With more than a dozen upcoming DC movies releasing after The Suicide Squad, it's surely an exciting time to be a DC Comics fan. Due to numerous leadership changes as well as adjustments to the direction of DC movies in general, there's been a large inconsistency in where the DC Extended Universe was headed. Thankfully, much of that has been resolved under the DC Films subdivision that was created a few years ago. Now there's a clearer path ahead, and one that will expand on the franchise as a whole.
It's no longer about establishing an interconnected world and building up to a team-up movie like Justice League. Rather, DC Films plans to release several standalone movies that can work independently without writers, directors, and producers worrying about continuity with other projects in development. That's not to say the universe Zack Snyder created isn't moving forward in some way - it just won't be the way many fans would've wanted. Ezra Miller is still Flash, Gal Gadot is still Wonder Woman, and Jason Momoa is still Aquaman, but now they'll be joined by two other Batmen actors alongside Ben Affleck, as well as several new heroes and villains.
At the moment, there are six upcoming DC movies with confirmed theatrical release dates, with another six being eyed for 2022 and 2023, some of which will be on HBO Max. However, most of those films haven't advanced far enough in development to have announced production start dates or set release dates. but that can quickly change as 2021 comes to a close. (Note: only movies in active development are included in this list; DC Films has other movies in the works, but those have either been shelved or are trudging along.)
The Batman - March 4, 2022
Ben Affleck was originally attached to write, direct, produce, and star in a solo Batman movie following his appearances in both Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, but that, unfortunately, didn't come to fruition. Affleck stepped down from his DC role in 2017, though he's now set to return for one more film, and Warner Bros switched gears from having The Batman be a DCEU film to being the first installment in a new franchise.
Matt Reeves is now directing The Batman, with Robert Pattinson starring as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Unlike previous incarnations that have shown Batman just starting out or already well-established in Gotham City, Pattinson's hero will be in his second year of crime-fighting. Furthermore, the movie will be the first in a new trilogy, one that sees villains like The Riddler and Penguin on the big screen for the first time in the 21st century. In addition to launching a new film series, The Batman will continue on the small screen with a spinoff/prequel series centered on Gotham PD, which will be set approximately a year prior to the events of the 2022 film.
DC's League of Super-Pets - May 20, 2022
Animated DC movies typically go straight-to-DVD, on-demand, or streaming, as has been the case with the DC Animated Movie Universe, but the upcoming film DC's League of Super-Pets, from writer-director Jared Stern, is a bit different. It's being targeted as a major summer movie for audiences, and it'll certainly be a unique film. Instead of having Batman or Superman, DC's League of Super-Pets has the superheroes' pets at the forefront: Krypto the Superdog (Dwayne Johnson), Ace the Bat-Hound (Kevin Hart), Jumpa, and Streaky the Supercat; the latter two haven't been officially cast yet. However, the voice cast will include Keanu Reeves, Natasha Lyonne, John Krasinski, Kate McKinnon, Vanessa Bayer, Jameela Jamil, and Diego Luna.
Black Adam - July 29, 2022
Long before the DCEU was even conceived, Dwayne Johnson was trying to get a Black Adam movie off the ground with him starring in the lead role. That movie - coming from director Jaume Collet-Serra - is finally releasing in 2022 and it presents a unique opportunity to expand on the DC franchise in interesting ways, one of which will be introducing the Justice Society of America. As the Golden Age version of the Justice League, the DCEU's JSA team will include Hawkman, Cyclone, Atom Smasher, and Doctor Fate, with potential references to other heroes like Red Tornado. While those characters represent part of the story, the core narrative will focus on Teth-Adam and his origin story, which will ultimately be used to set up his rivalry with the superhero Shazam. The character Black Adam was first teased in 2019's Shazam! film, and there's already been talk of the two characters colliding in a future movie. It's also expected that this installment will be the first of many Black Adam movies in the future, though it's unclear how or when those will happen.
The Flash - November 4, 2022
Coming four years after it was originally set to release in theaters, The Flash movie will formally establish DC Films' multiverse. Ezra Miller reprises his role as Barry Allen in The Flash, and he'll be joined by Ben Affleck as Batman in presumably his final DCEU role. However, making things even more exciting is the fact that Michael Keaton is also returning as Batman for the first time in 30 years.
Directed by Andy Muschietti, The Flash takes inspiration from the iconic Flashpoint comic story in which Barry goes back in time to save his mother and, in turn, creates a new timeline, which might be how he's able to meet two Batmen in the film. Furthermore, The Flash will introduce Sasha Calle as Supergirl, though Ray Fisher's Cyborg will no longer be appearing. All in all, the movie is expected to reset the DCEU and lay the foundation for a new series of storylines that expand on the DC mythos beyond what Zack Snyder's universe was able to do.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom - December 16, 2022
Aquaman quickly became one of DC's highest-grossing movies ever, so it only makes sense for Warner Bros to push forward with a sequel. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom brings back Jason Momoa as the eponymous superhero, with Amber Heard as Mera, Patrick Wilson as Ocean Master, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta. James Wan also returns as director, but this time around, Momoa has more of a creative impact on the story than he did with the first film; he even pitched an idea to the studio when Aquaman came out in 2018.
A significant part of the first film involved introducing audiences to the world of Atlantis and its underwater empire, but there's more than one kingdom, and the sequel will explore the Lost Kingdom as well as the full Seven Kingdoms of Atlantis a bit more. As for the villain, it's unclear who will challenge Arthur Curry this time, but with Black Manta still lingering around, audiences should see more of his vendetta against Aquaman in the sequel.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods - June 2, 2023
Shazam 2 quickly entered development after the first Shazam movie released. Now officially titled Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the sequel sees the return of Asher Angel and Zachary Levi as Billy Batson and the superhero Shazam, respectively, with David F. Sandberg also returning to direct. The original young and adult cast are returning, with the exception of Michelle Borth, seeing as Grace Fulton is playing both Mary Bromfield and her superhero alter ego, Mary Marvel. They're joined by Rachel Zegler, Lucy Liu, and Helen Mirren. While plot details haven't yet been revealed, all signs point to the god Atlas being involved in some form - or, at least Atlas' daughters. Filming has already begun on Shazam! Fury of the Gods, with a release date set for June 2, 2023, thereby allowing the crew a long post-production.
Batgirl - 2022/2023
One of the first new DC movies to release exclusively on HBO Max will be Batgirl. Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are directing the film with a screenplay from Christina Hodson, who worked on the stories for Birds of Prey and The Flash. And following an intense casting process, In the Heights' Leslie Grace has been officially cast as Barbara Gordon. Story details are currently under wraps, but Batgirl is expected to release in 2022 or 2023. This film will mark the return of Batgirl on the big screen since Alicia Silverstone previously portrayed the character in Batman & Robin in 1997.
Blue Beetle - 2022/2023
Another HBO Max-exclusive film to release alongside Batgirl in either 2022 or 2023 is Blue Beetle, which will be based on the Jaime Reyes incarnation of the character - the third and current version of the hero. His powers come from an alien scarab that's attached to his spine. He's often depicted alongside the Teen Titans and Young Justice, as well as his friend Booster Gold. It's unclear if other superheroes will appear in his movie, but that information could come out sooner rather than later. Blue Beetle begins filming in late 2021 with Xolo Mariduena in the title role and Angel Manuel Soto directing, based on a script from Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer.
Supergirl - 2022/2023
A Supergirl movie has been in development for several years, but now that Warner Bros has found the right actress to portray the character in the DCEU - Sasha Calle - there's hope that the film will move forward rather quickly. At an investor's meeting in 2021, it was revealed that DC Films plans to release a Supergirl movie sometime in either 2022 or 2023.
Green Lantern Corps - 2022/2023
Green Lantern Corps was among the first batch of DCEU movies announced by Warner Bros in 2014, but it's one of a handful that haven't yet released, alongside Cyborg and Justice League 2. The studio has ordered multiple scripts from various writers over the years, with the latest reportedly coming from Geoff Johns in 2019. However, the only notable development on the project is that it's part of WB's 2022-2023 slate. Furthermore, the character John Stewart was removed from Zack Snyder's Justice League because WB has plans for him elsewhere, thus providing hints for Green Lantern Corps' story. Currently, there's no indication that the film will be in the same continuity as HBO Max's Green Lantern TV series.
Zatanna - 2022/2023
So far, the DCEU has explored gods, aliens, and practically everything in between, except for magic in a major way. That will change with Zatanna, a movie based on the character of the same name whose power is accessed by reciting enchantments backwards. A Zatanna movie has been in the works for quite some time, but development is starting to ramp up. It was confirmed in early 2021 that DC Films plans to release Zatanna as part of their 2022-2023 slate. Emerald Fennell is writing the script, though a director isn't yet attached. Considering Fennell recently won an Academy Award for her Promising Young Woman screenplay and was nominated for Best Director, she could be the best choice to helm this DC film.
Static Shock - 2022/2023
A Static Shock movie was announced at DC FanDome 2020, with Michael B. Jordan and Reginald Hudlin producing the movie. Randy McKinnon is currently writing the script, though it's unclear if this will be an HBO Max movie or not. DC Films head Walter Hamada suggested it could release directly onto the streaming service, but there's been no confirmation yet. It's one of the handful of movies slated for 2022-2023.
Wonder Woman 3
Wonder Woman 3 was announced shortly after Wonder Woman 1984 released in 2020. Patty Jenkins will return to write and direct the sequel, with Gal Gadot reprising her role as Diana Prince. It's expected that Wonder Woman 3 will be set in the modern day rather than the past, but specific story details haven't been revealed yet. Jenkins is working on Rogue Squadron next for Lucasfilm, which is set to release in December 2023, so Wonder Woman 3 won't come out until 2024 at the earliest.
The Amazons
A Wonder Woman spinoff focused on the Amazons and the island of Themyscira is in development with a story from Patty Jenkins and Geoff Johns. The film is tentatively titled The Amazons and Jenkins is attached as a producer, though she won't direct it. No official movement has been made on the spinoff since Wonder Woman 1984's release.
Blackhawk
Steven Spielberg has been wanting to make a Blackhawk movie for years - a story about the pilot Blackhawk and his Blackhawk squadron during World War II - but is only now getting his chance. Spielberg signed up to direct the film in 2018, with the script being written by his longtime collaborator David Koepp. The plan was for production to begin after Spielberg completed West Side Story, but he instead took on The Fabelmans film. At the moment, Blackhawk is still in development at Warner Bros.
Hourman
An Hourman movie is in development from writers Gavin James and Neil Widener along with Chernin Entertainment, a studio known for producing the Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy. It's unclear which version of the character will appear in the movie. Warner Bros has tried to adapt Hourman for years, including one version with Rex Tyler, but now it's finally getting underway.
Joker 2
Todd Phillips is writing a sequel to Joker, with Joaquin Phoenix expected to reprise his role as the Clown Prince of Crime. Joker was originally intended to be a one-off film, but its overwhelming commercial success as well as wins at several awards shows, including a Best Actor Oscar for Phoenix, all but ensured its continuation. Joker 2 is still early in development but is being worked on.
Superman reboot
Rather than make Man of Steel 2, Warner Bros is instead exploring other options with Superman, including a reboot with J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot producing. The untitled Superman movie is being written by Ta-Nehisi Coates and will feature a Black actor in the role as Superman, though not necessarily as Clark Kent. The film is a reboot that aims to tackle the Superman mythos in new ways. Notably, this Superman film is separate from Michael B. Jordan's Val-Zod project for HBO Max, which is currently set as a TV series.
Justice League Dark
Bad Robot's plans with Warner Bros includes building a Justice League Dark universe comprised of movies and TV shows. A specific film hasn't been confirmed yet, though it's possible the Zatanna movie could connect to this universe. Right now, the first project from this initiative is a Justice League Dark TV series for HBO Max that J.J. Abrams is producing with Ben Stephenson.
