After Aquaman, Warner Bros. and DC Films have a number of DC Extended Universe (DCEU) movies set to hit theaters in 2019 and 2020 - here, we reveal which are coming and when they'll arrive. Warner Bros. and DC Films launched what's become unofficially known as the DCEU with Zack Snyder's Man of Steel in 2013, but it wasn't until Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016 that the franchise really opened up. That movie introduced the heroes who have since become integral to the franchise, particularly Jason Momoa's Aquaman and Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman.
Since Batman V Superman and Suicide Squad, the DCEU has been plagued by negative perception. Both 2016 films were verifiable box office successes, but were incredibly divisive among critics and fans alike. WB and DC seemed to turn things around in 2017 with Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman, which earned positive reviews and more than $800 million at the worldwide box office. But then Justice League was a box office disappointment and received lukewarm reviews. Now, after more than a year hiatus, the DCEU returns to theaters with James Wan's Aquaman. While reviews of Aquaman have ranged from positive to negative, it is one of the more well received DCEU entries. And once fans get a chance to see Wan's DC movie, they may be excited to see what else Warner Bros. and DC Films has in store.
Related: Every DCEU Movie Ranked (Including Aquaman)
Next up after Aquaman, David F. Sandberg's Shazam! hits theaters on April 5, 2019. Starring Asher Angel as the young Billy Batson and Zachary Levi as his superhero alter-ego, the first trailer for Shazam! debuted at Comic-Con International in San Diego this summer to mostly positive reactions. The only other DC Films release of 2019 is Joker, but it does not take place in the same franchise continuity as the DCEU, where Jared Leto played the Clown Prince of Crime in Suicide Squad. Instead, Joaquin Phoenix is taking on the Joker role for a gritty, origin story style movie directed by Todd Phillips. Joker hits theaters Oct. 4, 2019.
Warner Bros is then set to debut two female-led DCEU movies in 2020, the first of which is Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) releasing on Feb. 7, 2020. In Cathy Yan's movie, Margot Robbie will reprise her Suicide Squad role as Harley Quinn and team up with Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) and Gotham City police detective Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) to take on the villain Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). Then, Wonder Woman 1984 will hit theaters on June 5, 2020. Gadot and Jenkins reteam for the Wonder Woman sequel that will also see the return of Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, though it's unclear how he'll be back after his tragic end in the first film.
And kicking off 2021 is Matt Reeves' The Batman, which is scheduled to release on June 25, 2021. Since The Batman movie follows a younger Caped Crusader, and since Ben Affleck officially exited the DCEU as Batman, Reeves and WB are currently looking for a younger actor to replace Affleck in the eponymous role. After that, Suicide Squad 2 is going to hit theaters on August 6, 2021. James Gunn is writing and directing the movie, which will see an all-new cast as members of DC's Task Force X. So, that means Robbie's Harley Quinn most likely won't return for the sequel which is now being titled The Suicide Squad. It appears to be a reboot of the team.
Beyond those six movies, there are a number of DCEU films in various stages of development, ranging from those utilizing previously established characters like a Joker and Harley Quinn movie (starring Leto and Robbie) to introducing new superheroes, like Blue Beetle. The Flash is another solo movie that's long been in development but has undergone a number of director changes, causing delays. Still, with six movies on their upcoming slate, Warner Bros. and DC Films have plenty of superhero adventures in store for fans. After Aquaman, moviegoers can look forward to Shazam!, Joker, Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) and Wonder Woman 1984 in the next two years.
