrialist and CEO of Kord Industries, Ted Kord, was once the superhero of Palmera City. Named, of course, the Blue Beetle. For years, he had access to the mysterious alien Scarab. However, unlike Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña), the Scarab did not choose him to bond with. Instead, he studied it, and Ted Kord used the information he gleaned from it to create many gadgets and weapons. Many are similar to those of Batman. But the Blue Beetle mid-credits didn’t just tease the arrival of Ted Kord, but possibly also his BFF, Booster Gold.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Angel Manuel Soto addressed the possibility presented in Blue Beetle‘s mid-credits scene. He said, “Ted Kord is still alive, he’s somewhere out there in the universe, and whatever the future holds for our hero is open to interpretation. So, whether that is Booster Gold or Ted Kord or if it is both of them [together], the possibility exists, and it is something that we want to entertain.”

Blue Beetle Ted Kord’s Mysterious Message

At some point, around two decades prior to the events of the film, Ted Kord vanished. He left an 8-year-old daughter named Jennifer (Bruna Marquezine), and his company in the hands of his corrupt sister, Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon). In the mid-credits scene of Blue Beetle, we learn that Ted Kord is not dead. We witness a heavily fragmented video message from him come through on his computer. We don’t see his face clearly, and his voice sounds muffled. But he definitely wants his daughter Jennifer to know he’s still alive out there, and to find him. But where is he?

However, maybe the question isn’t where is he, but when is he. Ted Kord would have probably been in his 30s when he vanished. Maybe 40s at most, especially if he had a young daughter. And although altered by static, you can tell in the film it’s not an “old man voice” we hear. Whoever sent that message isn’t the age Ted Kord should be now. This makes us think that maybe Ted Kord did not just find himself lost somewhere in the world. Maybe he is lost in time.

Could Blue Beetle Ted Kord Be Lost in Time with Booster Gold?

And certainly, judging by the comics, there would be a plausible reason for this. In DC Comics, Ted Kord’s best friend in the world is Booster Gold. A hero from the 25th century, Booster famously time-travels. Booster was a nobody in his time, but with common technology from his era, he figured he could become a wealthy celebrity and superhero in the past. He eventually joined the Justice League International, where he and Blue Beetle Ted Kord became best friends. The two got into many wacky adventures together, and became known as “Blue and Gold.”

In the lead-up to the event series Identity Crisis, Ted Kord uncovered the plans of the villainous Maxwell Lord. And Max later murdered by Ted in cold blood. Booster used his time-traveling abilities to try to save his best friend, which led to a lot of wild time-travel paradoxes and scenarios. Ultimately, Ted Kord realized he must fulfill his fate and die when he was meant to, allowing time to flow properly. Lucky for him, they rebooted the DC Universe a couple of times more, and Ted Kord is now alive and well, and a mentor to Jaime Reyes. So there is a precedent for Ted Kord and time-travel adventures.

Who Could Play Blue Beetle Ted Kord in James Gunn’s DCU?

The mid-credits Blue Beetle scene does a lot of teasing when it comes to Ted Kord and Booster Gold, but not a lot of revealing. Recently though, director Angel Manuel Soto shared his dream casting for Ted Kord should the Blue Beetle appear again. He shared with The Digital Fix, “My dream cast for Ted Kord has always been Jason Sudeikis… But at the end of the day, it’s about who’s best for the character, who loves what we’re trying to do. And who’s willing to see Jaime Reyes’ story continue.”

For now, of course, no casting has been determined. But it does feel like there will be a place for Ted Kord in the future of the DCU.

Blue Beetle and Booster Gold in the DCU Could Lead to Justice League International

James Gunn has stated that Blue Beetle will have a role going forward in his new DCU. Even if the mid-credits tease never finds resolution in a Blue Beetle sequel, there is a Booster Gold series coming in Chapter 1 of the DCU, “Gods and Monsters.” What if Ted Kord was sucked into another timeline thanks to Booster, perhaps the new one that will be established in Superman: Legacy? This would allow the Blue Beetle characters to make the transition into the new DCU, without negating anything that happened in the film.

A Blue Beetle/Booster Gold connection already would make for a perfect setup for an eventual Justice League International project. Because with Ted Kord confirmed alive, and Booster Gold and Green Lantern Guy Gardner confirmed for the DCU, not to mention a new Batman, we have half the JLI core membership right there. And here’s where we’re really putting on our tin foil hats. Jenny Kord said her mother, who was Brazilian, died under undisclosed circumstances when she was six. What If she didn’t die, but also became lost in time, and Ted went looking for her? And what if she’s core JLI member Fire, a Brazilian heroine who controls powerful green flame? There’s a lot of room for Gunn’s DCU to take threads dropped in Blue Beetle and run with them. Here’s hoping we get to see these all play out.

The post Does the BLUE BEETLE Mid-Credits Scene Tease Booster Gold? appeared first on Nerdist.

The DCU is coming our way, and many fans wonder how it will compare to the all-mighty MCU. Well, according to James Gunn, there will be some significant differences between the DCU and its Marvel counterpart. The co-CEO of DC Studios dove into the topic with Inside of You podcast to give fans more insight. (Thanks to IGN for putting this on our radar.) On the podcast, Gunn shares the DCU will lean heavily on secret identities and fantasy settings, which is certainly not like the MCU.

“If you look at the MCU, there are very few traditional superheroes,” Gunn affirms. “There was never a guy with a secret identity until Spider-Man in the MCU. Their Cap was turned into a soldier even though he wears a mask. Iron Man outed himself at the end of the first Iron Man because they don’t want to deal with the whole secret identity stuff.”

He goes on to explain that the DCU is also more fantasy based than the MCU because many of its heroes, like Superman, are larger than life. To him, Clark Kent and Superman are very much two different characters. And the DCU will find a way to deal with both of them in its world. Speaking of its world, Gunn is excited to explore fictional places like Gotham City. DC’s settings create a much different feeling than putting heroes in our real-life cities as the MCU tends to do. 

“One of the things that I love about DC, that excites me about DC, is that in a way it’s another alternate history,” he notes. “It is Gotham City and Metropolis and Star City and Bludhaven, and all these different places in this other reality, and it makes it a little bit like Westeros in some ways.” And, in fact, Gunn even noted on Threads that he is even planning “an incredibly detailed world map” for his DCU that we can’t wait to see take shape.

The ways that the DCU will be different from the MCU make a lot of sense and will give fans a fresh approach to DC’s roster. In the meantime, we will be (not so) patiently waiting for Superman: Legacy to fly our way in 2025.

Originally published on June 14, 2023.

The post Here’s How James Gunn’s DCU Will Be Different From the MCU appeared first on Nerdist.

The Jaime Reyes version of the Blue Beetle has only been around in the pages of DC Comics since 2006. But since then, he’s made quite an impact. A legacy hero, Jaime Reyes is the third to wear the heroic mantle of Blue Beetle. Jaime Reyes, nevertheless, has appeared in several of his own comic series, and team books like Teen Titans, and appeared as Blue Beetle in both animated series (Young Justice, Batman: Brave and the Bold) and live-action shows (Smallville). Now, he’s starring in his own live-action film, Blue Beetle, starring Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña. But just who is Jaime Reyes? Here’s the lowdown on Blue Beetle, the Texas teen who is the new DCU’s first superhero.

Jaime Reyes’ DC Comics Origins as Blue Beetle

In DC Comics’ 2005-2006 event series Infinite Crisis‘ third issue, readers met Texas teenager Jaime Reyes. Months after the tragic death of Ted Kord (the second Blue Beetle), Jaime Reyes finds the ancient and powerful Beetle Scarab. It was in the keeping of the Wizard Shazam in the Rock of Eternity, and when that was destroyed, it crashed to Earth. Not long after, teenage Jaimie found it in El Paso, Texas totally by chance. The alien scarab bonded with Jaime Reyes in his sleep, and he was able to activate its powers, his first step toward becoming Blue Beetle. Even though, at first, Jaime had a tough time controlling his new abilities.

Thanks to Booster Gold, his predecessor Ted Kord’s best friend, Jaime was recruited to help Batman and others save the Multiverse. During this time, the Dark Knight saw much potential in Jaime Reyes, and took him under his wing helping him to become the Blue Beetle. But this isn’t Jaime Reyes’ only DC Comics Blue Beetle origin story. No, Jaime had quite a few.

In the 2011 New 52 reboot continuity, Jaime finds the scarab in a backpack he managed to steal away from some criminals, instead of just by sheer luck. And in the 2016 Rebirth re-reboot (DC does these a lot), the comics tweaked Jaime Reyes’ origin yet again, and this time DC revealed the scarab to be magical in nature and not just an alien artifact.

Jaime Reyes’ Blue Beetle has been around less than 20 years, and DC Comics has already altered his origin story three times! But the core facts about his backstory tend to remain the same throughout the different iterations.

Jaime Reyes’ Blue Beetle Comics Highlights

The previously mentioned event series Infinite Crisis, by Geoff Johns and Phil Jimenez, was the introduction of Blue Beetle, and even though largely retconned away now, serves as a great jumping-on point for the character. Following Infinite Crisis, Jaime got his own ongoing Blue Beetle series from creators Keith Giffen, John Rodgers, and artist Cully Hamner. That Blue Beetle series ran for 36 issues from 2006 to 2009. Following the New 52 line-wide reboot of 2011, Jaime got yet another new ongoing book from the creative team of Tony Bedard and Ig Guara, which lasted 17 issues in total.

Jaime Reyes’ most recent ongoing series, from returning writer Keith Giffen and artist Scott Kolins, came in 2016, and that third Blue Beetle volume lasted 18 issues. it ended in 2018. Since then, Jaime has appeared in the recent mini-series Blue Beetle: Graduation Day. That book came from the creative team of Josh Trujillo and Adrián Gutiérrez. In this story, Jaime graduated high school at last and moved from El Paso to Palmera City. The fictional town of Palmera City also appears in the upcoming live-action Blue Beetle movie.

What Are Blue Beetles’ Powers and Abilities?

All of the Blue Beetle’s powers emerge from the Scarab, which grafted itself to Jaime Reyes’ spine. Whenever Jaime is in any kind of peril, the Scarab activates and protects him by covering his body in the form of armor. This armor is strong enough to withstand energy blasts and even re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere from outer space. The Blue Beetle armor also has the power to transform into a wide variety of weapons, including an energy plasma blaster arm, as well as blades and shields. The armor’s wings allow for the power of flight, and they enhance Jaime’s strength and durability while he’s wearing it. However, Jaime Reyes’ enhancements are nothing quite approaching the levels of Superman or Wonder Woman. Unfortunately, when the Scarab’s armor retracts back into his spine, it’s quite a painful experience for poor Jaime despite his Blue Beetle abilities.

Jaime Reyes’ Blue Beetle Suit, Explained

The powers of Blue Beetle’s suit are tied to the Scarab attached to his body. The Scarab is a form of technology that originated from an alien civilization known as the Reach. Centuries ago, the Reach conquered worlds with their advanced tech. The idea behind the Scarab was that it would take over the mind of the person it attached itself to. Thus, allowing the Reach to conquer primitive worlds remotely. The Infiltrator Scarab Jaime has is known as Kahji Dha. But once left behind on Earth, ancient sorcerers used magic to alter its ability to control the person who wore it. The Blue Beetle scarab became the property of a Pharoah, who locked it with him in his tomb until archeologists discovered it in the 20th century.

The suit worn by actor Xolo Maridueña in the Blue Beetle movie is very accurate to the DC Comics suit designed by Jim Lee. it also has the name Kahji Dha. In fact, Jaime Reyes’ live-action Blue Beetle suit is one of the most comic-accurate costumes we’ve seen in any comic book movie so far. It is far closer to the original comics than the first live-action Blue Beetle, seen back in Smallville. Jaime Reyes’ live-action Blue Beetle costume functions the same as the one in the comics. Jaime can create many similar weapons for himself, just like his comics counterpart.

Who Is Blue Beetle’s Main Villain?

In the pages of the comics, Jaime Reyes’ main adversaries include local crime boss La Dama, who made Blue Beetle’s life miserable in El Paso. And of course, the alien Reach themselves. In the Blue Beetle movie, the big bads are Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon), sister of Blue Beetle II, Ted Kord.

Although created for the Blue Beetle movie, Victoria Kord, the CEO of Kord Industries, actually made her debut in the comics—very recently, in fact. Victoria Kord first appeared in DC Comics as a part of the Blue Beetle: Graduation Day series. This is a callback to how DC created Batgirl for the Batman ’66 TV show, but she actually made her comic book debut months earlier. The other villain Jaime fights in the Blue Beetle movie is the cyborg known as Carapax. Carapax was the first villain Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle fought in his first DC Comics issue in 1986.

Will Jaime Reyes’ Blue Beetle Be in the DCU?

Although The Flash rebooted the DCEU into what will be James Gunn’s new DCU, and Blue Beetle came out after, the movie is not technically the first film of the DCU. However, James Gunn has confirmed that the Jaime Reyes we see in Blue Beetle, portrayed by Xolo Maridueña, will transfer over to his DCU. What that means is a mystery. A sequel film if the first is successful? A part in a team movie? We really have no idea. But expect to see this Blue Beetle flying next to Superman and the Batplane at some point in the future of the DCU.

Blue Beetle is now in theaters everywhere.

Originally published July 28, 2023.

The post Who Is DC Comics’ Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes? His Origins, Powers, and DCU Future, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

The Blue Beetle film, starring Xolo Maridueña as our titular hero Jaime Reyes, draws from DC Comics lore to give us the villainous Carapax, a.k.a. the Indestructible Man. Carapax is the comic baddie who can truly call himself the Blue Beetle’s arch nemesis …at least the Ted Kord version of Blue Beetle, anyway. In the Blue Beetle movie, Raoul Max Trujillo brings this robotic bruiser to life and there’s so much to explore with the character. So, let’s dig into the DC Comics history of Blue Beetle‘s Carapax, and how his story comes to life on the big screen.

The ’80s Origin Story of Carapax, the Second Blue Beetle’s Archenemy

Conrad Carapax first appeared in 1986’s Blue Beetle #1, thanks to writer Len Wein and artist Paris Cullins. He fought the Ted Kord version of Blue Beetle, in what was his first DC Comics ongoing series. Conrad Carapax was an archaeologist who often competed with Dan Garrett, the original Blue Beetle. Naturally, he had no clue that Garrett was secretly the costumed adventurer. So when Garrett died in a remote location called Pago Island, Carapax assumed it was due to something archeology related. Traveling to the mysterious island, he hoped to unearth what Garrett was trying to find at the time of his death.

On Pago Island, Conrad Carapax found what remained of a secret laboratory once belonging to Jarvis Kord, the evil genius who hid a secret lab there. There, among Kord’s belongings, was a fully functional (and maybe indestructible) robot. It was meant to be part of an army of robots to help facilitate his villainous global takeover. Every villain needs one of those, right? When Dan Garrett (disguised as the Blue Beetle) tried to stop him, Jarvis Kord activated the robot army’s self-destruct, killing them both. Later, Carapax tried to activate the remaining robot he found, but it malfunctioned, electrocuting him to death. Carapax’s physical body died; however, his mind lived on, now merged with the robot’s computer brain. He became Carapax, the Indestructible Man.

Carapax in his new metal form became a literal killing machine. Eventually, a Chicago cop and a crew of people on a ship to Pago Island to investigate Daniel Garrett’s death. Carapax subsequently went a killing spree. During this time, he ended up battling the second Blue Beetle (and Jarvis Kord’s nephew), Ted Kord. Along with the ship, Carapax sank into the Atlantic Ocean. Obviously, Carapax didn’t die during this encounter and became the number one enemy of Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle throughout his ongoing series.

Conrad Carapax Gets an Alien Upgrade and Fights Superman

Eventually, aliens transferred Carapax’s consciousness into a new mechanical body. After several battles with Blue Beetle, he even fought Superman and the Suicide Squad! (The Man of Steel, of course, soundly defeated him.) Conrad Carapax managed to avoid serious prison time when the company Hakke-Bruton paid him in order to replicate his robot form, making an army of Carapaxes. Eventually, in the modern-day comics, the third Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes, battled one of the Carapaxes and defeated him by using his own weapons against him.

The Cinematic Version of Carapax in Blue Beetle, Explained

In Blue Beetle, the backstory for Carapax is very different, even though his overall design silhouette is similar to the comics. The film version of Carapax isn’t Conrad, but Ignacio Carapax. He grew up in war-torn Guatemala, during a civil war or local revolution. Kord Industries bombed his village and killed his mother right in front of him. Upon reaching adulthood, he became a freedom fighter and mercenary. However, he stepped on a landmine, losing both a leg and an arm. He’s essentially kidnapped from his home by Victoria Kord. Later, Kord rebuilt him with OMAC (One Man Army Corps) tech, developed and then abandoned by her brother.

Victoria brainwashed him to forget his family and origins, and kept him as her muscle. So, the movie Carapax isn’t exactly a human mind inside a robot body, but he is still a blending of man and machine. Kord used her technology to control Carapax, and wipe his memories of what she did to him. He ultimately turned on her, after Jaime Reyes let him live in an act of mercy after they fought. We love seeing such an obscure DC Comics villain like Carapax get the big-screen treatment. Brainiac, Superman’s iconic villain, has yet to make it into a film. But somehow the Indestructible Man has, and it’s very cool to see.

The post Who Is DC Comics’ Carapax? BLUE BEETLE’s Cyborg Villain, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

Last December, director Patty Jenkins revealed she was no longer developing a third Wonder Woman movie for DC Studios. That was just one of the many big changes to take place under new co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran. They’re overseeing the franchise’s transition from the DCEU to the DCU. That switch will include new actors in some major roles, including for both Superman and Batman. But in news that will delight fans of the previous Diana Prince, it looks like they might be keeping her around. Gal Gadot says Gunn and Safran informed her they’re developing a Wonder Woman 3 movie starring her as Themyscira’s greatest hero.

Gadot shared the news while speaking to ComicBook.com‘s Chris Killian about her new Netflix film Heart of Stone. (The interview took place prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike.) Gadot’s announcement could have huge ramifications for the DCU. She said, “I love portraying Wonder Woman. It’s so close to and dear to my heart.” That’s not news, but what came next certainly is. Gadot added, “From what I heard from James and from Peter is that we’re gonna develop a Wonder Woman 3 together.”

Obviously “hearing” something about a possible Wonder Woman 3 movie is far from a guarantee the film will happen. Still, Gadot went into a little more detail in an interview with Flaunt. She said, “I was invited to a meeting with James Gunn and Peter Safran [co-chairperson and CEO of DC alongside Gunn] and what they told me, and I’m quoting: ‘You’re in the best hands. We’re going to develop Wonder Woman 3 with you. [We] love you as Wonder Woman— you’ve got nothing to worry about.’ So time will tell.”

However, sources with knowledge of the situation have told both Collider and Variety that Wonder Woman 3 is not in development. Sources said Gunn and Safran don’t have any plans for any kind of Wonder Woman project in the new DCU aside from already announced Paradise Lost series.

Will Gadot’s Wonder Woman ultimately join him in the DCU? We don’t know and she probably doesn’t either. Gunn and Safran themselves might not either. As Gadot said, time will tell.

Originally published on August 2, 2023.

The post Gal Gadot Thinks WONDER WOMAN 3 Could Happen, Sources Say Otherwise appeared first on Nerdist.

When you hear the word “scarab,” there’s a good chance you think of scary little buggers. Perhaps you grew up watching the Brendan Fraser masterpiece The Mummy and can only think about the grotesque ways they can eat people. Thankfully, when it comes to Blue Beetle, this scarab is not one of those terrifying creatures. We all know that the Scarab is vital to Jamie Reyes’ live-action origin story in Blue Beetle; however, those who aren’t comic fans may not fully understand the details about it.

What makes Blue Beetle’s particular Scarab different? How is the Scarab connected to this hero? Put on your fandom cap and gown; it’s time for an exploration into the realm of comic book lore!

Where Did Blue Beetle’s Scarab Come From and Who Created it in the DC Comics?

Unlike the aforementioned Mummy flick, the Scarab is actually a piece of alien technology. It is used by an alien race known as The Reach, and their name certainly matches with their tradition of conquering planets for the sake of profit. First appearing in 2007’s Blue Beetle #7, The Reach are kind of like the Borg in Star Trek, having conquered around 10,000 planets. 

They’re a hive-mind with technology far surpassing anything of Earth or most other planets, and all of their ships have warp-drive capabilities. The Reach have Negotiators, who make the decisions on whichever planets they have conquer, and commanders who lead sieges. In the comics, the legendary Green Lantern Corps—a group of green, will-powered lads dedicated to protecting the universe—were able to halt The Reach from, excuse the pun, expanding their reach. This came after a massive war nearly 40,000 years ago, and eventually resulted in a peace treaty that barred The Reach from invading planets. 

Instead of direct takeovers, The Reach created Scarabs as weapons to send to other planets.

Blue Beetle’s Scarab Khaji Da and Other Scarabs’ Powers, Explained

The Reach’s Scarabs are genetically modified living weapons used as parasitic technology. The scarabs would find a host, and control them as part of a hive-mind. Basically, The Reach developed their own way of ensuring a sort of Manchurian Candidate situation to sneakily aid their conquering efforts. After a civilization achieved a certain level or technological advancement, the Scarab’s programming takeover the host fully and then, in effect, the planet.

Blue Beetle’s particular Scarab is Khaji Da. (We will touch on their history in a moment.) It gives its user an array of special abilities to handle nearly any situation. The user essentially has a weapon wheel, like in a video game, and can use different tools/enhancements to become superpowered. Khaji Da allows Blue Beetle to increase his strength and speed to superhuman levels. This Scarab can create many materials like swords, wings for flying/shielding, energy blasts, and pyrotechnic weapons. It can also generally shifting into objects that the user projects. 

A Scarab acts as an assistive artificial intelligence for the user to handle nearly any scenario, including interpreting different languages, tracking systems, and uh …other things. It can even resist some level of telepathic manipulation, which was shown at the early stages in 2007’s Blue Beetle #2. It is, in a word, quite powerful.

The History of the Khaji Da Scarab and Its Hosts in the Comics

Jamie Reyes will become Blue Beetle in the Blue Beetle film. However, he was not the Scarab’s first host in the comics. Thousands of years ago, Pharaoh Kha-Ef-Re—who first appeared in Secret Origins #2 (1986)—used the Scarab’s power to rule his kingdom and protect it from enemy nations. After the Pharaoh’s death, the Scarab remained buried with him for many years. Eventually, archaeologist Dan Garrett (who debuted at the same time as the Pharaoh) discovered it and became the second host. He is known as the first Blue Beetle.  

Interestingly, some magical energies affected the Scarab during that long burial, preventing the new user (Dan) from The Reach’s corruption. Dan went on to use its power to fight villains and monsters, as one does. Despite his good intentions, Dan Garrett died just a year later in Blue Beetle #18. 

As a result, the Khaji Da Scarab was passed to his student, Ted Kord, who actually got his first introduction in Captain Atom #33 (1966). He made a resurgence in the DC canon around the same time as Dan Garrett became the Scarab’s host. Ted Kord took over the mantle in his own solo Blue Beetle series from 1986 to 1988. 

Ted wanted to continue Dan’s legacy, but found that he lacked the same chemistry with the Scarab. He had to find his own ways to be a superhero. Instead of the Scarab giving him powers, Ted replicated some of its gadgets thanks to his scientific background. Ted eventually hung up his cape (rather, blue costume) but it seemed that the Scarab couldn’t be passed on. Instead it would have to choose its next host.

The Scarab went missing for a time due to the Crisis on Infinite Earths event, until eventually landing with its next and most recent host, Jaime Reyes. (He made his first official debut in Infinite Crisis #3.) Unlike the Pharaoh or Dan, Jaime was a high school kid who discovered the scarab in an abandoned lot. It permanently grafted itself onto his spine, officially making his debut as the Blue Beetle in Infinite Crisis #5. 

Gross? Certainly. Undeniably cool in a comic-booky way? Absolutely.

The Scarab on TV, Blue Beetle, and the DCU Future

Blue Beetle prominently appeared in the animated series Young Justice and the Injustice video game series (with the latter having a few semi-viral lines). Much of his origin remained in tact except Jaime discovers the Scarab after an explosion at Kord Industries. This event is what causes Ted’s death. In both incarnations, he appears alongside the Teen Titans.

On top of that, Jaime’s big-screen debut will mark the first time there has been a Hispanic superhero lead for a live-action (winks at Spider-Verse) film. It was originally set to be a straight-to-streamer project for Max. So there’s reason to believe the character will play a significant role going forward.

James Gunn, the newly-anointed architect of the DCU, has stated that Blue Beetle will be part of this new plan as the first character. Interestingly, however, Gunn said that the upcoming Superman movie—Superman: Legacy, which he is set to direct himself—is the first film, which is an interesting distinction. 

We’ll have to see if Blue Beetle makes any sort of nods/set-up for the future of the DCU, if any at all. Could we be in store for a prequel to the new universe? Is there some sort of timeline-reset planned for the film we aren’t aware of? Will there be a good ole-fashioned post-credits teaser? Most importantly, how will Jamie Reyes and the Scarab cross paths in the Blue Beetle movie?

We’ll just have to wait and see when the film blasts its way into theaters on August 18th.

The post What Is the Blue Beetle’s Scarab? Its DC Comics Origins and Powers, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

Metamorpho, also known as the Element Man, is one of DC Comics’ most bizarre heroes, in both look and powers. He was created by writer Bob Haney, the man behind the Doom Patrol and the Teen Titans, and artist Ramona Fradon, famous for her work on Aquaman. Although never really becoming a big mainstream success on his own, Metamorpho nevertheless found a home in many DC team books, like The Outsiders, Justice League, and most recently, The Terrifics. Here’s everything you need to know about one of DC’s weirdest characters, soon to be a part of James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy.

Metamorpho’s Origin

Rex Mason was a soldier of fortune, hired by industrialist Simon Stagg to retrieve the ancient Orb of Ra from an Egyptian tomb. Unfortunately for Mason, he fell for Stagg’s daughter, Sapphire Stagg. Enraged by this, Simon Stagg planned a trap for Mason in the tomb, and had his brutish servant Java knock him out. The plan was to seal him in the tomb to die. Inside, exposure to the meteorite the Orb of Ra was fashioned from changed him. It transformed Mason into a being that can shapeshift into any element, or combination of elements.

Unfortunately, he was disfigured by this transformation, appearing like a pasty white being, whose torso and legs they made up of different elements. Rex hated his monstrous new appearance. And he vowed to find a cure. In the meantime however, he dedicated himself to a life of heroism. He eventually learned that he was one of the Metamorphae, other beings transformed by the meteorite into a superpowered soldier for the god Ra. Rex Mason is but the latest in a long line of Metamorphae.

Metamorpho’s First Appearance, in Brave and the Bold #57

The superhero Metamorpho made his first appearance in 1965’s Brave and the Bold #57, a title that famously introduced many DC characters and concepts like the Justice League of America. This first story presented his origin, and after a two-issue try-out, they deemed Metamorpho successful enough to garner his own ongoing series later that year. He even had his own female couterpart like Batman and Superman did, the heroine Element Girl. The Metamorpho series lasted only 17 issues, with the final issue coming out in 1968.

Metamorpho: DC’s Team Player

During the run of his solo series, he guest starred in an issue of Justice League of America, where he turned down membership, believing a cure for his affliction was coming soon. They eventually granted him a reservist membership. After they canceled his solo series, He made sporadic appearances throughout the ‘70s, mostly as a guest star in more famous heroes’ comics. In 1983, the Element Man joined Batman’s new team the Outsiders, and was a lead character in the Batman and the Outsiders title until 1987, when the group dissolved. During this time, he finally married his longtime love, Sapphire Stagg.

They left Metamorpho for dead at the end of Outsiders after a harrowing adventure in the crossover Millennium, but only two years later DC revived him, becoming a lead character in the series Justice League Europe. During that time, he found out that Sapphire had given birth to his son, Joseph Mason. The infant had Rex’s powers and aspects of his unusual appearance. Eventually, they discovered a cure for Joseph’s condition.

On a Justice League mission, his body appeared seemingly destroyed, but he reformed in a new ‘90s “extreme” look. Metamorpho now had giant crystal shards for shoulders, and a dramatic mist always followed him. He stuck around with various Leagues throughout the ‘90s, but once again died in Grant Morrison’s JLA #1, using his body to create a cocoon to protect his teammates as they fell from space into Earth’s atmosphere. Of course, years later, he came back to life again. He would briefly join the Doom Patrol, another team of famous DC freaks.

Shift, the Second Metamorpho

In the early 2000s, a new group of Outsiders came together. This team was led by Nightwing rather than Batman. But they had a tie to the old Outsiders team, as Metamorpho was a member. Except, it wasn’t really Metamorpho. A piece of Metamorpho had broken off during one of his many “deaths” and gained sentience. When the real Metamorpho turned up, he asked to reabsorb his twin. But the other Metamorpho was an independent being, and asked to remain so. He took on the new name of Shift. But after Shift accidentally killed several people during a mission, he asked for re-assimilation into the original Metamorpho. For him, it was better than living with the memory of what he’d done.

Metamorpho in the New 52 and DC Rebirth

In the New 52 era, circa 2011-215, we saw Metamorpho in small roles, but they did not explore his past. The assumption is that his backstory didn’t really change much due to the Flashpoint event, and was more or less the same. In the DC Rebirth timeline, Metamorpho was part of the Terrifics, a team led by Mister Terrific, which included heroes like Plastic Man.

Metamorpho’s Powers

Metamorpho can transform his body into all kinds of different elemental compounds. At first, it seemed like he could only transform into elements found in the human body. But later, that power expanded to include all elements. This includes transforming into liquids and gaseous elements. When he shapeshifts, he can elongate and change the size and mass of his limbs. Metamorpho can also replicate toxins found in his own body.

Metamorpho can change his physical size, and even duplicate his body and create a double. His body provided him with armor of a sort, and a degree of superhuman strength. He also retains the detective and martial arts skills from his former life as adventure Rex Mason, as well as all his archeological knowledge. Although certain comics have shown Metamorpho eating, for him, it’s purely for pleasure. He has no need to consume food after his transformation.

Is Metamorpho Immortal?

There is a lot of evidence to suggest that Metamorpho is immortal. He was rendered “inert” several times, because of circumstances that would have killed almost anyone else. But they always resurrected him. The first and second times happened in the original Outsiders series. They found a way to revive him a few years later. After saving his League teammates in Grant Morrison’s JLA, he once again became inert. The Justice League even held a funeral. Not too many years later, he returned. He can be incapacitated, sometimes for a very long time. Yet it seems that unless his body is totally obliterated, he cannot die.

Metamorpho in the DCAU and Other DC Animated Series Like Young Justice

Metamorpho was meant to get an animated series in the ’60s, but it was never produced. He finally made his animated debut in Justice League’s season one episode “Metamorphosis.” Voiced by the late Tom Sizemore. He later popped up here and there in the background of various episodes of Justice League Unlimited. But he never had a featured role again past his initial two-part episode. Another version of the Element Man appeared in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and later, the short-lived Beware the Batman. Most recently, he appeared as a member of the Outsiders in the series Young Justice.

Metamorpho and Superman

In the comics, Metamorpho doesn’t have much of a relationship with Superman. He has a much closer working relationship with Batman. But he has served alongside the Man of Steel on several missions during his time in various iterations of the Justice League. The pair have never actually fought. However, despite how powerful Rex Mason is, Superman is still stronger and would likely defeat him.

Anthony Carrigan Will Play Metamorpho in the DCU’s Superman Legacy

After over 50 years as a DC Comics mainstay, Metamorpho will appear in James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy. Barry actor Anthony Carrigan will play him. We know next to nothing about how similar or different the DCU Rex Mason will be compared to the comics and animation. But another character popping up in Superman: Legacy is Mister Terrific, which suggests that we may see their team, the Terrifics. Or, Metamorpho is part of an already established Justice League. We just know we’re excited to see this famously bizarre DC icon make it into live-action at long last.

The post Who Is DC Comics’ Metamorpho? The History of the Justice League and DCU Character, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

Blue Beetle and Booster Gold are among DC Comics’ myriad of iconic duos. But in contrast to character pairings like Green Lantern and Green Arrow, Hawk and Dove, Icon and Rocket, Batman and Robin, The Flash and Kid Flash, Big Barda and Mister Miracle, and Midnighter and Apollo, Blue Beetle and Booster Gold are two best friends whose DC Comics’ relationship is deeply comedic at its core. As much as they would love for others to take them seriously, this pair is charming because of how little self-awareness they possess. Let’s dig into the friendship story of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold and look at its place in the DC universe.

The Origin Stories of Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle and Michael Jon Carter’s Booster Gold

The particular Blue Beetle in the iconic DC Comics friendship with Booster Gold is not Jaime Reyes, who will make his movie debut in the upcoming Blue Beetle movie. Instead, it is actually the second Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, who is friends with Booster Gold in the comics. (The first Blue Beetle was Dan Garret.) Steve Ditko created Ted Kord as a Charlton Comics character in 1966. After he joined the DC Universe in the wake of Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1986, he developed into a squishier version of Marvel’s Iron Man. Like Tony Stark, Ted Kord is the head of a tech company, Kord Industries. He uses the company’s technology to build his own gadgets and superhero gear. But while Tony Stark is a confident womanizer, Blue Beetle Ted Kord is a nervous wallflower.

In contrast, Michael Jon Carter, a.k.a. Booster Gold, is from the 25th century and uses his futuristic tech to be a superhero in the present. While he has a good heart, Booster Gold is incredibly vain and overconfident. Created in 1986 by Dan Jurgens, Carter/Booster Gold is a satirical look at superheroism under capitalism. 

When Did Booster Gold and Blue Beetle Become Friends in DC’s Comics?

Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle and Michael Jon Carter’s Booster Gold became friends after Carter joined the newly formed Justice League in its “Justice League International” era in the late 1980s. The team got its name from the fact that they were not based out of the Hall of Justice anymore, but out of an embassy in New York City. The Justice League had satellite teams based around the world, including Justice League Europe and even the Justice League Antarctica. 

Justice League International reimagined DC’s flagship superhero team as a workplace comedy. It was about ordinary people caught in the trap of late-stage capitalism under Ronald Reagan. Blue Beetle and Booster Gold’s friendship was emblematic of this idea. Writer J.M. DeMatteis and artists Kevin Maguire and Keith Giffen were a dynamite creative team, capable of hitting comedic beats in the throes of action sequences. Even though its members included an alien (Martian Manhunter), two New Gods (Mister Miracle and his wife Big Barda), and an ever-grumpy Batman, the JLI’s problems were refreshingly down to Earth. This team worried about filing their taxes, argued over the merits of Sylvester Stallone’s filmography, and expressed their disdain for yuppies. 

Why Booster Gold and Blue Beetle’s Friendship Works

Within the events of Justice League International, it was logical for Blue Beetle and Booster Gold to become fast friends. Booster was good-looking and a former a college football player. However, neither he nor Beetle fit the bill for perfect superhero men. Ted startled easily, was reluctant to get his hands dirty in combat, cracked jokes at inopportune times, and would awkwardly try to ask out his crush, Wonder Woman. Booster, on the other hand, loved the spotlight of being a superhero. But he was ill-equipped to thrive as a normal person in the 20th century.

Where Booster Gold was assertive, Blue Beetle was timid, and where Beetle was prudent, Booster was impulsive. Under DeMatteis’ pen, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle’s friendship blossomed organically, as the two tried to make being a superhero a financially viable career. Later on, Justice League International got a new title, Justice League America, and Booster Gold and Blue Beetle were active members into the 1990s. 

The Death of Ted Kord, Booster Gold’s Guilt, and the Rise of Jamie Reyes, a New Blue Beetle

In the 2000s, Blue Beetle and Booster Gold’s friendship took a much darker turn. Blue Beetle was murdered by his former Justice League International teammate, Maxwell Lord, in the lead-up to DC’s Infinite Crisis event in 2005. Later on, Booster blamed himself for failing to protect Beetle. The DC Universe was not without a Blue Beetle for long, though, as Jaime Reyes debuted during Infinite Crisis. 

Jaime Reyes signaled a different direction for the Blue Beetle mantle. Reyes was a teenager and not a CEO like Ted Kord. Likewise, Booster Gold went his own path, taking on a much more significant role in the DC Universe’s time stream. His 2007 solo series by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz would eventually lead into the 2011 Flashpoint storyline. This came after the revelation that Booster was the father of the time traveler, Rip Hunter. 

Ted Kord Returns and Their Friendship Goes to a New Level

Fortunately, with the relaunch of the DC Universe in 2016, Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle came back to life after making sparse appearances during DC’s New 52 era. The series Heroes in Crisis by Tom King and Clay Mann revealed the extent to which Booster helped Beetle with his trauma as a superhero. Issue four of the series had a therapy-focused take on superhero comics. In it, Beetle explained how Booster has always been there for him and the difference that made in his life. Beetle’s character went through dark moments, like dying at the hands of someone he once trusted. But Heroes in Crisis was a rare moment where Ted Kord broke his usual comedic façade to speak candidly. 

Most recently, Blue Beetle and Booster Gold’s friendship was explored at length in the 2021 series, Blue and Gold, by Dan Jurgens and Ryan Sook. The series followed the two buddies as they opened their own small business, Blue and Gold Restoration, after the Justice League turned them down. Booster became a content creator, livestreaming his and Beetle’s superhero activities. He hoped to build an audience that would make them A-list heroes again. The livestream comments peppered throughout the book make it clear that Blue and Gold are still seen as jokes outside of their small but loyal fanbase. 

In Blue and Gold, Booster repeatedly referred to Beetle as his “sidekick,” which became a source of conflict between the two of them. Beetle acknowledged that he lacked self-confidence and that Booster’s over-confident nature was enough for both of them. However, their partnership needed to be equal. By the end of the series, the two friends had reconciled their differences, underscoring what makes them so lovable. 

The Continued Pairing and Possible Future for Booster Gold and Blue Beetle in the DCU

Booster Gold turned Blue Beetle into a bonafide comedic pillar of the DC Universe. Despite Ted’s anxious personality and bouts of angst, his friendship with Booster Gold pushes him to be a braver superhero. Likewise, Booster’s friendship with Beetle has elevated him beyond being a precise observation about a historical moment in time. Booster and Beetle have a unique sense of platonic male intimacy in superhero comics. Their devotion to each other is an inspiring sight for many readers. Now, Blue Beetle and Booster Gold are coming to James Gunn’s DCU. The Blue Beetle movie and Booster Gold TV show will hopefully lead to a live-action friendship in the future.

The post The Humorous History of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold’s DC Comics Friendship appeared first on Nerdist.

A big shock to longtime DC Comics fans has been the news that James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy isn’t going to showcase the Man of Steel as its only superhero. Recently, they announced that DC heroes like Hawkgirl, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Mister Terrific, and Metamorpho would all appear in the film as well. Suddenly, this movie takes on a whole new light. As the first film in the new DCU, it will seemingly introduce a universe where superheroes are already everywhere. And that might even include an already formed Justice League. And this approach would show that Gunn is bucking the trend started by the MCU, and later, the DCEU.

Superman: Legacy Might Skip Building Up a Superhero Cinematic Universe

Slowly building up to a big superhero team-up film had been the go-to approach since the MCU began in earnest with 2008’s Iron Man. When Marvel Studios started their big experiment, the strategy was to carefully establish their individual heroes before teaming them all up. There were four years between Iron Man and Avengers. With the introductions of Captain America and Thor in solo films taking place in between. This plan worked, and Avengers became an enormous hit. And some might say the true start of the MCU.

Meanwhile, Warner Bros. wanted some of the superhero cheddar (outside of Batman, who always delivered). They introduced their new Superman, Henry Cavill, in Man of Steel. That was essentially meant to be their Iron Man. The other big DC heroes would, presumably, slowly roll out their own films before teaming up as the Justice League. But things didn’t quite work out that way. Man of Steel met with a lukewarm response. So its sequel, Batman v Superman, not only had the task of introducing the DCEU Batman, but also Wonder Woman. And in cameos, Aquaman and the Flash. It took four years between Man of Steel and Justice League. Yet their kitchen-sink approach to Batman v Superman made the whole thing feel rushed and unearned.

James Gunn Might Introduce a DC Universe Already Populated by Superheroes

Yet as different as the MCU and DCEU were in their execution, the approach was basically the same. Introduce one big hero as “the first,” then introduce others before the team up. But maybe James Gunn’s new DCU is just throwing that formula out the window. Gunn’s Superman: Legacy will introduce a Kal-El early in his career. And judging by all the other heroes in the film, there might already be a superteam in this universe. And although Superman is famously the first superhero in the real world, in the pages of DC Comics, there’s plenty of precedent for his not being the first superhero in-universe.

In the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths DC Universe, there was a long legacy of superheroes before Superman arrived on the scene. The World War II era had the heroes of the Justice Society of America, punching mobsters and Nazis alike. Decades passed, and then the arrival of Superman ushered in a new era, which led to a Silver Age of heroes, and to the formation of the Justice League. But in modern comics, Superman definitely arrived into a world where superheroes were known. It seems James Gunn’s DCU might take the same tactic.

Will Superman: Legacy Feature an Already Existing Justice League?

With Hawkgirl, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Mister Terrific, and Metamorpho in the film, we think they probably exist as a team of superheroes. While Mister Terrific and Metamorpho have been members of the team the Terrifics together, it’s more likely that this grouping is some form of the Justice League. Especially as Hawkgirl and Green Lantern Guy Gardner are iconic stalwart members of the team in the comics. Maybe we see them trying to recruit Superman into their ranks in the film. Possibly, the big guy just isn’t ready or interested. At least not yet.

Will James Gunn’s DCU Have a Long Superheroic History Behind It?

Pure speculation, but we could see James Gunn introducing a DCU with a significant history behind it already. There could have been a Justice Society of America during the ‘40s and ‘50s, one which gets casually mentioned perhaps (but might be the subject of some future project). That JSA could have eventually inspired a Justice League, just as in the comics. The “build-up” to the DCU Justice League might not be the organization just existing, it just might be a build-up to how the team gained its most iconic lineup in a world-ending event, which would include Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.

This approach would also allow for other projects using the name brand of Justice League before we see DC’s Big Guns together in a film. With Guy Gardner and Metamorpho around, and soon Booster Gold, why not a Max adaptation of the iconic and hilarious Justice League International comics? Or an animated series about whichever modern-day iteration of the League we might meet in Superman: Legacy? The sky is the limit in terms of potential if this cinematic universe is already teaming with heroes.

Between long-running animated shows like Justice League Unlimited and Young Justice, the audience that grew up with them, now mostly adults, are well aware of the DC heroes and their various teams. And older audiences are familiar with shows like Super Friends from their youth. We don’t need to see how the Justice League formed, or risk audience confusion. The world is different now. We can accept there’s a universe where all of these things are already in place. If all of this pans out, James Gunn’s Superman film might be even more ambitious than originally thought. And we’re even more here for it than before.

The post Will James Gunn’s New DCU Have a Justice League Already In It? appeared first on Nerdist.

Superman: Legacy is going to have a few more superheroes in it than just the Man of Steel. After the recent news that David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan have been cast as Clark Kent and Lois Lane, respectively, Vanity Fair has revealed that new actors have joined the cast as prominent members of DC’s Justice League. It appears that this opening episode of James Gunn’s DCU Chapter 1 is going to set up a lot more than just happenings in Metropolis. Gunn has also confirmed that these newly cast actors will definitely continue to play the characters throughout the DCU. Let us break down each addition to the cast:

Isabela Merced Will Play Hawkgirl in Superman: Legacy

First, Isabela Merced, whose credits include Sicario: Day of the Soldado and the title character in Dora and the Lost City of Gold, will play Hawkgirl. The Winged Wonder is going solo, without her paramour Hawkman (Last seen in Black Adam). There have been several versions of Hawkgirl in the comics. There’s the reincarnated Egyptian princess Shiera Hall from DC’s Justice Society. Then, the alien warrior from Thanagar from the Justice League. In recent years, another Hawkgirl, Kendra Saunders, has taken up the name. The Hawkgirl known to most general audiences was the alien version, who was a prominent member of the animated Justice League series.

Edi Gathegi Will Be Playing Mister Terrific in Superman: Legacy

James Gunn has been teasing Mister Terrific since he took over DC Studios with Peter Safran. And now we know why. Actor Edi Gathegi, perhaps best known for the Twilight films, will play Mister Terrific in Superman: Legacy. In the comics, Michael Holt was known as “the third smartest man in the world,” right behind Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne. On the verge of ending his own life after several personal tragedies, the Spectre intervened and showed Holt what he could do with his intellect and wealth to help others.

Holt used his genius to become the new Mister Terrific, naming himself after an old-time hero. He created all kinds of badass high-tech weapons, like his multi-purpose T-Spheres. Gathegi once played another hero, the mutant Darwin, in X-Men: First Class. But his character was ridiculously killed off, something that is memed to this day. Hopefully, Mister Terrific has a longer life on screen than poor Darwin. He deserved better.

Nathan Fillion Will Play Green Lantern Guy Gardner in Superman: Legacy

Longtime James Gunn collaborator and friend Nathan Fillion, who has appeared in Gunn projects like Slither, The Suicide Squad, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, will play Green Lantern, Guy Gardner. The loud-mouthed, egotistical Gardner is one of several Earth-based Green Lanterns, and was a prominent member of the Justice League International. He’s a big jerk, and most of the other superheroes in the DC Universe can’t stand him. Particularly Batman, who once punched him in the face. He’s not the main Lantern for Sector 2814, those duties fall on Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Both of whom will be in the new DCU in the series Lanterns. Gunn has also promised we’ll see Nathan Fillion rock Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern bowl cut in the DCU. That’s a lot to look forward to.

Anthony Carrigan Will Play Metamorpho the Element Man in Superman: Legacy

Barry actor Anthony Carrigan also joins the cast as off-the-wall 1960s hero Metamorpho, the Element Man. Metamorpho sports one of the weirdest design aesthetics in all of comics, and has been around since 1965. In reality, he’s Rex Mason, a soldier of fortune. Rex was cursed by the Orb of Ra in an Egyptian tomb, and gained the ability to shapeshift and change his body into any element or combination of elements. Metamorpho had his own series in the sixties, which spawned a very groovy vinyl record with a catchy theme song. Over the years, he’s been a member of teams like the Justice League, Batman’s Outsiders, the Doom Patrol, and most recently the Terrifics, Mister Terrific’s own team.

Originally published on July 11, 2023.

The post SUPERMAN Announces Casting for 4 Major DC Characters appeared first on Nerdist.

The long-awaited second trailer for Blue Beetle is here, showcasing Jaime Reyes in action at last. Starring Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña, Blue Beetle is, according to James Gunn, the first DCU character, so this is an exciting moment. This trailer focuses on Jaime’s family, and the efforts of the villainous Victoria Kord to get the powerful and ancient Scarab away from Jaime, and into her clutches. We also see Beetle fight Carapax, the second Blue Beetle Ted Kord’s enemy from the comics. You can check out the full trailer below:

So what can we glean from the Blue Beetle trailer? Well, it sure looks like Blue Beetle is a mix of Shazam! (young kid teen boy powers from out of nowhere) with a dash of Iron Man (high-tech armor with a talking AI program). There’s also a bit of Green Lantern to Blue Beetle simply because his armor can create anything he can imagine. Although given the Ryan Reynolds movie, we doubt that Warner Bros. would want to lean into any Green Lantern comparisons. We also see “the Bug,” the ship that Blue Beetle II Ted Kord once flew around in; the ship inspired Nite-Owl’s vehicle in Watchmen.

There have been several Blue Beetles in the comics. In fact, one was a prominent member of the Justice League, this Beetle first appeared in 2006. Similar to the comics, it looks like the movie version of Jaime Reyes is just an ordinary kid. Then he discovers the alien Scarab, which gives him incredible powers. Not to mention ties him to a legacy of superheroes going back decades. This movie, directed by Angel Manuel Soto, looks to keep very true to the source material.

Blue Beetle hits theaters everywhere on August 18.

The post BLUE BEETLE Trailer Gives Us Superhero Action Mixed With Family Comedy appeared first on Nerdist.

We officially have our new Superman and Lois Lane. According to Deadline, and confirmed by James Gunn, David Corenswet has been cast as Superman, a.k.a Clark Kent, in the DCU’s upcoming Superman: Legacy. Rachel Brosnahan will play the journalist Lois Lane, who is also Superman’s romantic interest in the DC Comics universe.

Superman: Legacy is the first in a slate of new DC movies that will be a part of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU. Gunn and Safran hope to bring a new, unified perspective to the DC cinematic world. And all eyes will be on Superman to lead the charge. So, of course, the question of casting Superman: Legacy was a major one for fans.

Who Has Been Cast as Superman and Lois Lane in Superman: Legacy?

Since the announcement of the Superman: Legacy movie, there has been a lot of intense speculation on who might be cast to don the red cloak. Rumors swirled intently as to who would be the next Superman, but Gunn and Safran cautioned patience as they went through a thorough casting and audition process. And ultimately, our new DCU Superman is a bit of an unknown. Clark Kent will be played by David Corenswet in Superman: Legacy. Corenswet has acted in Pearl, The Politician, and We Own This City, but it seems Superman: Legacy will be his first leading role in a major studio movie. Honestly, that feels like a fitting origin for Superman.

Rachel Brosnahan, meanwhile, starred in Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel for a number of years. Many have cheered her on for the role of Lois Lane. And, marvelously, it happened. Other actresses in the running were Phoebe Dynevor and Emma Mackey. But it is Brosnahan who has ultimately been cast as our favorite intrepid reporter in Superman: Legacy.

What Roles Will Clark Kent and Lois Lane Play in Superman: Legacy?

Superman: Legacy will not be a Superman origin story, but instead, it will “[tell] the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas.” Gunn once described his ideal DCU Superman as someone who was huggable. And honestly, looking at the casting of David Corenswet as Superman, it feels like Gunn achieved exactly that. Warner Bros. additionally shared of our Man of Steel that, “[Superman] is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.” We can totally envision Corenswet embodying this kind of Superman.

As for Lois Lane—Rachel Brosnahan’s casting is actually the first indicative piece of information we have about the character. None of Superman: Legacy‘s descriptions to date mention Lois Lane’s role in the DCU’s world. But we hope to learn more soon.

One way or another, thanks to this exciting Superman: Legacy casting news, we can imagine how our new DCU world will look just a little more clearly. And so far, we like what we’re seeing of Gunn and Safran’s vision.

The post SUPERMAN: LEGACY Casts Leads David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan as DCU Clark Kent and Lois Lane appeared first on Nerdist.

The DCEU is coming to an end. Warner Bros. hired James Gunn and Pete Safran as co-CEOs to lead the superhero franchise into a new, more unified DCU. While that will soon mean an entirely different Superman, the two aren’t starting over entirely from scratch. The Flash‘s time travel adventure is a bridge between the two eras, with Barry Allen’s foray into the past changing the present and future forever.

Ultimately, The Flash didn’t deliver the definitive hard reset some expected. It certainly changed things in a big way, but rather than establish the DCU outright, The Flash instead provided the blueprint for how it might happen eventually.

How Does Time Travel Work in The Flash?

As Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne explained, time is not linear in the world of The Flash. If you go back to a specific point in the past and change what happened you don’t merely change the events that follow that moment—you also change what happened before it. In this superhero franchise, there’s no clean split from the timeline into an alternate one.

Back to the Future, which The Flash vaguely referenced with its spaghetti scene, would be fundamentally different if it had the same rules of time travel as The Flash. It would mean when Biff gets the Sports Almanac in the original 1955 timeline, the original timeline no longer exists. The new one would simply share a single point with the old one the moment Biff got the almanac.

That’s why Barry’s time travel resulted in the world getting an entirely different, much older Bruce Wayne than the one he knew. When Barry saved his mom it altered the future along with everything that happened long before that day. In that alternate reality Bruce Wayne was born much earlier. Just as Kal-El was not the Kryptonian who safely made his way to Earth, a place without Aquaman or Wonder Woman.

The results of Barry’s actions didn’t just change history and even people. It nearly doomed the entire world.

How Did Barry Allen Fix the Timeline in The Flash?

Once Barry understood his mother had to die to save the world, he went back to the moment he saved her. (That was the single cross point between the original timeline and the new one he created.) Once there, he removed the can of tomatoes he’d previously placed in her shopping cart. Her death was the only way to save the world from General Zod and restore things as they were. It was tragic for Barry, but also necessary. He’d seen firsthand from Dark Barry, who’d spent countless lifetimes futilely trying to keep their mom alive without destroying the planet, that some things simply cannot be changed

Only, the original Barry couldn’t help but alter one thing in the past. And while it didn’t lead to the end of the world, it did lead to the beginning of the end for the old DCEU.

Why Did George Clooney Replace Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne?

Barry’s goal in the present was to exonerate his father Henry (Ron Livingston). Barry thought he finally had evidence to prove his dad didn’t kill his wife, but it was insufficient. Henry had been shopping during his wife’s murder, and Bruce Wayne used his technology to clean up the previously useless corrupted store security footage. Only Henry never looked up high enough for the camera to capture his face. Without that clear shot to establish his alibi he’d be doomed to a life behind bars.

So instead, moments after removing the life-saving/world-destroying can of tomatoes from his mother’s cart, Barry rearranged all the cans. He made it so the specific variety his father needed would be on the top shelf. That meant Henry would look up high enough so that camera could capture his face. He did, resulting in him going free in the present.

Henry Allen walked out of court a free man. And outside that court Barry Allen discovered what else he’d done by moving those tomato cans. His friend (played by Ben Affleck) had once again been replaced as Bruce Wayne. Instead of the Caped Crusader who helped Barry get his dad out of jail, the Flash found a different, quite dapper Bruce Wayne instead. “Who the f***” was it? It was George Clooney, who originally played the role in 1997’s much maligned Batman & Robin.

Why The Flash Did Not Fully Establish the DCU

The Batfleck is (seemingly) gone, but Jason Momoa’s Aquaman is not. Barry explained to his very drunk fellow Justice League member about what he’d done to the timeline and to Bruce in the film’s only post-credits scene. (Which established both that Barry didn’t undo his tomato can switch and that no one else in this new timeline remembers the old Bruce.)

Clearly the franchise is not the same one it was before The Flash started. But there’s probably a zero percent chance 62-year-old George Clooney is going to be the DCU’s new Bruce Wayne either, so clearly the movie did not end with a total reset.

Something else (or elses) is going to lead to whomever ends up as Batman in the DCU eventually. That means Momoa’s presence only confirms he’s still Aquaman for now. (He does have a sequel coming after all.) Clearly lots more will change eventually, we just don’t know when they will. We just know how they might.

How The Flash Paved the Way for the DCU

The DCEU/DCU is a place of countless dimensions and timelines. Multiple Supermans and Batmans all exist at the same time on many parallel worlds. And Barry Allen can change or destroy all of them by going back in time. He could seemingly even make it so he’s a totally different human in his own timeline, just as he changed Bruce Wayne.

So while The Flash didn’t entirely bid farewell to its old franchise anymore than it said hello to its new one, whenever James Gunn and Peter Safran decide to fully establish their new superhero era they have a very fast way to do it.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at  @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post How THE FLASH Resets the DCEU Without Establishing the DCU appeared first on Nerdist.

The Flash wasn’t the franchise game-changer some superhero fans expected, but it still delivered some big superhero changes. The film’s surprise ending and post-credits scene revealed exactly how Barry Allen’s actions in the past altered both the present and future. What does it all mean, including for Warner Bros.’ switch from the old DCEU to James Gunn’s new DCU? Here’s what happened and what it tells us about a post-Flash timeline.

Why Did George Clooney Appear as Bruce Wayne at the End of The Flash?

“Who the f*** is this?”

Uh, it’s Batman. No, not that one. No, not that one either.

Michael Keaton’s Batman wasn’t The Flash‘s only alternate Bruce Wayne to appear. Once Barry Allen realized he couldn’t save his mother’s life without dooming the whole world, he went back and stopped himself from stopping her death in the first place.

Doing so had created an entirely new reality. Time in The Flash is not linear, and by altering one single event Barry changed history both before and after his mom was supposed to die. Letting her go, painful as it was, stopped General Zod from conquering Earth. But Barry’s decision to ensure his father’s eventual release from jail still resulted in an alternate timeline.

By moving those tomato cans to the top of the grocery store shelf years earlier, Barry exonerated his dad in the present. He also completely changed Bruce Wayne as a person. Instead of the version played by Ben Affleck, Barry walked outside the courtroom to discover a different version of Bruce Wayne. He was now played by George Clooney.

When Did George Clooney First Play Batman?

George Clooney’s first (and until now only) time playing Bruce Wayne came in 1997’s Batman & Robin. Fans have panned both the film and his performance since the movie’s release.

Clooney himself agrees with that assessment. The Oscar-winner has said he messed up the role “so bad.” (In fairness, there’s only so much you can do when your Batsuit has nipples.)

Not only did The Flash give Clooney a bit of Bat-demption with his surprise cameo, it also used turned his previous performance into a great meta joke. Upon seeing the alternate Bruce get out of his sports car, Barry said, “You’re not Batman.” To that an incredulous Clooney answered, “What’s wrong with you?”

As the movie’s post-credits scene revealed, what’s wrong with Barry is that he didn’t feel the need to immediately fix his timeline and bring back his friend.

What Did The Flash‘s Post-Credits Scene Reveal About the New Timeline?

Ben Affleck’s Batman might be gone (at least for now), but Jason Momoa’s Aquaman is still around. An extremely intoxicated Arthur Curry appeared with Barry Allen in The Flash‘s only post-credits scene. Though mostly played for laughs,* the scene did provide vital information about the state of the world, the timeline, and reality at the end of the film.

Barry was trying to explain to his fellow Justice League member that he had traveled back in time and altered the past, resulting in an entirely different Bruce Wayne. Arthur had no idea what he was talking about, showing that only Barry remembers the old Batman. The Flash is the only bridge between the world that was and the reality he finds himself in now.

This reality still resulted in Barry working with other meta-humans and heroes. But to get Batfleck back, he’d need to go back in time again and put the tomato cans back where they originally went. Clearly he did not do that, and there’s no indication he has plans to anytime soon, if ever.

That leaves George Clooney in place as Bruce Wayne, for now anyway, along with all the other changes to the timeline we don’t know about yet. To save his father Barry sacrificed his friend, which raises one last major question.

*A passed out Aquaman can’t drown in a puddle. But you can. Even if you have a friend who can travel back in time, please drink responsibly.

Did Barry’s Decision to Rearrange Those Tomato Cans, and Thus Change Bruce Wayne, Completely Undermine His Entire Character Arc in The Flash?

Yeah, kinda! Weird, right?

But time travel and tragedy are both complicated. Besides, if there’s one thing we learned from the end of The Flash it’s that Barry Allen can always go back and change things if he wants.

Featured Image: DC Comics

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at  @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post THE FLASH’s Ending and Post-Credits Scene Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

The Flash made its rules of time travel easy to understand by comparing Barry Allen’s impact on the space-time continuum with Marty McFly’s. But it also utilized Back to the Future for its plot. DC’s speedster realized what a mess he’d made of the past even before he met Michael Keaton’s Batman. He knew when he learned Eric Stoltz drove Doc Brown’s Delorean to fame rather than Michael J. Fox. Of course, Stoltz wasn’t a random recasting. He really did star as Marty McFly before Fox replaced him during production. That was just one of the many ways The Flash used famous sliding doors moment in Hollywood history to reimagine its world. From Nicolas Cage’s lost Superman and two big screen Kryptonians who never met, to Kevin Bacon and a reshuffling of the 1980’s leading men, these are the real stories The Flash turned from “almosts” and “what ifs” into alternate timelines.

Why Did Nicolas Cage Appear as Superman in The Flash?

In 1996, Warner Bros. executive Jon Peters hired Clerks‘ Kevin Smith to write the script for a movie titled Superman Lives. Eventually Batman‘s Tim Burton signed on to direct. He had his famous Man of Steel ready to go, too. Thirty million dollars later and all Warner Bros. had to show for their efforts was some test footage of a long-haired Nicolas Cage in a Superman costume. Eventually the rest of us got one of the most notorious stories in Hollywood history and a documentary about the calamitous project. That is, until The Flash finally brought Cage’s Clark Kent to the big screen for some alternate timeline fun.

Kevin Smith’s tale about his absurd meeting with Jon Peters is infamous with good reason. (Whether you’ve never heard it or know it by heart, it’s always worth listening to.) Among Peters’ many ridiculous comments and requests, he didn’t want Smith’s Superman to fly or wear his red and blue suit. What he did want was for Superman to fight a giant spider at the end.

Burton had Smith’s script rewritten when he joined the production. He also had Nic Cage outfitted for a suit with traditional Superman colors. But all that time, money, and talent didn’t matter. Shortly before filming began Warner Bros. pulled the plug, denying us a Man of Steel who apparently really dug The Cure.

Now The Flash has finally rectified that. It has given us Nic Cage—who named his son Kal-El—as Kal-El. His Superman exists in another dimension. He also flies. That’s not what Jon Peters wanted, but at least he got to see Cage fight a big giant spider. (Which the producer did make happen in Wild Wild West.)

But that wasn’t the only alternate (super) reality Barry Allen let us see come to life. The Flash also brought together two children of Krypton that never got to share the silver screen even though they existed at the same time.

The Flash Brings Together Christopher Reeve’s Superman and Helen Slater’s Supergirl

In 1984 Helen Slater brought Supergirl to theaters. The spinoff took place in the same universe as Christopher Reeve’s Superman franchise. His Clark was originally set to appear in the movie, too. Supergirl was going to rescue him from captivity. But following the disappointment of Superman III the previous year, Reeve decided against starring in the film. Instead Supergirl‘s script explained Superman’s absence by saying he was in another galaxy on a “peace-seeking mission.”

Slater’s Supergirl did not return in 1987’s Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, which was Reeve’s last time playing the hero. As a result the two ’80s Kryptonians never got to appear on screen together. That didn’t happen until The Flash showed them united side-by-side in their dimension, thereby creating a cool alternate timeline.

The Flash used another famous film franchise of the ’80s to create an alternate reality, too. It found inspiration in a time travel series that had fun changing events of that decade. Only Back to the Future did so both on screen and off.

Why Did The Flash Choose Eric Stoltz to Play Back to the Future‘s Marty McFly?

Michael J. Fox was Robert Zemeckis’s first choice to play Marty McFly. But with Fox unavailable due to Family Ties‘ filming schedule, Zemeckis cast Eric Stoltz in the role.

However, after six weeks of filming Zemeckis realized Stoltz just wasn’t working out. While the director has always praised Stoltz’s work and commitment on the movie, the actor just wasn’t bringing the comedic element the part required. That led to Zemeckis and producers firing Stoltz and developing a production schedule that allowed Fox to film Back to the Future on nights and weekends.

Deleted scenes and images from Stoltz’s performance have made their way out into the world since his departure. And it seems like one scene with Stoltz (or at least his fist) actually made its way into the final film. Otherwise, his version of Marty is lost to time. At least it is in this timeline.

In The Flash‘s alternate timeline, Stoltz didn’t just stay in the role. His version of Back to the Future was still a monumental hit. It catapulted him to stardom. It led people to get his face tattooed on their thigh calf. Was that because the movie was just that good it would have worked with anyone? Or because Stoltz made it good? What about the timelines where Ben Stiller or Jon Cryer nailed their (very real) auditions and got the part instead?The only way we’ll ever know if is Barry Allen messes with the timeline and therefore Back to the Future again.

Obviously Marty McFly wasn’t the only famous ’80s movie the Flash changed via time travel. He caused a chain reaction of big-time recasting.

Was Michael J. Fox Almost Cast in Footloose?

Famous casting “what ifs” are rarely as well-documented as Eric Stoltz in Back to the Future. Most auditions go nowhere. Sometimes performers discuss a potential role without ever seriously considering it. Other times they do want the part but aren’t seriously considered for it. And casting directors, producers, writers, and directors throws out big name as a possibility without ever having a chance of landing that actor. And yet, years later those people will still be mentioned as the list of people who “almost” got the role.

Still, even by those very (foot)loose standards there’s no evidence Michael J. Fox was ever up a possibility to play the part of Ren that Kevin Bacon made famous with his feet. That alternate timeline is totally unique to The Flash.

However, there is still a very fun connection between Footloose, Michael J. Fox, and The Flash. According to IMDb, Kenny Loggins wrote that Footloose‘s final scene was not filmed with his theme song playing. It was only added in post-production.

On set the actors actually danced to Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode,” the very same song Marty McFly performed at the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance in Back to the Future.

Strands of spaghetti, indeed. And that’s just the beginning of The Flash‘s alternate Hollywood dominoes.

Was Kevin Bacon Almost in Top Gun?

While there’s no evidence Michael J. Fox was ever up for the lead role in Footloose, The Flash‘s other ’80s leading man switcheroo was a possibility. Producers did consider Kevin Bacon for the role of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. A bevy of other actors either turned it down or got passed over, too. (Tom Cruise, the top choice, initially didn’t want the part.)

(In The Flash‘s timeline where Bacon is Maverick, do you think him and Cruise also swapped roles in A Few Good Men?)

The list of other potential Petes included: Matthew Modine, Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Matthew Broderick, Sean Penn, Michael J. Fox, Scott Baio, Mel Gibson, Tom Hanks, Charlie Sheen, Jim Carrey, Rob Lowe, Kevin Bacon, Robert Downey Jr., John Travolta, and Eric freaking Stoltz!

As if all of that isn’t enough, the movie originally considered having TOTO or REO Speedwagon record “Danger Zone” before turning to Footloose‘s Kenny Loggins.

And with so many real world connections in alternate version of 1980s Hollywood that The Flash gives us, at this point we have to wonder if Barry Allen really did go back in time and alter our actual timeline. Maybe he’s the reason Michael J. Fox replaced Eric Stoltz in the first place. That worked out for Back to the Future, but we can’t forgive him for Nic Cage’s lost Superman Lives. Especially now that we know he would have kicked that giant spider’s a**.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at  @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post How THE FLASH Used Real Hollywood ‘What Ifs’ to Create Alternate Timelines appeared first on Nerdist.

If you’re a superhero movie fan you’ve imagined what it would be like seeing Marvel’s Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America share the same screen with DC’s Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. The characters have done that in the pages of comic books. Daydreaming of a live-action version is part of the fun of being a fan. However, when you’re a fan who’s in charge of one of those studios you can do more than just fantasize about such a crossover. Especially when you previously a prominent part of the other. James Gunn has done more than just think about bringing the DCU and MCU together. He discussed it. But don’t start camping out for tickets just yet. If ever.

Gunn spoke to Empire about his final MCU project, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. During the interview the new co-head of the revamped DCU talked about combining his former superhero franchise with his new one. That’s usually a conversation you hear tired people waiting in a long line at Comic-Con talk about to kill time. Only, Gunn said he’s “certain that’s more likely now” that he’s in charge of DC’s creative side. More importantly, it’s an idea he said he’s actually “discussed,” though he pointed out those discussions were “very, very light and fun.” (So in that way it’s exactly like those fan conversations.)

Even knowing the person atop DC is thinking about such a possibility is fun. But Gunn also said that if such a crossover were to ever happen it would still be many years away. Recently he told Deadline, “It would look like something that would be happening in about ten years. Not today.” He believes he needs to establish the new DCU before he can think about working with Marvel. But he did add that a DCU/MCU crossover, “could be cool.”

That’s fine with us. We’ll need time to figure out exactly what we’d want to see from a DCU/MCU crossover event. We’ve spent so much time dreaming about that without ever thinking it could actually happen.

The post James Gunn Has ‘Discussed’ a DCU-MCU Crossover, But Don’t Take it Seriously Anytime Soon appeared first on Nerdist.

Soon, The Flash will give us something that superhero cinema has never shown us before: the multiverse! Kidding aside, the Andy Muschietti-directed movie will give audiences a fresh twist on DC’s iconic Flashpoint storyline. The 2011 saga from Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert saw Barry Allen going back in time to try and prevent his mother’s murder. But he ended up breaking the past and the future in the process. And while The Flash will bring in many faces from DC Comics stories, some cameos did not make the cut.

The Flash will serve as the swan song for the current iteration of the DC Extended Universe. Newly minted DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran have been candid about their plans to make a new unified DC Universe.

With The Flash serving as the end of an era, a lot is riding on its shoulders. Fortunately, the movie is pretty great, at least in the version that Nerdist screened at a special event. Director Andy Muschietti and producer Barbara Muschietti were on hand to introduce what they called not quite the final cut of the film.

While we’ll save our super spoiler thoughts for after the film’s release, the filmmaking siblings shared some juicy details with the audience. With trailers confirming the return of Michael Keaton as Batman, Ben Affleck as Batman, Michael Shannon as General Zod, and the introduction of Sasha Calle as Supergirl, The Flash has plenty of iconic DC characters. 

And yes, the movie has even more cameos, guest appearances, and surprises for diehard fans of superhero cinema and comics. Andy Muschietti confirmed his initial assembly was four hours long. Therefore some choice cameos were left on the cutting room floor. When Q&A moderator Grae Drake asked the Muschiettis what characters or moments they couldn’t fit in the film, they obliged with a small sampling. The Flash cameos that unfortunately didn’t work out include Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman from the ‘70s TV series, Marlon Brando’s Jor-El from 1978’s Superman, as well as Burgess Meredith’s Penguin and Cesar Romero’s Joker from the 1960s Batman TV series. 

During the reception after the screening, Nerdist spoke to Andy Muschietti with a few other reporters. In response to a question from Dorian Parks from Geeks of Color, he confirmed that Grant Gustin almost had a cameo in the film as Barry Allen from The CW’s The Flash. Muschietti was very complimentary about what The Flash series accomplished. But unfortunately, there wasn’t room to include Gustin’s take on Barry Allen. Muschietti said, “Of course, as I said before the list of cameos…was huge. So obviously we played with the idea of including DC characters from TV, but we just had to pick.”

Sadly it won’t be Oops, All Barrys.

Nerdist also asked how Muschietti felt on his first day on set compared to the last day after such a long journey with this film with 120 shooting days. According to Muschietti, “It’s funny because the sense of accomplishment at the end is like, you feel like such a relief. At the beginning, you’re a ball of stress. Of course, it defuses after a few days. Every day is like an accomplishment. Then you relax and just keep going and going. It was a lot of fun.”

As for The Flash, the fun for audiences begins on June 16. Whether or not any of those cameos make their way back into the final cut, only time—or time travel—will tell.

The post THE FLASH Almost Included Lynda Carter, Grant Gustin, and Other Cameos appeared first on Nerdist.

James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios, recently announced the major changes to the DC Comics film universe. Known as the DCU, the eight to 10 year plan will begin with a chapter Gunn and fellow CEO Peter Safran are calling “Gods and Monsters.” Though the first chapter will begin with two television projects (Creature Commandos and Waller), the new DCU film slate will begin with Gunn’s Superman movie, titled Superman: Legacy. And this movie is now officially in pre-production.

Gunn shared the above image while talking about Superman: Legacy in the announcement. It’s from the cover of All-Star Superman by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely. He didn’t share any plot details, but he called it “the true beginning of the DCU.” Gunn shared the release date, too. Superman: Legacy will fly into theaters on July 11, 2025.

Gunn once again confirmed this date via Twitter recently, along with the news that he will direct the film.

And we know officially know that Superman: Legacy is in pre-production. Additionally, its full script is written.

Responding to a fan who asked, “Have you written the whole script or just that page so far?” Gunn answered, “The whole script.” However, Gunn notes “It is not” safe to assume that casting annoucements will arrive at any minute.

Superman: Legacy‘s Plot and Casting

We don’t know who will play Superman, or the plot, or anything yet. When Gunn previously mentioned his Superman movie in December 2022, he said it would focus on “an earlier part of Superman’s life.” Hence the reason Henry Cavill is not returning as the superhero. Gunn also clarified it would not be an origin story, so we’ll see Clark Kent already donning the Superman mantle. If we look at the 12-issue All-Star Superman for clues, it could fit. Morrison wanted to tell a timeless Superman story with these comics. However, the comic book series didn’t make our list of ideas for Gunn’s Superman movie. It leans more towards Superman’s death than his early days.

Then again, just because Gunn shared an image from All-Star Superman to go with his announcement doesn’t indicate anything about the story. Maybe he really just likes the art, and it’s part of an overall inspiration board?

Ultimately, all we know is from a Warner Bros. release that notes, “Superman: Legacy tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.”

Whatever the case, know that we’ll bring you more Superman: Legacy news as soon as we learn it.

Originally published on January 31, 2023.

The post James Gunn Will Direct SUPERMAN: LEGACY appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s often seemed like the impossible dream for comic book movie fans. An honest to goodness cinematic Marvel/DC crossover event. While it may currently seem like a pipe dream, in a recent interview former Marvel creative and current DC Studios head honcho James Gunn admitted “I’d be lying to say we haven’t discussed it.” Yes, it would be years away. But it’s now at least something we can speculate about it. But what would our dream big-screen MCU/DCU projects even be? These are the ones that would be comic book movie nirvana for us.

Side note: We’re only talking about characters and not the current actors portraying them here. Simply because by the time this happens, if it ever even happens, who the heck knows who will be playing any of these roles. We’ll probably be on our fifth live-action Spider-Man and our hundredth live-action Batman by that point.

Justice League/Avengers

If we could only have one come true, it would be this one. The one that would blow the barn doors off of movie theaters, the Justice League vs. the Avengers. In the comics, this series was literally 20 years in the making. Because the two most iconic teams in their respective universes had to be a bigger-than-life experience and worth the reader’s money. And it was. JLA/Avengers gave us everything; billionaire playboy heroes Iron Man and Batman butting heads, and expert hand-to-hand fighters Captain America and Batman testing each other’s mettle. The God Thor vs. the Goddess Wonder Woman. Hawkeye and Black Widow vs Green Arrow and Black Canary.

The 2004 comic book event series, drawn by the legendary George Perez, was ultimately worth the long wait. And we hope any movie version would be the same. We’re not sure who they would fight, however. It would have to be a villain so big, it takes the biggest powerhouses in two universes to stop them. Maybe they literally take on the Gods of Olympus or something? All we know is that if we don’t get an image of Superman using Thor’s hammer and Cap’s shield to make one last stand against the bad guys, we will demand our money back.

X-Men/Teen Titans

We don’t know what form either the live-action X-Men or the Teen Titans will take in their respective cinematic universes, once they inevitably show up. But we know that sooner or later, both super teams of angsty young heroes will be a part of the action in the DCU and MCU. In the comics, the best Marvel/DC crossover event was easily 1982’s Uncanny X-Men/New Teen Titans. Not only did it feature both team lineups in arguably their most iconic versions, but they fought off Dark Phoenix and Darkseid together. It was the definition of epic in the comics, and would make for one of the most epic comic book movies of all time.

Batman/Spider-Man

On the surface, Batman and Spidey don’t have a ton in common. One has no powers, one does. One lives modestly in Queens, the other in opulence in Gotham City. One barely cracks a smile, the other one cracks jokes constantly. But both heroes were forged in pain and loss. Neither would be who they are if not forged in tragedy, and lost a parental figure (or in Bruce’s case, his actual parents). Because of that loss, their fight will never end. This one thing would form a strong bond between them. Plus, it would be fun to see Batman constantly annoyed at Spider-Man’s constant quipping. Our dream villain team up for this movie? Well, it’s gotta be Joker and the Green Goblin, right? So much villainous cackling, it might be overwhelming.

Batman/Daredevil

Another Batman team-up, and one we wouldn’t see in any Justice League/Avengers crossover. Simply because Matt Murdock isn’t traditionally an Avenger. But both heroes are the kind who prowl their cities at night, stalking criminals and striking terror into their hearts. And they both love to brood. It’s just a natural fit for a crossover. Marvel’s Man Without Fear has actual powers, and DC’s Dark Knight doesn’t, but we’re not sure he’d win in a fight against the Batman. Even if they don’t battle, these two together, fighting mad mob bosses and taking on ninja hordes, would be the moodiest superhero movie ever. But we’d be there on day one.

Superman/Captain America

Although we imagine a Superman/Captain America meeting would happen in some sort of Justice League/Avengers crossover film, we still want something with just the two of them. Because these two are their respective universe’s idealistic boy scouts, whose unwavering morality defines them. Plus, we want a time travel story where the Man of Steel travels back in time to World War II, where he helps Steve Rogers punch some Nazis. Think of how culturally therapeutic a movie like that could be. Hey, maybe the movie ends with them merging into one being, “Super Soldier.” That’s a thing that actually happened once in the ’90s.

The post Our Dream DC/Marvel Cinematic Crossover Projects appeared first on Nerdist.

Most of the time, there’s consistent chatter about the MCU. What’s up with the multiverse? Where the hell is Phase Five going? But that is beginning to shift as the DCU picks up steam. We’ve gotten a slate of awesome announcements, including the Superman: Legacy film and a Booster Gold series. We still have to wait to learn more about casting in a ton of roles. However, actor Frank Grillo revealed in an interview with ComicBook.com that he is joining the DCU in some capacity.

He previously portrayed Crossbones in the MCU, specifically in films like Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Endgame. Grillo spoke about his dissatisfaction with how Brock Rumlow was handled in that universe, which he says sparked his movement to the DCU. The real question is, who would Frank Grillo play in the DCU? He makes for one hell of an antagonist but perhaps he would want to take a walk on the more heroic side. Maybe he could be a part of the Creature Commandos collective. Let’s see what happens.

The post Frank Grillo Says He’s Leaving the MCU for the DCU appeared first on Nerdist.

Recently, James Gunn and Peter Safran caused quite an uproar when they announced a slew of projects that would make up the new, unified DC Universe. Chapter 1 of the DCU, which Gunn and Safran refer to as “Gods and Monsters,” is actually just getting started, though. So don’t put those speculation hats away yet. Even though Gunn and Safran announced 10 projects in their first DCU reveal, that’s apparently less than half of what we can expect from Chapter 1.

Less than half! So if your favorite DC projects weren’t mentioned, chances look pretty good for them still appearing. And, as we saw in the first (less than) half of the movies and TV shows announced for DCU’s Chapter 1, Gunn and Safran love to throw in a deep, deep cut with the rest of the more expected fare. That’s a pretty long chapter, though, if we’re comparing it to a Marvel phase; almost twice the size. The MCU phases usually have around 11-13 projects.

Of course, the timing of the announcements is one thing, but the timing of the projects themselves is something else altogether. Even if we do get more DCU Chapter 1 titles soon, they probably won’t release for a while yet. Still, who doesn’t love to get excited about the future?

We can’t wait to see what the new and sprawling DC Universe has in store for us.

The post We Still Don’t Know Over Half of the DCU’s Chapter 1 Projects appeared first on Nerdist.

We were all expecting Superman and Batman in James Gunn’s new DCU slate. But the big shocking surprise was the announcement of a movie based on The Authority, DC’s hardcore, bloody, and profanity-infused super team series. But the non-comics reader may be scratching their heads about this team, who never had the media exposure DC super groups like the Justice League and the Teen Titans did. Although a cult title, The Authority has had some of comics’ biggest names working on it over the past 25 years, and created the template for similar comics like The Boys and Invincible.

The Early Wildstorm Days of The Authority

The Authority was first published in 1999, and was actually part of DC’s Wildstorm imprint. Wildstorm was superstar artist Jim Lee’s label, under the Image Comics banner. Lee later sold it to DC in 1998. But back in 1992, in the early Wildstorm days, Lee created the hit series WildC.A.T.S., as well as its spin-off title Stormwatch. It was in the pages of Stormwatch that the Authority was really born. Many of the characters later made famous by the Authority were created for Stormwatch long before DC Comics was ever in the picture.

Stormwatch were super powered heroes who answered to the U.N., as many DC and Marvel teams historically did. They debuted in 1993, but by the late ’90s, their style of superhero comics was going out of fashion. Writer Warren Ellis then took over the series in 1997. Given carte blanche on a dying title, he introduced several new characters, like Jenny Sparks, Jack Hawksmoor, and others. And then, in 1998, he basically killed off all the members of the Stormwatch team he didn’t create in the WildC.A.T.s/Aliens crossover. Yes, the iconic xenomorphs from the big screen, in a bloody rampage, ultimately led to the creation of the Authority.

A Dark Mirror Version of the Avengers and the Justice League

The Authority, made up of remnants of Stormwatch, was a mashup of both DC’s Justice League, and Marvel’s Avengers. Like the JLA, there were 7 core members. Apollo and Midnighter were counterparts to Superman and Batman, respectively, only they were a committed gay couple. Both were genetically engineered, with Apollo having powers nearly identical to Superman, and like him, drawn from the sun. Midnighter could predict any move in a fight, making him the ultimate hand-to-hand combatant, similar to DC’s Dark Knight. They instantly proved to be the most popular, and most attention-getting, members of the team.

Swift was a winged warrior, and an analogue for DC’s Hawkgirl. The Doctor was a mystic, and an even trippier version of Dr. Strange. The Engineer was a bit of Iron Man, with a side of the X-Men’s Colossus. Jack Hawksmoor was perhaps the one truly unique member, a character who drew his strength and power from the energy of different cities. The team’s leader, Jenny Sparks, was an edgier version of Captain Britain, with electrical powers. But unlike their DC and Marvel Universe counterparts, the Authority really followed only one authority—their own.

The team’s home base was a bit of an homage to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier from Marvel, simply called the Carrier. But this base was a ship capable of moving through the Bleed, the red space which separates alternate universes. The Bleed would later become a big part of DC’s multiversal mythology, one of the series’ big contributions to overall DC lore. Through the Carrier, the team could appear anywhere in the world in the blink of an eye.

Although their goals were ultimately noble, unlike the Seven in The Boys, they took the law into their own hands. They didn’t allow things like international law or “innocent until proven guilty” to impede their brutal version of justice. A version of justice that saw them invading sovereign nations and crushing the skulls of corrupt leaders. In fact, they eventually set themselves up as the rulers of the United States.

The Authority: Ground Zero for “Big Screen” 21st Century Superhero Comics

Although never the biggest seller, The Authority was the buzzy book everyone in the early 2000s was talking about. The art by Bryan Hitch was cinematic and huge, and the battles looked like the movie versions of superhero fights we’d see decades later. After Warren Ellis left the title, a series of writers who all would become the biggest names in modern comics followed him up. Mark Millar, Ed Brubaker, Dan Abnett, and Andy Lanning, to name but a few. Artists like Frank Quitely also made a name for themselves thanks to this series.

Its gritty, violent, no-holds-barred take on superheroes influenced everything from Marvel’s The Ultimates, to Garth Ennis’ The Boys. Even the kid-friendly animated Justice League took inspiration from the Authority. In the episode “A Better World,” the alternate-Earth Justice Lords, who were a Justice League that took over the world, drew inspiration from the Authority. There were many ways in which The Authority set the tone for many of the 21st centuries best superhero tales, many that received more recognition.

The Elite: The DC Universe’s Answer to the Authority

In the 2000s, the book that parodied DC and Marvel heroes was itself parodied by DC. In the seminal Action Comics #775, writer Joe Kelley introduced “the Elite,” a thinly veiled riff on the Authority. He designed the Superman story to pose the question; could Superman’s moral code and no killing rules exist in a world with heroes like the Authority? The leader of the Elite, Manchester Black, was a clear combination of the Authority’s Jenny Sparks and Jack Hawksmoor, at least from a visual perspective.

However, the Superman story proved so popular, the Elite became a regular part of the DC Universe. They were even the subject of an animated film, Superman vs. The Elite. Manchester Black then became a character on the CW’s Supergirl. Was there even a need for the Authority anymore, with the Elite around? Everything runs its course, and by the end of the 2000s, the Authority’s days as a trend setting concept seemed to be over. Its imitators had eclipsed it. But you can’t keep a good super team down forever. Not one with characters that were so rich.

The New 52: The Authority Characters Join the DC Universe

When DC folded in its Wildstorm titles into the DC Universe in 2011’s The New 52 reboot, many Authority characters made the transition. But the Authority itself, at least as a title, didn’t. They were essentially replaced with the returning Stormwatch series. Solo titles for characters like Midnighter and Apollo were released, but no book called The Authority. For ten years, there was no team going by that name, until 2021. Grant Morrison, who briefly wrote the old Wildstorm title, wrote a new series called Superman and the Authority. In this version, Kal-El secretly created the Authority as a team when he began to lose his powers.

Things start get really meta with this incarnation of the group. As part of this new team, Superman recruited Manchester Black, the character that was created as a riff on original Authority leader Jenny Sparks. Morrison then included classic Authority characters like Apollo and Midnighter. However, several new members were classic DC Universe stand-ins for characters in the original lineup. Enchantress was an analogue of the Doctor, while Steel was an analogue for The Engineer, and so on. It was very much a case of the snake eating its own tail. And this was the last incarnation of the team we saw in the comics.

Will it influence The Authority‘s eventual film version in the DC Universe? Only time will tell. But there are over 25 years of groundbreaking stories to draw from.

Originally published on February 1, 2023.

The post Who Are The Authority? The DCU’s New Cinematic Heroes, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

DC Studios recently unveiled chapter 1 of its development slate. And, to the delight of DC Comics fans everywhere, a Booster Gold television show is a part of this lineup. Booster Gold is a beloved character and former Justice Leaguer who absolutely deserves the opportunity to become a household name. Aside from being one of DC’s funniest heroes, Booster Gold has deep ties to both the DC multiverse and more lighthearted stories. These which will help differentiate this new era of DC film and television from its darker predecessors. But, there may be many new fans who aren’t as familiar with the comic origins of Booster Gold. Let’s take a dive into this character’s fun history.

The DC Comics History of Booster Gold

Booster Gold is emblematic of the comedic and satiric direction that many of DC’s biggest titles took in the late 1980s and early-to-mid 1990s. He was created by the powerhouse DC writer/artist Dan Jurgens (The Death of Superman, Zero Hour: A Crisis in Time!) in 1986. First appearing in Booster Gold #1 by Jurgens, Mike DeCarlo, Tom Ziuko, and Agustin Mas, he went on to join the new Justice League the following year, which was later rebranded as the Justice League International. 

Perhaps the best way to describe Booster Gold is that he is a buffoon with a heart of gold. He unknowingly satirizes many elements of superheroism under capitalism. Booster Gold’s real name is actually Michael Jon Carter (a playful wink at science fiction conventions). He was born in the 25th century and found fame early on as a college football star.

Despite his talent, Carter became involved in betting. He lost all chance at a professional sports career after he purposely threw a game. With his good reputation soiled, Carter was only able to find work as a nighttime security guard at a museum. On a whim, he stole a superhero costume from the museum. And Booster Gold went back in time to the 20th century. With his 25th century tech, good looks, and ability to play to news cameras, Booster Gold instantly became a popular superhero. This was all without Carter having to prove much that he was up for the job, morally. Assisted by his sarcastic, skeptical robot pal named Skeets, Booster Gold hides the tragic elements of his life under the veneer of his megawatt smile. 

Booster Gold’s Powers, Personality, and Technology

Booster Gold does not have superpowers in the comics. He gets assistance only from his technology and knowledge of historical events in the 20th and 21st centuries. He puts on a great show for civilians as he flies around cities in his flashy suit fighting enemies with energy blasts while Skeets coaches him on his next move. More polished superheroes like Wonder Woman and Green Lantern can flawlessly stop a catastrophe from happening with zero collateral damage; however, Booster isn’t usually so lucky. Part of his charm is his failures, a running theme in his comics. 

Booster Gold is defined by his attempts to turn superheroism into a business, alongside his hilarious, over-the-top sense of confidence that is, at times, deeply out of touch with reality. This dynamic plays out brilliantly with his best friend, Blue Beetle (Ted Kord). Blue Beetle is a nervous worrier who reins in some of Booster’s most outlandish schemes. Their friendship was a key ingredient to the success of Justice League International, spearheaded by writers Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis, with iconic art by Kevin Maguire. With Booster Gold and Blue Beetle on the roster, the Justice League became a much more approachable team for readers. They could easily imagine two well-meaning fools existing in everyday life under Ronald Reagan’s presidency. 

Booster Gold and His Importance in DC Comics’ Timeline and Multiverse

Though comic fans love Booster Gold’s his unique personality and values, he also has an important role in the timestream and multiverse in DC Comics. After Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle was tragically killed in the lead up to DC’s Infinite Crisis crossover event in 2005, it had lasting consequences for Booster. Geoff Johns, who wrote Infinite Crisis and would later go on to write and co-write multiverse-heavy stories like Flashpoint and Flashpoint Beyond. These stories instilled a greater, cosmic role for Booster Gold by revealing that he was the father of the time traveler, Rip Hunter, in Booster Gold #1000000. (This was co-written with Jeff Katz, with pencils by Dan Jurgens, finishes by Norm Rapmund, colors by Hi-Fi, and letters by Nick J. Napolitano.)

Rip Hunter is known principally as the leader of the Time Masters in the DC Universe. This group is responsible for maintaining the health of the timestream in the universe. By making Booster Gold the father of Rip Hunter, Johns added a sense of consequence to Booster’s lighthearted adventures. Before, Booster had shamelessly used his knowledge of historical events to find tragedies to thwart in the present day. Now, he understood the dangers of doing this.

As such, his second series—kickstarted by Geoff Johns in 2007 after the events of 52—explored his relationship with his ancestors in the present day. It eventually led into Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert’s 2011 Flashpoint crossover. This rebooted the DC multiverse ahead of its next era, the New 52. Booster Gold was recently spotlit in Dan Jurgens and Ryan Sook’s Blue and Gold series, which chronicled his and Blue Beetle’s attempt to launch a small business as superheroes.

As Blue and Gold shows, Booster’s motivations might not always be altruistic; however, he remains a lovable figure because of his desperate and slightly delusional optimism. In a world where cynical takes on superheroes abound, Booster Gold is refreshing because of his utter disregard for edginess. And it is this specific energy that DC Studios needs now more than ever.

The post Who Is DC Comics’ Booster Gold? His Comic Origins, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

New DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are now focusing on making a unified DC Universe across film, television, and gaming. But they have said there is still room for stories outside the shared continuity. Movies like The Batman: Part II, and Joker: Folie à Deux. These projects would have their own branding based on DC Comics — Elseworlds.

In fact, James Gunn recently mentioned on Twitter that some upcoming animated projects will be Elseworlds tales. Over the next few years, there are some much-wanted DC Comics adaptations that fit perfectly into the Elseworlds brand, based on stories from the comics. Here are some key Elseworlds tales we hope to see come to life over the next several years.

Batman Beyond

As of right now, there are going to be two big-screen Batmans, with the DCU’s Batman in The Brave and the Bold, and Matt Reeves’ Dark Knight in The Batman: Part II. But what about Michael Keaton’s Batman, who is showing up soon in Flash? We don’t want just a “one and done” for him. Well, we have a solution. For years fans have been asking Warner Bros. to make a Batman Beyond movie, especially one with Keaton as “Old Man Bruce.” This would be based on the classic animated show. One which later became a comic set in its own universe apart from the main DC timeline. So, it is an Elseworlds of a sort.

True, right now might not be the time for this, what with two cinematic Caped Crusaders already. But we really want to see a film set in a Blade Runner-style future where young Terry McGinnis becomes the new Dark Knight, trained by the elder Bruce. This teenage Batman is part Spider-Man, with all the high school drama, part Iron Man, with the advanced armor, but mashed up with Gotham City mythology. Maybe this would be best served as an HBO Max series? All we know is that we’re dying to see it.

Superman: Red Son

While Batman has many great Elseworlds stories, Superman has about half as many. But there is one that stands above the rest, and that’s Mark Millar’s Superman: Red Son. The story imagines a world where baby Kal-El landed in the Soviet Union instead of Kansas. In Russia, he becomes the symbol, and ultimate weapon, of the totalitarian state. Krypton had a red sun, Superman is now the “red son” of the USSR. Clever, Mr. Millar.

The story also features other DC characters, given a Cold War-era makeover. An animated adaptation came out a few years back. However, it didn’t have the running time to do the original graphic novel justice. We probably won’t see an alt-Superman until our Clark Kent one is firmly established. Yet at some point down the line, a Russian Man of Steel seems like a no-brainer as an Elseworlds story.

Wonder Woman: Amazonia

Right now, aside from the prequel series Paradise Lost, there doesn’t seem to be any plans for Wonder Woman in the “Gods and Monsters” chapter. We still don’t even know if Gal Gadot is going to play Diana Prince when we see her next, or if it will be someone new. But while they figure out what the heck to do with the primary DCU Wonder Woman, maybe an Elseworlds tale could be squeezed in?

The 1998 graphic novel Amazonia by William Messner Loebs and Phil Winslade, imagined Diana in the Victorian era. We see her fighting against an era of systemic sexism, oppression, and uncomfortable corsets. Heck, if Gal Gadot doesn’t return as the DCU Wonder Woman, her swan song could always be this excellent Elseworlds tale. We’re in it just for the costumes alone.

DC: The New Frontier

We are clearly several years away from a new Justice League forming in this DCU. Gunn isn’t going to make the same mistakes the previous regime did, and rush a team-up film before it is ready. Having said that, a TV series adapting Darwyn Cooke’s epic series DC: The New Frontier could scratch that JLA itch until the eventual main DCU version arrives. The New Frontier is about the era of superheroes during the late ‘50s Atomic Age, coming out of McCarthyism and into the Space Race.

This story is set on an Earth still in the late ’50s/early ’60s. In it, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are the “old guard,” the last heroes still fighting the good fight post-WWII. They find themselves dealing with a new generation of Space Age heroes like the Flash, Martian Manhunter, and Green Lantern, who represent the idealism of the JFK/Camelot era. Eventually, an apocalyptic threat unites them all. Cooke’s series explored American history through a superhero lens, and would make for a great HBO Max series.

The Crime Syndicate of America

This entry is a bit of a cheat, as there’s not one specific Elseworlds comic based on the Crime Syndicate to adapt. However, they are alternate versions of iconic DC heroes. And they do live on the parallel world of Earth-3, so we say they count as an Elseworlds. The Crime Syndicate are twisted, criminal versions of the Justice League. Powerhouses who are brutal crime lords and dictators on their Earth. However, they are not exact analouges for the League. Ultraman isn’t an alien like Superman, Owlman isn’t an evil Bruce Wayne, etc.

The best stories featuring these characters are the animated film Justice League: Worlds Collide, and the Grant Morrison graphic novel, JLA: Earth 2. (And we know James Gunn loves Morrison’s work). This would probably work best as an HBO Max series, since it would definitely be pretty dark and violent. There are a lot of “evil Justice Leagues” in media these days, like the Seven on The Boys. But the Crime Syndicate did it first, and arguably best. Let this be their time to shine.

Kingdom Come

You probably guessed this one was coming. Mark Waid and Alex Ross’ 1996 mini-series Kingdom Come is the granddaddy of DC Elseworlds stories, seen as the “final chapter” of the DC Universe. It’s set in the not-too-distant future, one where violent superheroes become the norm. “Heroes” who spend more time fighting each other than saving lives. After a personal tragedy, Superman retires, leaving these unruly characters to run amok. But after a terrible incident that costs millions of lives proves the world needs Superman, he returns. And the League follows him. But as you might guess, things do not go smoothly.

We’ve made the case before that this story would be the perfect final chapter for the Snyderverse heroes. It would be a fitting farewell to their versions of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman as played by Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, and Gal Gadot. Right now, it seems James Gunn wants to focus on the future, and not tie up loose threads from the past. But maybe five or so years from now? Maybe then it will be time to do Kingdom Come. And if you wait some time, those actors will have aged into their roles naturally. Hey, in the meantime, an animated adaptation might work.

The post The Best DC Comics Stories for Future Elseworlds Projects appeared first on Nerdist.

One of the more intriguing projects James Gunn announced for his new DCU is a series called Paradise Lost, a sort of Game of Thrones-style series about the political turmoil in the Amazon nation of Themyscira. This show would take place centuries before Wonder Woman and will certainly feature a ton of other wonder women. And it seems the series is at least named after a Wonder Woman storyline from two decades ago—a story about an Amazon civil war. But before we get into that story, let’s get into the comic history of the two ancient tribes of warrior women at the heart of the comic storyline Paradise Lost.

The Bloody History of Wonder Woman’s Amazons

In the George Perez Wonder Woman 1980s reboot, they explored the history of the Amazons in detail. Perez’s top-to-bottom reimagining revealed that the Amazon tribe were all the reincarnations of women whose lives were cut short by the brutality of men. The Greek Gods granted these souls new life as Amazon warriors, emerging fully formed in adult bodies from the clay beneath the sea. This occurred roughly 3,000 years ago. The Patty Jenkins Wonder Woman film actually depicts a version of this in the history lesson Queen Hippolyta gave young Diana.

Heracles, the son of Zeus, was jealous of these warrior women, and had them enslaved. (This is a story straight from Greek mythology). The misogynistic demigod betrayed Hippolyta, stealing her gods-given golden girdle. Begging her gods to set her free, she led her people in a bloody revolt against him, vowing never to become enslaved again. But they disappointed their Gods, who thought the Amazons were foolish to ever let their guard down in the first place. They bestowed a penance on the Amazons; to wear their slave bracelets forever as a reminder, and to exile themselves from humanity.

One Amazon Tribe Becomes Two

But not all the Amazons agreed with this ruling. They abandoned their bracelets and refused to go to the island refuge. Hippolyta’s sister, Antiope, led these Amazons. The rebellious Amazon warrior took half the tribe with her, while her sister led the other half to the island of Themyscira. There, they would remain immortal as long as they remained on the island. But Antiope’s tribe lost their immortality when they forsook the gods and their divine orders. They then disappeared. It would be years into the Perez run of Wonder Woman before we discovered their ultimate fate.

An Uneasy Amazon Alliance

We eventually learned that Antiope’s tribe settled in Egypt, where they withdrew and became hostile toward mankind. They were still fierce warriors, and often traded weapons with outside tribes. They kept all female children and raised them, and gave up the males. They settled into a city they named Bana-Mighdall, which translated into “Temple of Women.” They remained in that city for centuries. In the modern era, they were referred to simply as the Bana, and became enemies of Wonder Woman. Eventually, the witch Circe transported all the Banas to Themyscira, and transported the whole island of Amazons into a demon dimension.

In this demon dimension, time moved differently. A whole decade passed, and the two tribes of Amazons, once enemies, joined forces to fight the demonic hordes. It was an uneasy alliance, but they eventually succeeded. When Themyscira returned to Earth, the Banas lived in their own section of the island, while Hippolyta’s Amazons lived separately. But from the get-go, the Themysciran Amazons treated them like second-class citizens.

Centuries of tradition separated the two cultures, and the Bana viewed the original Amazons as relics. Meanwhile, the original Amazons viewed the Banas as barbarians. This uneasy peace didn’t last long. Especially when one of the Banas, Artemis, became the new Wonder Woman after a grueling contest. The Banas learned Hippolyta gave her the title because she had a vision that Wonder Woman would die in an upcoming battle, and wanted to spare her daughter Diana. That didn’t help relations.

When Two Tribes Go To War

In the 2002 storyline, writer/artist Phil Jimenez united with Wonder Woman legend George Perez for a special two-part story about an Amazon civil war. Called Paradise Lost, it saw tensions rise between the two tribes to a fever pitch. This was despite a romantic relationship developing between two Amazons from rival tribes. Queen Hippolyta continued to neglect her new citizens, instead preferring to adventure with the Justice Society of America.

Secret forces on the island with long-held grudges stoked tension between the two tribes, and finally, blood was shed. This resulted in a full-scale war. The Themysciran Amazons were the more skilled warrior faction, but the Banas were adept at using modern weapons. It was only when Hippolyta renounced the monarchy and instituted a ruling council with representatives from both tribes that a lasting peace occurred, bringing about a new unified Amazon culture.

The Amazon Civil War in the DCU

How will this story influence the HBO Max series Paradise Lost? Well, for starters, the key difference is that there won’t be a Wonder Woman in this story. This new version takes place thousands of years prior to the birth of Diana. But we have a feeling that the show will reveal the existence of the Bana-Mighdall. In the movie, Antiope, played by Robin Wright, remained with her sister Hippolyta—unlike in the comics.

But that doesn’t mean she never founded another tribe of warrior women before rejoining her sister in exile. In fact, the Amazon civil war, and the manipulations leading to it, could draw inspiration from the Jimenez/Perez storyline. Of course, we know that in the films, Hippolyta never renounced the throne, so that’s another major detail that will be different. But with the upcoming Flash movie, DC Studios will reset a lot of history. Maybe the Amazons will be far more different from what we remember in this new DCU reality. Only the Gods of Olympus know. And for now, they’re not talking.

The post The Wonder Woman Comics Behind the DCU Series PARADISE LOST appeared first on Nerdist.

As expected, James Gunn set the nerd entertainment world ablaze with the announcement of the first slate of DC Comics films and TV shows that will appear in the brand new DCU. We were immediately jazzed. And we’ve speculated, and hoped, for what versions of these characters and stories might hit the screens. But merely a couple days later, Gunn himself, as he is wont to do, has given fans a much more concrete idea of which DC Comics arcs will be integral to the upcoming relaunch. And go figure—they’re good.

As Gunn explains, they aren’t going to directly adapt all of these books, just “the feel, the look, or the tone of them are touchstones for our team.” Even so, it’s very interesting to see these are the tonal basis for the DCU. Notice, not a Frank Miller book in the bunch! For way too long if you ask me, the people making DC films have relied on only the hard-edged work of Miller when adapting comics to the big screen. As though only The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One were the only comics that exist.

At any rate, all of these tomes are worth checking out. To give you a primer, let’s look at each of them and what we might glean for the style and attitude they could bring.

All-Star Superman

The first of two books from writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely, All-Star Superman might seem an odd choice for the DCU’s first outing with the Man of Steel. It deals with Superman, at the end of his life after too much sun exposure makes him terminally ill. With the limited time he has left, he tries to right as many of Earth’s wrongs as he can. These become “The Twelve Labors of Superman.” Morrison wanted to tell a “timeless” Superman story that wasn’t an origin story .

Though it deals with the end of Superman, it also gets to the heart of what it means to be Superman, and what Superman means to the world. Morrison is one of the writers who really gets the heart of the character, and more importantly, the team gets what humanity thinks of him. It’s not, as some films have focused on, that he’s an unknowable god, to be worshipped and feared. It’s more that he’s the best of Earth, doing the best he can for the most people. It’s a great place for the beacon of hope to be in Superman: Legacy in DCU Chapter 1.

All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely ran for 12 issues from 2005-2008 and is in one volume.

Batman by Grant Morrison Omnibus Vol. 1

Here’s the second Grant Morrison book on this list. Morrison had written the Dark Knight before, most famously in the one-off graphic novel Arkham Asylum in 1989. But in 2006, Morrison took over writing Batman full time, along with artist Andy Kubert. In these issues, Morrison pretty much reestablished and shifted the very lore of Batman. They introduced Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne’s son with Talia al Ghul. Damian was raised as an assassin in the League of Shadows. After years of training other young people, as surrogate father and mentor, Batman has to contend with his own flesh and blood, who loves killing. It’s dark, but excellent.

Additionally, this first omnibus volume gave us the rebirth of Ra’s al Ghul, which seems reasonable, followed by an arc which “killed” Bruce Wayne seemingly for good. This led to material collected in the second omnibus, which Morrison wrote with artist Frank Quitely, where Dick Grayson had to take over as Batman and work with Damian’s Robin. That further led to Bruce’s rebirth and a franchising of the Batman IP to other big cities worldwide, collected in Morrison omnibus three. The image that Gunn shared along with the The Brave and the Bold announcement is actually from the second omnibus.

All three omnibuses are hefty tomes, best to start with one and go from there, but we imagine all of Grant’s vision for DC Comics will show up in the DCU in some way. Gunn and Morrison are friends and all.

The Authority Omnibus

This is a pretty interesting one, since it didn’t actually start as a DC Comics title. It was part of Jim Lee’s Wildstorm comics imprint at Image Comics. As with a lot of hero teams in the Image Comics days, the Authority were a harder-edged take on DC and Marvel-style heroes. These ones were specifically a Justice League-esque team of super-powered folks who took the law into their own hands. Two of them, Apollo and Midnighter, were in a committed gay relationship and mirrored, powers-wise, Superman and Batman. We wouldn’t have later dark superhero riffs like The Boys without the Authority.

This omnibus collects the whole of the team’s antics prior to DC acquiring Wildstorm and its characters. Writer Warren Ellis and artist Bryan Hitch wrote first appearance of the characters, while others like writers Mark Millar (Swamp Thing) and Tom Peyer (Legion of Super-Heroes) and artists Paul Neary (The Ultimates), Frank Quitely (Batman and Robin), and Dustin Nguyen (Detective Comics) wrote from there.

This contains The Authority #1-29, Planetary/The Authority: Ruling the World, Authority Annual 2000, Jenny Sparks: The Secret History of the Authority #1-5, stories from Wildstorm Summer Special and a story from Wildstorm: A Celebration of 25 Years. Unfortunately it’s no longer in print, but the smaller volumes still are.

The Saga of the Swamp Thing by Alan Moore and Various Artists

Batman and Superman have had hundreds of different interpretations from different writers and artists over the years. Even the Authority have had several different teams of creatives in their most important run. When it comes to Swamp Thing, no offense to other teams, but Alan Moore’s 44-issue tenure in the 1980s is the definitive take on the character. I have love for the original Len Wein/Bernie Wrightson series, but that was 10 issues with the pair together. Alan Moore not only made Swamp Thing his own, he redefined the character’s entire being, introduced a million wild concepts and characters, and made a genuinely moving Gothic romance in the process.

It’s no wonder Gunn and company will look to this run for the big screen Swamp Thing. Despite being beloved to comics fans, only the short-lived 2019 Swamp Thing DC Universe series took the time to approach any of the themes Moore gave the marshy monster man. This run is scary, horny, trippy, sad, and triumphant all at the same time. If anything, we’re mad it’s the last of the projects to come out.

DC has collected this run in several different permutations. The pictured one is volume one of the three volume Absolute hardback edition. It collects The Saga of the Swamp Thing #20-34 and Swamp Thing Annual #2 (Moore’s first 15 issues). Even if you only read this, you’ll get a great sense for the tone and heart the DCU’s Swamp Thing will convey.

And that’s a damn fine mix of comic books right there. Get to reading, people; we only have a couple of years before the DCU properly begins.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

The post James Gunn Explains Which Comics Inspired the DCU appeared first on Nerdist.

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn gave us a lot to be excited about in his opening announcement slate for his regime. From both a new Superman and a new Batman movie, to (finally) a Green Lantern show, Gunn promised some heavy hitters. But for me, the one project that made me literally cheer at my desk was the last one. A new, big screen Swamp Thing movie. You really can’t do “Gods and Monsters” as chapter 1 without including perhaps DC continuity’s biggest, most important monster. And with Swamp Thing could come a whole universe of DC horror begging to hit big screens.

Gunn said in the Swamp Thing portion his announcement video:

“…a very dark horror story and the origins of the monster who is Swamp Thing. And although it’s tonally outside of the rest of the DCU, it will still feed into the rest of the stories.”

This is a pretty exciting idea. A dark horror story that feeds into the DC movie and TV universe but which has a completely different tone. This is as it should be. Right from his beginning, Swamp Thing was an outsider, in some ways both a god and a monster. Over time, Swampy has intersected with major portions of the greater DC Comics universe and even joined the Justice League…Dark.

Swamp Thing began in a single issue of DC’s House of Secrets anthology. Writer Len Wein and artist Berni Wrightson delivered a one-off story about a man in the early 20th Century who became a swamp creature in a chemical explosion and longed to reunite with his lost love. It’s got a Gothic horror vibe oozing throughout the short page count. The 1971 comic issue weirdly intersected with, but never copied from, Marvel’s Man-Thing. It’s a whole wild story. But, that issued proved popular enough that Wein and Wrightson returned for a full ongoing comic in 1972. Wrightson drew the first 10 issues; Nestor Redondo drew a further 13 issues, the last issue being drawn by Fred Carrillo. Wein, meanwhile, wrote the first 13 issues with David Michelinie and Gerry Conway finishing up.

This version of Swamp Thing was Dr. Alec Holland, a brilliant scientist who had developed a new plant growth formula in the bayous of Louisiana. Unfortunately, rivals killed his wife and would have killed him too, were it not for his body melding with the formula and turning him into a giant mucky man. Swamp Thing fought against all sorts of mad scientists and monsters, most notable his archenemy Dr. Anton Arcane and his Un-Men mutations. At the same time, Holland grew closer to Abigail Arcane, Anton’s niece, and federal agent Matthew Cable who had originally assumed Swamp Thing had killed Alec Holland. The story continued on for the rest of the 24 issues, but ended unceremoniously.

And that could have been it. One very ’70s comic from 1972 to 1976. But in 1982, an up-and-coming grindhouse horror filmmaker named Wes Craven was making a movie based on the Swamp Thing. That movie is dumb and bad, but it did lead DC to relaunch the comic series. The Saga of the Swamp Thing under writer Martin Pasko and artist Tom Yeates sadly did not live up to sales hopes either. Pasko brought back Abigail and Cable in the hopes to rekindle interest, but after 19 issues, he left the title.

In a last-ditch effort, editor Len Wein and DC handed the reigns of the series to a young British writer named Alan Moore. Moore had written for 2000AD and Marvel UK to some acclaim, but had yet to pen his famous later works. They gave Moore complete creative control to revamp the series in any way he wished. Along with artists Stephen Bissette and Jon Totleben, and later Rick Veitch, Moore’s 44-issue run turned Swamp Thing into something much more than a man-turned-monster.

Right away, Moore established that Swamp Thing was not actually Alec Holland. Instead he was an ancient, powerful entity in the swamp who merely thought it was Alec Holland following Holland’s death. Moore would later reveal, in an attempt to connect back to the original one-off Swamp Thing story from House of Secrets, that there had been dozens, perhaps hundreds, of Swamp Things since the dawn of humanity. All versions of the creature were designated defenders of the Parliament of Trees, an elemental community also known as “the Green” that connects all plant life on Earth. And later, on other planets. Wild stuff.

But more than that, Moore made The Saga of the Swamp Thing a metaphysical, spiritual treatise on existence and love. He had Abigail and Swamp Thing’s romance remain, even though he was no longer even tangentially human. We even get a psychedelic plant-sex scene amid the Gothic Beauty and the Beast-esque drama. At one point, vile racist hicks (a favorite villain group in Moore’s run) tried to put Abigail on trial for her “unholy” union with Swamp Thing, a direct allegory to the attacks on interracial and homosexual relationships at the time. Eventually, Swamp Thing took over Gotham City to protest Abigail’s treatment and Batman himself would side with the green defender. After all, Superman’s not human; he has a human girlfriend. Got ’em, Batman!

And while dozens of great writers and artists have worked on Swamp Thing titles in the years since, it seems almost assured that it’ll be a mix of Wein/Wrightson and Moore/Bissette/Tutleben that will end up in the DCU’s Swamp Thing movie. These are the most popular runs, but also the ones that best fit the horror inherent to the character. A man—or not a man—becomes a monster and then learns what it means to be human while fighting off other terrors both scientific and demonic.

Gunn mentioned the Swamp Thing movie will tie in with other DCU titles and characters. This happened all the time in the comics! Swamp Thing interacts with Superman and Batman; fights Hawkman and Hawkgirl; teams up with Etrigan the Demon, the Phantom Stranger, and Deadman; goes into the spirit realm and meets the Spectre; and even introduced the character of John Constantine. All of these—and indeed many, many more—such characters can and possibly will get their own movies or TV shows.

This could even, finally(!), give us the Justice League Dark movie we’ve been wanting for years. The team consists of magic, mystical, and monstrous DC characters like Constantine, Zatanna, Deadman, Man-Bat, Doctor Fate, Madame Xanadu, and of course Swamp Thing. At one point Guillermo del Toro was in talks to make such a film. We’d still love to see that, but in any permutation, a dark and magical team is a great way to distinguish the DCU from the MCU.

The DCU has a real opportunity to prove that horror can exist alongside more mainstream superhero fair. Gunn and Peter Safran are smart to recognize Swamp Thing as not merely a monster character but one of the most popular and fascinating DC characters in the whole canon. There’s a reason he’s had movies and TV shows before—as recently as 2019. Announcing Swamp Thing right away allows for more horror to influence the continuity. Vampires, werewolves, and zombies all exist, via Swamp Thing. We may finally get big screen Clayface, Solomon Grundy, Blue Devil, Floronic Man, and more! Hence my cheers. DC Comics does horror very well, and I’m jazzed to see where it goes.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

The post How SWAMP THING Promises to Bring Horror to the DCU appeared first on Nerdist.