Credit: Inside the MagicThe DC Universe (DCU) may be in trouble.
The new shared cinematic universe under DC Studios’ co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran officially launched in theaters last year with Superman (2025).
The reboot marked the beginning of a brand-new interconnected continuity comprising films and television shows, essentially replacing the now-defunct DC Extended Universe (DCEU), which ran from Man of Steel (2013) to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023).
Superman Failed to Soar at the Box Office
Directed and written by Gunn and starring David Corenswet in the title role, Superman was met with mostly positive reviews from audiences and critics, and grossed $618.7 million worldwide against a budget of $225 million plus a worldwide marketing budget of $125 million, as reported by Variety after the film was released in theaters on July 11 last year.
But while that seems like a respectable win, Forbes did a breakdown of the movie’s financial stats after its theatrical run. The outlet wrote: “Given that films generally split their ticket sales 50-50 with theater owners, this means that Superman’s theatrical net equates to nearly $308 million,” adding that “The amount, of course, does not reflect any residuals that are being paid out or other miscellaneous expenses associated with the film.”
“Even going with the $308 million before taking the other expenses into account, Superman’s net falls below the $350 million Warner Bros. spent on the production of the film and marketing,” it continued, while noting that none of this takes into account the studio’s subsequent earnings from premium video on demand, streaming video on demand, and other revenue streams, including dollars earned from licensed merchandising.
Either way, Superman hardly “soared” at the box office. It was, however, successful enough for the studio to greenlight several more movie projects as part of the DCU slate, including a sequel titled Man of Tomorrow (2027), which releases in theaters on July 9, 2027.
Supergirl Isn’t Generating Any Major Hype
The first theatrical release following last year’s reboot will be Supergirl (2026), directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Milly Alcock as the lead.
However, after several trailers, there still appears to be no hype surrounding the movie. Many fans are also comparing the look and tone of the film to Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy films, describing it as a sort of “fatigue.” Watch the new trailer for Supergirl below:
Related: Zack Snyder Confirms That ‘Justice League’ Films Will Co-Exist With James Gunn’s DCU
Alcock also recently came under fire from fans after speaking to Vanity Fair about her role in the upcoming film and how her HBO series House of the Dragon has helped make her aware that “simply existing as a woman in that space is something that people comment on.”
“It definitely made me aware that simply existing as a woman in that space is something that people comment on,” the actress said, adding, “We have become very comfortable having this weird ownership of women’s bodies,. I can’t really stop them. I can only be myself.”
Fans were quick to call the film “woke” as a result of Alcock’s comments.
Supergirl releases in theaters on June 26.
Clayface Proves the DCU Has an Identity Crisis
Supergirl will be followed later this year by Clayface (2026), which recently dropped its first trailer following a first-look footage reveal at CinemaCon in April. Clayface centers on the so-called Batman villain, an actor who is disfigured and becomes a shapeshifting monster.
The film, directed by James Watkins and starring Tom Rhys Harries, hits theaters on October 23, and is described as a “body horror,” a notable shift from the vibrant/poppy aesthetic and uplifting “punk-rock” tone of both Superman and Supergirl. Watch the trailer:
Related: James Gunn’s DCU Falls Apart as Zack Snyder Confirms That Henry Cavill Is Still Superman
Is Clayface Part of The Batman or the DCU?
Clayface doesn’t just pose a problem for the DCU in terms of being marketed as a horror (it instantly loses the younger audience films like Superman also appeal to), but it has also left some fans confused.
Initially, Clayface was rumored to form part of The Batman Epic Crime Saga, the name given to Matt Reeves’ The Batman films starring Robert Pattinson. However, Gunn had to clear things up last year, confirming on social media that the upcoming horror is definitely part of the new DCU and not Reeves’ universe.
But the trailer does nothing to further clarify this—its overall tone and the red title card (which looks just like The Batman title card and that of the 2022 film’s spinoff series, HBO’s The Penguin) have left many fans convinced it is indeed a DC Elseworlds film connected to Pattinson’s dark, gritty Gotham.
DCU’s Major Continuity Problems
Meanwhile, the HBO animated series Creature Commandos and Peacemaker Season 2 have been building out the new DCU on the small screen.
However, like Clayface, they are aimed towards adults, depicting graphic violence and scenes of a sexual nature, a tone that’s completely at odds with 2025’s Superman.
The latter television series also highlights the DCU’s continuity problems, as the first season remains part of the DCEU. Gunn has been vocal about how he’s utilizing characters from the defunct franchise—including Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller and Xolo Maridueña’s Blue Beetle—something fans who felt they were promised a clean slate have been critical of.
Recently, Gunn offered an explanation as to why the DCU isn’t a full reboot as previously suggested, explaining to a fan on Threads (via Dark Horizons) why Peacemaker Season 2 is canon and why the first season isn’t:
“Peacemaker Season 2 deals were all in place when I became head of DC. It was either break everyone’s contracts and pay out all that money and take away HBO Max’s biggest show at the time or find a way to make it work. I chose the latter. Mostly tho because I love the character and the show and thought he/they could be an important part of the DCU.”
Still, none of that changes the fact that many fans think the DCU is already a mess.
Other DCU Projects in Development
There are more films and TV shows in the lineup, including a Swamp Thing movie and a Booster Gold series. Evidently, Gunn, who introduced the once-obscure Guardians of the Galaxy into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (the MCU), is far more interested in lesser-known comic book characters than iconic ones like Batman and Wonder Woman.
Speaking of Batman, we’re still waiting to find out who will play the new Bruce Wayne in the DCU film The Brave and the Bold (TBA), a project that has The Flash (2023) director Andy Muschietti attached but remains in production limbo with no release date in sight. It’s also worth noting that there’s been a lot of back-and-forth over whether Robert Pattinson will be the DCU’s Dark Knight, although Gunn recently cleared this up (at least for the time being).
James Gunn Shelves DCU Project
Going back to the more obscure projects, among them was The Authority, which has now been shelved, making the film the new cinematic universe’s first casualty. “The script wasn’t quite there but more importantly it didn’t work in terms of the larger DCU both in terms of the story and practical concerns. Maybe some day. Not soon,” Gunn explained on Threads.
Lanterns Came Under Fire for Many Reasons
While Supergirl and Clayface will be pushing the DCU forward on the big screen this year, HBO’s Lanterns (2026), starring Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre, will continue things on streaming. But that too has gotten off to a rocky start with audiences, as the trailer came under fire for depicting the Lanterns’ should-be-green costumes in muted, olive-like colors.
Watch the trailer below:
Related: Zack Snyder’s ‘Justice League’ Makes Surprising Return, Director Celebrates
Writer Damon Lindelof has faced criticism in response to comments he made about the “green” in Green Lantern being “stupid.” Fans also took aim at the show’s apparent True Detective-inspired tone. Lanterns releases on HBO this August.
The Snyderverse Could Return
Meanwhile, DC fans who remain loyal to the Snyderverse — the nickname given to Zack Snyder’s three films, Man of Steel (2013), Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), and Justice League (2021), which are considered to exist in a separate continuity from the wider DCEU franchise — continue to clamor for a new installment within that series.
While the DCEU, and with it the Snyderverse, has been replaced by James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU, those films remain a defining chapter in Warner Bros.’ superhero movie history. Recently, talk of a possible continuation resurfaced as Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) marked its five-year anniversary. Speaking to Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast earlier this year, Snyder addressed the possibility of revisiting his trilogy.
Nothing has been confirmed, however, over the past several months, the director has celebrated his Justice League saga through oftentimes cryptic pictures on Instagram, which have left many fans convinced that he’s set to make a huge announcement.
Most recently, Snyder shared a picture of himself at “the back lot in Hollywood” where the Paramount Pictures water tower can be seen in the background.
“Poking around the back lot in Hollywood as we start work on our new project.”
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The reason this has fans talking again is because Paramount Skydance is expected to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery under a pending merger agreement.
Could Snyder be secretly working on a new Justice League project? Only time will tell. For now, James Gunn’s DCU remains fully active.
What are your thoughts on the DCU so far? Let us know in the comments!
