DC Extended Universe

The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero filmsbased on characters that appear in American comic books by DC Comics, produced by DC Films and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The franchise also includes comic books, short films, novels, and video games. The DCEU, much like the original DC Universe in comic books, was established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters.

Warner Bros. had plans to bring various DC Comics superheroes together in films since 2002, when Wolfgang Petersen was set to direct a crossover of the Batman and Superman film franchises. After a planned Justice League film was put on hold and the success of The Dark Knight in 2008, Warner Bros. decided to focus on individual franchises but began to start building a shared universe to compete with Marvel Studios’ Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2011. The DCEU was originally planned to center around five films directed by Zack Snyder, but by 2018, DC Films downplayed the shared nature of the universe in order to allow greater autonomy for the individual filmmakers. In 2021, WarnerMedia reversed course and announced that future films would once again be interconnected.

The first DCEU film is Man of Steel (2013), a reboot of the Superman film series. Man of Steel was followed by Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Suicide Squad (2016), Wonder Woman (2017), Justice League (2017), Aquaman (2018), Shazam! (2019), Birds of Prey (2020), and Wonder Woman 1984 (2020). The franchise will continue with The Suicide Squad in 2021, Black Adam, The Flash and Aquaman 2 in 2022, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods in 2023, with other films in varying stages of development. Additionally, the DCEU expanded to the streaming service HBO Max with Zack Snyder’s Justice League, a director’s cut of Justice League, in 2021, and will continue with the series Peacemaker in 2022, with Justice League Dark and Constantine in development.

The DCEU is the eleventh-highest-grossing film franchise of all time, having grossed over $5.6 billion at the global box office. Its highest-grossing film, Aquaman, earned over $1.15 billion worldwide and became the highest-grossing DC Comics-based film to date. The DCEU has received a generally mixed critical response.

Etymology

Upon announcement of the film series, the universe was commonly called the “DC Cinematic Universe” by fans and the media, in keeping with the naming convention of the already established Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Keith Staskiewicz, writing for Entertainment Weekly, jokingly coined the term “DC Extended Universe™” in an article about Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice on July 1, 2015. This term and the abbreviation DCEU quickly spread among the press and fans thinking of it as the official name of the franchise over the following years. According to Vulture writer Abraham Riesman, DC confirmed to him in September 2017 that the term was not used internally and they did not consider it official. In 2016, as part of DC Films Presents: Dawn of the Justice League, both Geoff Johns and Kevin Smith referred to the franchise’s name as being the “Justice League Universe”. During the DC Films panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2018, a video banner displayed the words “Welcome to the Worlds of DC”, after showcasing some upcoming films. As a result, some media outlets interpreted this as DC officially naming their shared film universe as the “Worlds of DC”. However, in March 2020, Jim Leecalled the franchise, the DC Extended Universe at C2E2. The franchise was officially titled DC Extended Universe when the WarnerMedia streaming service HBO Max launched the following May.

Development

In 2002, Wolfgang Petersen was set to direct a Batman vs. Superman film from a script by Akiva Goldsman. Warner Bros. canceled development to focus on individual Superman and Batman projects after J. J. Abrams submitted another draft for Superman: Flyby. In February 2007, Warner Bros. hired husband and wife duo Michele and Kieran Mulroneyto write a script for a Justice League film. Christian Bale, who starred as Batman in Batman Begins (2005), was not approached to reprise the role, nor was Brandon Routh, who starred as Superman in Superman Returns (2006). George Miller was hired to direct the film, reportedly titled Justice League Mortal, with Armie Hammer cast as Batman, D. J. Cotrona as Superman, Adam Brody as Flash, Santiago Cabrera as Aquaman, Common as Green Lantern, Megan Gale as Wonder Woman, Hugh Keays-Byrne as Martian Manhunter and Jay Baruchel as Maxwell Lord. The project was put on indefinite hold in January 2008, after failing to secure tax breaks for filming in Australia, as well as the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike preventing progress on the script.

In 2013, a reboot of the Superman franchise, Man of Steel, was set to lay the groundwork for future DC films. The film contained references to other characters in the DC Universe, so if it were a success, it could launch a shared universe. Days before Man of Steel‘s release in June, it was reported that director Zack Snyder and screenwriter David S. Goyer would be returning for a sequel, which was being fast-tracked by Warner Bros. In July, at San Diego Comic-Con, it was revealed that the sequel would include Batman in a main role, establishing the shared universe. In October 2014, Warner Bros. announced a slate of ten DC films.

While the rival Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) includes television productions, DC’s crossover series is a shared continuity for films. Several television series featuring DC characters and storylines have their own shared continuity, known as the Arrowverse. DC’s chief creative officer Geoff Johns explained DC’s difference in approach to Marvel Studios and their cinematic universe, saying, “We look at it as the multiverse. We have our TV universe and our film universe, but they all co-exist. For us, creatively, it’s about allowing everyone to make the best possible product, to tell the best story, to do the best world. Everyone has a vision and you really want to let the visions shine through … It’s just a different approach.” In June 2015, Warner Bros. president of creative development Greg Silverman expanded on DC’s approach to their cinematic universe, saying, “We … take these beloved characters and put them in the hands of master filmmakers and make sure they all coordinate with each other. You’ll see the difference when you see … the things that we are working on.”

In May 2016, following criticism of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Warner Bros. established a DC Films division with Geoff Johns and Warner Bros. executive vice president Jon Berg as its heads, which oversees production to form a cohesive creative direction for the franchise. DC Films would not be fully autonomous, as Johns reported to DC president Diane Nelson and Berg reported to Silverman. Charles Roven was also moved from his day-by-day producer role on future DC films, which he had served since 2005’s Batman Begins, to an administrative executive producer role. In December, Silverman was ousted from his role in Warner Bros., and Toby Emmerich was promoted to president and chief content officer, in his place. By January 2017, Johns and Berg reported to Emmerich. Following the financial and critical success of Wonder Woman in June 2017, Johns stated that moving forward the films will focus on the heart, humor, hope, heroics, and optimism of the characters. As a result of Justice League‘s underperformance at the box office, Berg was fired in January 2018 and became a production partner with Roy Lee. DC also sought to deemphasize the shared nature of their films, with Diane Nelson stating, “Our intention, certainly, moving forward is using the continuity to help make sure nothing is diverging in a way that doesn’t make sense, but there’s no insistence upon an overall storyline or interconnectivity in that universe… Moving forward, you’ll see the DC movie universe being a universe, but one that comes from the heart of the filmmaker who’s creating them.”

In January 2018, Walter Hamada was appointed the President of DC Films and co-runner of the DCEU, replacing Berg. The following month, Chantal Nong was named Vice President of DC Films. The pair were hired to oversee the franchise with Johns, as the key production team managers. However, Johns was fired from his executive roles at DC in June 2018. He created a production company, Mad Ghost Productions, to have a greater hands-on role in various DC media as a writer and producer. After the financial success of Aquaman, Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara said the upcoming slate of DC films would be focused on individual character stories instead of interconnectivity. In 2021, WarnerMedia reversed course and announced that future films would once again be interconnected.

Films

Film		U.S. release date	Director	Screenwriter(s)	Story by	Producers
Man of Steel		June 14, 2013	Zack Snyder	David S. Goyer	David S. Goyer & Christopher Nolan	Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas and Deborah Snyder
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice		March 25, 2016		Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer		Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder
Suicide Squad		August 5, 2016	David Ayer			Charles Roven and Richard Suckle
Wonder Woman		June 2, 2017	Patty Jenkins	Allan Heinberg	Zack Snyder & Allan Heinberg and Jason Fuchs	Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder and Richard Suckle
Justice League		November 17, 2017	Zack Snyder	Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon	Chris Terrio & Zack Snyder	Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Jon Berg and Geoff Johns
Aquaman		December 21, 2018	James Wan	David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall	Geoff Johns & James Wan and Will Beall	Peter Safran and Rob Cowan
Shazam!		April 5, 2019	David F. Sandberg	Henry Gayden	Henry Gayden and Darren Lemke	Peter Safran
Birds of Prey		February 7, 2020	Cathy Yan	Christina Hodson		Margot Robbie, Bryan Unkeless and Sue Kroll
Wonder Woman 1984		December 25, 2020	Patty Jenkins	Patty Jenkins & Geoff Johns and David Callaham	Patty Jenkins & Geoff Johns	Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder, Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot and Stephen Jones
Zack Snyder’s Justice League		March 18, 2021	Zack Snyder	Chris Terrio	Chris Terrio & Zack Snyder and Will Beall	Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder

Man of Steel (2013)

Kal-El / Clark Kent, who arrived on Earth years ago as an infant from Krypton, struggles with why he was sent to Earth. Raised by his adoptive parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent, Clark adopts the persona “Superman”, and learns if his abilities are meant to maintain peace or conquer the world.

During story discussions for The Dark Knight Rises, David S. Goyer told Christopher Nolan his idea regarding how to present Superman in a modern context. Impressed with Goyer’s concept, Nolan pitched the idea to the studio, who hired Nolan to produce and Goyer to write based on the financial and critical success of The Dark Knight. Zack Snyder was hired in October 2010 to direct the film. In January 2011, Henry Cavill was cast as Clark Kent / Superman. Other cast members included Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Michael Shannon as the villain General Zod, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent, Russell Crowe as Jor-El, and Laurence Fishburne as Perry White. Principal photography began on August 1, 2011. Man of Steel released in North America on June 14, 2013.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Gotham City-based vigilante Batman travels to Metropolis to preemptively combat Superman, fearing what would happen if the latter is kept unchecked, while another threat endangers humankind.

In June 2013, it was reported that Snyder and Goyer would be returning for a sequel to Man of Steel, which was being fast-tracked by Warner Bros.Nolan was involved in an advisory role as executive producer. In July, at the San Diego Comic-Con, Warner Bros. announced that Superman and Batman would meet for the first time in a cinematic format in the film, which would be the follow-up to Man of Steel and a reboot of the Batman film series. According to Snyder, the film took inspiration from the comic The Dark Knight Returns. Cavill, Adams, Lane, and Fishburne reprised their roles. In August, Ben Affleck was cast as Bruce Wayne / Batman. In December, Gal Gadot was cast as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman, marking the character’s first appearance in a live-action theatrical film. Later in the month, Chris Terrio was hired to rewrite Goyer’s script. In January 2014, the film was delayed from its July 17, 2015, release date to May 6, 2016, to give the filmmakers “time to realize fully their vision, given the complex visual nature of the story”. Later that month, Jesse Eisenberg and Jeremy Irons joined the cast as Lex Luthor and Alfred Pennyworth, respectively. In May 2014, the film’s title was revealed to be Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Initial filming occurred on October 19, 2013, at East Los Angeles College, before full principal photography began on May 21, 2014, in Detroit. Production also took place in Illinois, New Mexico, Africa and the South Pacific. After another date change, the film was released in North America on March 25, 2016.

The film is set 18 months after the events of Man of Steel. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice introduced Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash, Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry / Aquaman, Ray Fisher as Victor Stone / Cyborg, and Joe Morton as Dr. Silas Stone. The film also introduced Steppenwolf, who served as the main antagonist in Justice League, through a brief scene. The scene was not included in the film’s theatrical release, but instead was revealed online by Warner Bros. on March 28, before being included in the Ultimate Edition home video release.

Suicide Squad (2016)

After the death of Superman, a secret government agency recruits imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions and rescue the world from a powerful threat, in exchange for clemency.

In February 2009, prior to the development of the DCEU, Warner Bros. was developing a Suicide Squad film, with Dan Lin producing and Justin Marks writing the script. In October 2014, Suicide Squad was announced by Warner Bros., with David Ayer confirmed as director. In December, it was revealed that Ayer would also be writing the screenplay. The main cast included Will Smith as Deadshot, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Jared Letoas the Joker, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, Jay Hernandez as El Diablo, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Killer Croc, Karen Fukuhara as Katana, Cara Delevingne as Enchantress, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, and Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag. Tom Hardy was originally cast as Rick Flag, but dropped out due to scheduling issues with his film The Revenant. Principal photography commenced April 13, 2015, and took place in and around Toronto. Filming concluded August 28, 2015. Suicide Squad underwent reshoots to give the film a more lighthearted and comedic element akin to the trailers for the film, especially following the box office and critical failure of the more serious Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Suicide Squadwas released in North America on August 5, 2016.

The film is set after the events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Affleck as Bruce Wayne / Batman and Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash made appearances in the film. In a mid-credits scene, Waller meets Wayne in a restaurant and hands him a dossier containing information on future members of the Justice League.

Wonder Woman (2017)

Diana of Themyscira, an Amazon warrior who also is the demigoddess daughter of the god Zeus, uses her talents and abilities in order to help humanity during World War I.

Israeli actress and model Gal Gadot was cast as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in December 2013 and signed a three-picture deal which included a solo film. In October 2014, Wonder Woman was announced by Warner Bros. In November, Michelle MacLaren was confirmed to direct the film from a screenplay by Jason Fuchs. In April 2015, MacLaren left the project due to creative differences. Later that month, Patty Jenkins was announced as the new director of the film. In July, Chris Pine was cast as Steve Trevor. Other cast members include Connie Nielsen as Queen Hippolyta, Robin Wright as General Antiope, Danny Huston as Erich Ludendorff, Elena Anaya as Doctor Poison, and David Thewlis as Ares.Filming began in November 2015, and was shot in the United Kingdom, France and Italy. Wonder Woman was released in North America on June 2, 2017.

Justice League (2017)

Motivated by Superman’s death at the hands of Doomsday, Batman and Wonder Woman assemble a team of metahumans to stop the threat of Steppenwolf, who is in search of three Mother Boxes scattered across Earth.

In June 2013, it was reported that Goyer would be writing Justice League as part of a three-film deal he signed for Man of Steel. In April 2014, it was announced that Snyder would return as director. The film was announced in October as Justice League Part One. In March 2016, it was confirmed that Chris Terrio had written the script, who said that the film would not be as tonally dark as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. In June, Geoff Johns announced that the title had been changed to simply Justice League. Affleck, Cavill, Gadot, Momoa, Miller, Fisher, Irons, Lane, Adams, Eisenberg, Nielsen, Wright, and Morton reprised their respective roles from previous films. Ciarán Hindsprovides the voice and performance capture for Steppenwolf. Beginning on April 11, 2016, filming took place at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden, in England, as well as locations around London and in Iceland. Filming concluded in October 2016. In May 2017, Snyder stepped down from his duties on the film due to his daughter’s death; Joss Whedonfilled his position on post-production, with additional scenes being written and directed by him. Though Whedon was not officially credited for his role as post-production director, he completed enough additional work for a screenwriting credit on the film. Justice League was released worldwide on November 17, 2017.

Justice League introduced various characters, including J. K. Simmons as James Gordon, Amber Heard as Mera, and Billy Crudup as Henry Allen. Additionally, Joe Manganiello as Slade Wilson / Deathstroke was also introduced in a post-credits scene, teasing an alliance between him, Lex Luthor, and possibly the Legion of Doom. Kiersey Clemons as Iris West and Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko were to be introduced but their scenes were ultimately cut from the film.

Aquaman (2018)

Arthur Curry, a half-Atlantean assistant lighthouse keeper, sets out to lead the underwater kingdom of Atlantis against his half-brother, King Orm, who seeks to unite the seven underwater kingdoms against the surface world.

In June 2014, Jason Momoa was cast as Arthur Curry / Aquaman. By August, Will Beall and Kurt Johnstad were writing competing scripts for the character’s solo film. Aquaman was announced in October. In June 2015, James Wan was hired as director, as well as to oversee the screenplay by Johnstad. In November 2015, David Leslie Johnson was hired to write a new script. In July 2016, Beall returned to write the script, based on a story treatment by Wan and Geoff Johns. Johnson worked on a rewrite of Beall’s script with Wan and producer Peter Safran. In December 2016, Patrick Wilson was cast as Orm / Ocean Master, the half-brother of Aquaman and the main antagonist of the film. In January 2017, Yahya Abdul-Mateen IIwas cast in the role of villain Black Manta. Heard reprised her role as Mera from Justice League. Other cast members include Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko, Temuera Morrison as Aquaman’s father Tom Curry, Nicole Kidman as Aquaman’s mother Queen Atlanna, and Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus. Principal photography began on May 2, 2017, in Queensland, Australia, and wrapped on October 21, 2017. Aquaman was released in North America on December 21, 2018.

The film is set after the events of Justice League.

Shazam! (2019)

By speaking “Shazam”, Billy Batson, a 14-year-old foster child, can turn into an adult superhero, courtesy of an ancient wizard. He attempts to master his powers and defeat the evil forces controlled by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.

In August 2014, Dwayne Johnson announced his attachment to a project about the superhero Shazam, formerly known as Captain Marvel. In September, Johnson was revealed to be portraying the antihero Black Adam, Shazam’s nemesis in the film, with Darren Lemke set to write the script. In October, Warner Bros. announced Shazam as a film in its upcoming slate. By January 2017, Henry Gayden was working on the script. In July, it was confirmed that David F. Sandberg would direct Shazam!, and that Johnson would no longer appear, instead starring in a Black Adam solo film. Pre-production began in August. By October, Zachary Levi was cast as Shazam, and in November, Asher Angel was cast as Shazam’s child-age alter ego, Billy Batson. The film’s primary villain is Doctor Sivana, with Mark Strong in the role. Other cast members include Jack Dylan Grazer, Grace Fulton, Jovan Armand, Ian Chen, and Faithe Herman as Batson’s foster siblings, Cooper Andrews and Marta Milans as Batson’s foster parents, and Djimon Hounsou as the wizard Shazam, who gives Batson his powers. The film began principal photography in Toronto on January 29, 2018, and wrapped on May 11, 2018, with most of the filming taking place at Pinewood Toronto Studios, among other locations around the city. Shazam! was released in North America on April 5, 2019.

The film is set after the events of Justice League. The villain Mister Mind is introduced in a mid-credits scene.

Birds of Prey (2020)

Since the events of Suicide Squad, Harley Quinn has left the Joker. When Cassandra Cain, a young girl, comes across a diamond belonging to crime lord Black Mask, Harley joins forces with Black Canary, Huntress, and Renee Montoya to help protect her.

By November 2016, Birds of Prey, based on the female superhero team of the same name, was in development with Christina Hodson signed on as screenwriter. By April 2018, Warner Bros. selected Cathy Yan as director, with Margot Robbie, Sue Kroll, and Bryan Unkless serving as producers. Robbie reprised her role as Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad. The film is the first theatrical R-rated installment in the franchise and has a smaller budget than most of the other films. In addition to Robbie’s starring role, the team roster also includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, and Ella Jay Basco as Huntress, Black Canary, Renee Montoya, and Cassandra Cain, respectively. Black Mask serves as the film’s primary antagonist with Ewan McGregor portraying the character, and Chris Messina portraying Victor Zsasz.The film began pre-production in late July 2018. Principal photography commenced on January 15, 2019, in Los Angeles, and lasted until April 15, 2019. In November 2018, Robbie revealed the full title of the film as Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). Birds of Prey held its world premiere in London on January 29, 2020, and was released on February 7, 2020. A week into its release, the title of the film was changed to Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey to give “moviegoers a better understanding of what Birds of Prey is about.”

The film is set after the events of Suicide Squad.

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Diana Prince comes into conflict with the Soviet Union during the Cold War in the 1980s and finds two formidable foes in the form of the Cheetah and Maxwell Lord.

By June 2017, Geoff Johns and Patty Jenkins had begun work on the story treatment for a Wonder Woman sequel. By July, Johns was working on the script. That same month, the sequel was officially announced at San Diego Comic-Con. Gadot reprised her role as Wonder Woman. By September, Jenkins signed a deal to return as director, and brought on David Callaham to pen the script with her and Johns. The film takes place in the 1980s during the Cold War. Jenkins said the film, like its predecessor, would be a love story, but with a new love interest. Pre-production had begun by early December 2017. In March 2018, Kristen Wiig was cast to portray the film’s primary antagonist, Barbara Ann Minerva / Cheetah, and Pedro Pascal was cast as Maxwell Lord. Production began on June 13, 2018, around the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. Other filming locations include the Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in the United Kingdom and the islands of Tenerife and Fuerteventura in Spain. Wonder Woman 1984 was released on December 25, 2020, after its release was delayed twice from an original June 5, 2020 date due to the COVID-19 pandemic and it premiered on HBO Max and theaters simultaneously.

The Dreamstone—a gem associated with the characters Doctor Destiny and Dream of the Endless in the comics—plays a significant role in the film.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)

The divisive reaction towards the final highlighted cut of Justice League, with Zack Snyder leaving directorial duties and the final cut of the film in the hands of Joss Whedon, has led to an argument comparing the situation to the one Richard Donner experienced with the film Superman II. Both Justice League and Superman II feature a director that was replaced, for different reasons, before completion of a film, which led to a second director coming in and making substantial changes to the tone of each film. Although the reasoning behind each director’s departure differs, Richard Donner was able to complete his Superman II cut (Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut) in 2006. In the belief that Snyder had shot enough material for a finished film, a campaign for a “Snyder Cut” was started to allow Snyder to receive a similar treatment to Donner. Arguments are made that Snyder’s vision would be more cohesive to the previous films than the actual theatrical cut, which Snyder has refused to see. Warner Bros. initially remained silent regarding any intention of making a “Snyder Cut”.

In March 2019, Snyder confirmed his original cut does exist, and stated that it is up to Warner Bros. to release it. Despite this, in November, Variety reported that Warner Bros. was unlikely to release Snyder’s version of Justice League in theaters or on HBO Max, calling it a “pipe dream”. In December, however, Snyder posted a photo in his Veroaccount, which showed boxes with tapes labeled “Z.S. J.L Director’s cut”, and with the caption “Is it real? Does it exist? Of course it does.” On May 20, 2020, Snyder officially announced that HBO Max will be releasing his cut of Justice League on their service on March 18, 2021. The cut will reportedly cost $70+ million to complete the special effects, musical score, and editing, and will be presented in aspect ratios of 1.33:1 on streaming & 1.43:1 for a limited IMAX theatrical release. Snyder stated this version is intended to not affect the future of the DCEU continuity, but that it takes place in a slightly alternate universe. Despite previous reports describing it as a mini-series, Snyder described his cut as being a four-hour movie to be viewed in “one shot.” Affleck, Miller, Fisher, Heard, and Manganiello returned to their respective roles for additional photography, in order to finish the project. In January 2021, Snyder officially confirmed on his Vero account that work on the cut had been completed. Actors from the DCEU who did not appear in the theatrical cut will appear in this version, such as Harry Lennix as Calvin Swanwick (revealed to be Martian Manhunter in disguise), Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko, and Jared Leto as the Joker. Characters who were intended to debut in Snyder’s original version of the film before their scenes were cut will also appear, such as Darkseid (portrayed by Ray Porter), DeSaad (portrayed Peter Guinness), Iris West (portrayed by Kiersey Clemons), Ryan Choi (portrayed by Zheng Kai), several Green Lanterns, as well as Granny Goodness. Sam Benjamin was part of an estimated 20–30 minutes military subplot that was cut from the 2017 theatrical release.

Future films

Film	U.S. release date	Director	Screenwriter(s)	Story by	Producer(s)	Status
The Suicide Squad	August 6, 2021	James Gunn			Charles Roven and Peter Safran	Awaiting release
Black Adam	July 29, 2022	Jaume Collet-Serra	Adam Sztykiel and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani	Adam Sztykiel	Dwayne Johnson, Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia, Beau Flynn and Scott Sheldon	Pre-production
The Flash	November 4, 2022	Andy Muschietti	Christina Hodson		Michael Disco and Barbara Muschietti
Aquaman 2	December 16, 2022	James Wan	David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick	David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick & Jason Momoa	James Wan and Peter Safran
Shazam! Fury of the Gods	June 2, 2023	David F. Sandberg	Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan		Peter Safran and Geoff Johns

The Suicide Squad (2021)

Waller sends a new Task Force X, consisting of both old and new members, on a mission to destroy a Nazi-era laboratory containing experiments.

In March 2016, a Suicide Squad sequel was announced to be in development, with Ayer returning as director. Adam Cozad was hired to write the script by March 2017. By July 2017, a new story treatment was written by Zak Penn. In September 2017, Gavin O’Connor was hired as director after Ayer dropped out, as well as co-screenwriter with David Bar Katz and Todd Stashwick. The final draft of the script was completed by September 2018. The next month, O’Connor left the project as Warner Bros. believed the script was too similar to Birds of Prey. Mel Gibson was briefly considered for a replacement, but he never officially signed on as director. In January 2019, the film was re-titled The Suicide Squad, with James Gunn directing, from a new script he wrote. Gunn chose the project over various other films Warner Bros. had in development, including a Supermanfilm. In March, Idris Elba joined the cast. He was initially hired to replace Smith as Deadshot, who dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, but it was later decided that Elba would play a new character so Smith could return in the future. Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, and Viola Davis will reprise their roles from the first film, while David Dastmalchian, Steve Agee, Michael Rooker, Peter Capaldi, Taika Waititi, Alice Braga, Sean Gunn, Juan Diego Botto, Storm Reid, Pete Davidson, Nathan Fillion, Flula Borg, John Cena, and Joaquín Cosío, among others, will join the cast. Production began on September 20, 2019, at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Atlanta, with additional filming following in Panama,for a scheduled release date of August 6, 2021.

Black Adam (2022)

In September 2014, after being considered to play Shazam and Lobo, Dwayne Johnson was cast as Black Adam. The character was intended to be introduced in Shazam!, but by January 2017 the film’s production studios had chosen to divide the narrative to focus on Black Adam’s origin.Johnson, who is also attached as producer, has stated the two characters will cross paths in a future film. Other DC characters, including the Justice Society of America, will factor into the plot of Black Adam. In October 2017, Adam Sztykiel was hired to write the script. Co-producer Hiram Garcia stated the film will be gritty and violent, similar to the comics. In June 2019, Jaume Collet-Serra was announced as director for the film, with Beau Flynn, Johnson, Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia, and Scott Sheldon attached as producers. The Justice Society of America will appear in the film, with Noah Centineo, Aldis Hodge, Quintessa Swindell and Pierce Brosnan cast as Atom Smasher, Hawkman, Cyclone and Doctor Fate, respectively. By that September, Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani had written a new draft of the script. In February 2021, Marwan Kenzari was cast in an undisclosed role. Filming is expected to begin in April 2021, for a scheduled release date of July 29, 2022.

The Flash (2022)

Barry Allen attempts to go back in time to prevent his mother’s murder which brings unintentional consequences to his timeline.

By July 2013, Greg Berlanti was developing a film that centered around Barry Allen / The Flash. In October 2014, The Flash was announced with a scheduled 2018 release date. The initial script was drafted by Berlanti, Geoff Johns, Chris Brancato, Michael Green and Marc Guggenheim. By April 2015, a story treatment was being written by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Over the next two years, Seth Grahame-Smith and Rick Famuyiwa had individually dropped out as director due to creative differences with the studio. In January 2017, Joby Harold was hired to do a page-one rewrite of the script, which previously had drafts written by Grahame-Smith and Famuyiwa. In July 2017, the title for the film was changed to Flashpoint, based on the comic book storyline, of the same name. Dan Mazeau was brought on as co-writer. In March 2018, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldsteinwere hired to co-direct. The tone of the film is expected to be similar to Back to the Future. Ezra Miller revealed that the plot will involve the Speed Force multiverse. In March 2019, following creative differences with the co-directors’ work on the script, Miller was hired to co-write a new draft in collaboration with Grant Morrison. By July 2019, Daley and Goldstein had left the project, while Andy Muschietti and Christina Hodson were hired to replace them as director and screenwriter, respectively. Barbara Muschietti and Michael Disco will serve as producers. In January 2020, Muschietti reaffirmed the film will include elements from the Flashpoint comic book arc. In June 2020, it was reported that Michael Keaton had entered early negotiations to portray an alternate-universe version of Bruce Wayne / Batman. In August, Keaton officially signed on, with Ben Affleck also announced to reprise his role as the DCEU version of the character. In September 2020, producer Barbara Muschietti revealed the film would include multiple superheroes and “reset” the DCEU. In October 2020, Billy Crudup officially entered negotiations to rejoin the project as Henry Allen, due to him leaving following several shifts in writers and directors. In February 2021, Sasha Calle had been cast as Supergirl. In March 2021, Kiersey Clemons was confirmed to be reprising her role as Iris West in the film. Later that month, Maribel Verdú and Ron Livingston had been cast to portray Nora Allen and Henry Allen, respectively; the latter after Crudup had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. Principal photography is scheduled to begin on April 26, 2021 at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in Hertfordshire, England, with additional production taking place in London, for a scheduled release date of November 4, 2022. Ray Fisher was due to perform 2 weeks of filming for the film before his removal 

Aquaman 2 (2022)

In October 2018, James Wan stated that Aquaman intentionally left room for a followup. By December, high pre-release ticket sales and positive reception for Aquaman had convinced Warner Bros. to begin developing a sequel. In January 2019, Warner Bros. confirmed development, with intentions for Wan to return as director. The following month, David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, co-writer of the first film, signed on as screenwriter. In March, Safran said the film will explore the other Seven Kingdoms of Atlantis. Jason Momoa will have a larger creative role in the sequel, having written the story while on-set the first film, and pitched the “mapped out” story to Warner Bros., who were receptive. Patrick Wilson and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will reprise their roles as Orm Marius / Ocean Master and David Kane / Black Manta, respectively.Production is expected to begin in mid-2021, for a scheduled released date of December 16, 2022.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)

A sequel to Shazam! entered development in April 2019, with Henry Gayden returning as screenwriter. Director David F. Sandberg and producer Peter Safran are also expected to return. Zachary Levi will reprise his role as the titular superhero, with Michelle Borth reprising her role as Mary Marvel, as a part of her five-picture contract. At DC FanDome, the film’s title was announced. In February 2021, Rachel Zegler was cast in an undisclosed key role. In March 2021, Helen Mirren joined the cast playing the villain Hespera. Filming is expected to begin in May 2021, for a scheduled release date of June 2, 2023.

Other films in development

Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Films have a variety of DC films in varying stages of development:

• The Amazons : In December 2019, Patty Jenkins announced a Wonder Woman spin-off film, focusing on the Amazon race of Themyscira. Jenkins is attached as executive producer, with the story for the project planned, though she is not sure when production will begin. Jenkins later stated that she and Geoff Johns had written the story, with a story arc that follows the first two Wonder Woman films, and will be followed by the third movie. She further stated she will not direct the film, though she will serve as producer.
• Batgirl : In March 2017, Joss Whedon was hired to write, direct and produce a film centered around Batgirl. Whedon was to begin production on the film in 2018, but stepped down in February. In April, after impressing Warner Bros. with her work on Birds of Prey, Christina Hodson was hired as screenwriter for Batgirl. By November 2019, Hodson was expected to write the script once she has completed work on The Flash. Warner Bros. is looking for a female director to replace Whedon. In December 2020, Walter Hamada described the film as a project that could be developed for HBO Max, as an exclusive film. The film is scheduled for Warner Bros. Pictures 2022-2023 release slate.
• Blackhawk : In the early 1980s, Steven Spielberg announced that he had plans to direct a film adaptation of the Blackhawk comic book series. Dan Aykroyd was attached to play Blackhawk. However, the project was canceled and Spielberg chose to direct Raiders of the Lost Ark instead. In April 2018, Blackhawk had been revived, and that Spielberg would return to direct and produce the film for Warner Bros., with the screenplay being written by David Koepp. Spielberg will co-produce the film with Kristie Macosko Kriegerand Sue Kroll. Production is expected to begin after Spielberg is finished with West Side Story.
• Blue Beetle : In November 2018, a film centered around the Jaime Reyes incarnation of Blue Beetle was in development, with a script written by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer. Zev Foreman will serve as an executive producer. By February 2021, Angel Manuel Soto signed on as director with principle photography expected to begin in late 2021. The film is scheduled for Warner Bros. Pictures 2022-2023 release slate.
• Booster Gold : In September 2015, a film centered around Booster Gold and Blue Beetle was announced to be in development with producer Greg Berlanti. The film’s tone was described as a buddy cop film with connections to Justice League (2017). By May 2016, Zack Stentz was hired to script the Booster Gold film, and Berlanti expressed interest in directing. In September 2016, Berlanti said that Booster Gold has “no connective tissue” to other films. The script had been completed by March 2018. According to Berlanti, production would begin once Warner Bros. decides where to place it within the slate of films. In May 2019, Stentz reaffirmed that the film would begin production once the film is greenlit by Warner Bros. executives.
• Deadshot : In December 2016, it was announced that a film centered around Floyd Lawton / Deadshot was in development. By September 2018, Will Smith confirmed he would reprise his role from Suicide Squad and that the story is in development. In February 2019, Smith left the role due to scheduling conflicts, and by March Idris Elbawas cast to replace him in The Suicide Squad. By April 2019, the character was written out of the team-up film in order to allow Smith an opportunity to return in a future film.
• Gotham City Sirens : A film based on the Gotham City Sirens, a team consisting of Harley Quinn, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy, was announced to be in development in December 2016. Ayer signed on as director/co-producer from a script by Geneva Robertson-Dworet. Robbie will reprise her role from Suicide Squad and take the role of an executive producer. The film’s development was postponed in favor of Birds of Prey. In August 2017, Leto was confirmed to reprise his role as the Joker. Despite a busy production schedule on other projects, Ayer continued to work on the film, meeting with Gotham City Sirens creator Paul Dini in August 2018. In January 2020, Ayer confirmed that the project was still on hold, and Robbie stated that she chose to film Birds of Prey first to introduce audiences to lesser-known characters. She stated that she is still “pushing” forward with Gotham City Sirens, and hopes to explore Quinn’s relationship with Poison Ivy and Catwoman.
• Green Lantern Corps : A film based on the Green Lantern Corps was announced to be in development in October 2014. In January 2017, David S. Goyer and Justin Rhodes were hired to co-write the screenplay, based on a story by Goyer and Geoff Johns, with Goyer also serving as producer. Warner Bros. described the film as “Lethal Weapon in space”. In January 2018, Goyer reaffirmed that despite the franchise’s leadership shakeup the film was still in active development. By June 2018, Geoff Johns was hired to do a rewrite on the script, in addition to his role as producer. Johns stated that the script draws inspiration from his work on the New 52 Green Lantern comics. Green Lantern Corps was scheduled for release on July 24, 2020, but has been delayed. In July 2019, Christopher McQuarrie said that he had sent a written proposal for the film to Warner Bros. over a year prior, which had ties to the Man of Steel sequel, but he had moved on to other projects due to what he perceived as no movement on further developing the film. By November 2019, Johns was expected to deliver his script to Warner Bros. by the end of the year. During the development of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the Green Lantern character John Stewart was removed from the film due to the studio already having other plans for him. The film is scheduled for Warner Bros. Pictures 2022-2023 release slate.
• Hourman : In March 2021, a film centered around Hourman was announced to be in development with a script co-written by Gavin James and Neil Widener. The project will be a joint-venture production between Chernin Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures, and DC Films.
• Lobo : In September 2009, Warner Bros. announced that a film centered around Lobo was in development. Guy Ritchie and Brad Peyton were attached to direct at different times, while Dwayne Johnson was originally intended to star. After various iterations, in 2016 Jason Fuchs was hired as screenwriter. By February 2018, Warner Bros. was in discussions with Michael Bay to direct. Fuchs began rewriting the script at Bay’s request so the budget could be considerably lowered.
• Nightwing : By February 2017, a film centered around Dick Grayson / Nightwing was in development, with Chris McKay and Bill Dubuque signed on as director and screenwriter, respectively. In February 2018, McKay stated the script was nearing its final draft.
• Plastic Man : By December 2018, a Plastic Man film was in development with Amanda Idoko hired to write the script. The plot is described as a comedy-action adventure. In December 2020, Cat Vasko was hired to do a rewrite of Idoko’s screenplay, with the project reworked to be a female-centered movie.
• Static Shock : In August 2020, it was announced at DC FanDome a live-action film centered around Static is in development. In October 2020, Michael B. Jordan joined the production team as a producer alongside Reginald Hudlin. In December 2020, Walter Hamada described the film as a project that could be developed for HBO Max, as an exclusive film. By March of 2021, Randy McKinnon was hired as screenwriter. The project will be a joint-venture production between Warner Bros. Pictures, Outlier Society, Milestone Media, and DC Films. The film is scheduled for Warner Bros. Pictures 2022-2023 release slate.
• Supergirl : In August 2018, a film centered on Kara Zor-El / Supergirl, was announced to be in development with Oren Uziel penning the script. Warner Bros. is seeking a female director. In February 2021, Sasha Calle had officially been cast in the role, with the character making a first appearance in The Flash (2022). The film is scheduled for Warner Bros. Pictures 2022-2023 release slate.
• Untitled Superman film: By October 2014, a sequel to Man of Steel was in development. In November 2016, Amy Adams stated that work had begun on the screenplay.In September 2017, Matthew Vaughn announced that he was having discussions with the studio to direct the film. In June 2018, Cavill revealed that he was preparing to reprise the role. By March 2019, Vaughn stated that discussions with Warner Bros. had ended, and he was no longer involved with development of the film. In discussing his work on the project he revealed that it was influenced by a previous trilogy pitch from 2008 that he had co-written with Mark Millar, with Vaughn describing the project as “a massive, uplifting, hopeful thing”. In July 2019, Christopher McQuarrie said that he and Cavill had pitched a sequel idea to Warner Bros. over a year prior, with the plot having ties to Green Lantern Corps, but that he had since moved on to other projects due to what he perceived as no movement on the films. Later, Michael B. Jordan had pitched his own take on the character, but was not ready to commit due to an already busy schedule. By November 2019, it was reported that Warner Bros. had entered early negotiations with J. J. Abrams about taking control of the project. In December, Cavill said the future of Superman will be more faithful to the comic book source material.After confirming that though his casting in The Witcher had previously interfered with his availability for the role, he also said that the same would not be the case with the show’s second season. In January 2020, James Gunn said that he chose directing The Suicide Squad over a Superman film, but denied that the film DC offered him was a sequel to Man of Steel. In May 2020, Cavill entered negotiations to reprise the role, although not in a Man of Steel sequel. In February 2021, a new Superman film is said to be in development, with Abrams producing and Ta-Nehisi Coates writing the film. The film was described as a reboot, and The Hollywood Reporter noted in April that it was too early in development to determine whether it would take place within the DCEU, but Coates described the film as his invitation to the DCEU. The film will reportedly center around an African-American incarnation of Superman, although Cavill was not recast.
• Wonder Woman 3 : In January 2019, after principal photography on Wonder Woman 1984 was completed, director and co-writer Patty Jenkins stated that the plot for a third Wonder Woman film had been written. She revealed that the story arc for Wonder Woman had been planned over three films, with the third taking place in the present.Jenkins and Gadot plan to work on other projects before proceeding with the sequel. In December 2020, Jenkins announced that she has stories written for two more Wonder Woman movies completed. Two days after Wonder Woman 1984 was released, a third film was officially greenlit by Warner Bros. Pictures. Jenkins will return as director, with a script she wrote, while Gadot will reprise her role as the titular heroine.
• Zatanna : By November 2018, Warner Bros. was considering developing a film based on Zatanna. In March 2021, an AT&T investor presentation revealed that a Zatannaproject was in development, and Emerald Fennell was hired as screenwriter later that month. The film will be produced by J. J. Abrams through Bad Robot Productions.

Television series

Series	Season		Episodes		Originally released			Showrunner	Status
					First released	Last released	Network
Peacemaker		1	8		January 2022	TBA	HBO Max	James Gunn	Filming

Peacemaker

In September 2020, James Gunn announced that a television series spin-off of The Suicide Squad (2021) centered on Christopher Smith / Peacemaker was in development for HBO Max, with its eight episodes written by Gunn who will direct several of them, and serves as an executive producer alongside Peter Safran. The series will star John Cena, Steve Agee, and Jennifer Holland, who reprise their respective roles as Peacemaker, John Economos, and Emilia Harcourt from the film, alongside Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo, Robert Patrick as Auggie Smith, and Chris Conrad as Adrian Chase / The Vigilante. Filming began in Vancouver, Canada in January 2021, and will conclude in June. Peacemaker will release in January 2022.

Other series in development

• Justice League Dark : In January 2013, Guillermo del Toro began developing a film centered on the Justice League Dark and submitted a script in November 2014, but was no longer attached by June 2015. In August 2016, Doug Liman joined to direct with the title Dark Universe, alongside Scott Rudin producing and Michael Gilio rewriting the script. Liman left in May 2017 due to scheduling conflicts. In mid-2017, it was retitled Justice League Dark with Gerard Johnstone polishing the script. In April 2020, HBO Max and J. J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions announced that the project would be redeveloped as a series for HBO Max, with Abrams serving as an executive producer. According to Variety, Justice League Dark will likely premiere after the individual team members are introduced in their own series, similar to how Marvel Television’s Netflix series individually premiered before crossing over in The Defenders (2017).
• Constantine : In February 2021, a series focusing on John Constantine entered early development at HBO Max. The series, featuring a young Constantine, will be horror-oriented (similar to the comics) and tie in with Justice League Dark. Guy Bolton will write the series, while Abrams will executive produce through Bad Robot. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bad Robot and HBO Max seek to cast a non-white actor as Constantine.

In addition, Walter Hamada said in December 2020 that DC Films was interested in producing spin-off series for every film in the DCEU slate.

Canceled and reworked projects

• The Batman : By July 2015, Ben Affleck was in talks to direct, star and co-write a standalone Batman film with Geoff Johns. Affleck was confirmed as the film’s director at the San Diego Comic-Con 2016. However, Affleck stated in January 2017 that he was unsure if he would direct the film, and stepped down as director later that month. In February 2017, Matt Reeves was hired to direct and co-produce the film. Under Reeves, the film’s ties to the DCEU were dropped, and Affleck was replaced by Robert Pattinson as Batman. In December 2020, Joe Manganiello, who was set to reprise his role as Deathstroke before Reeves took over, explained that the plot was tied to Justice League and featured Deathstroke attempting to ruin Batman’s life as revenge for the death of his son. Batgirl and the Riddler would have also appeared in the film.
• Cyborg : In April 2014, Ray Fisher was cast as Victor Stone / Cyborg, and Warner Bros. announced a film about the character was in development the following October.Joe Morton was set to reprise his role as Dr. Silas Stone. In November 2017, Fisher stated the film would focus specifically on Cyborg, and that the cast and production team would be diverse. In August 2018, Morton stated that he believed cut Justice League scenes involving Cyborg were going to be reworked into Cyborg, though he was not aware of when production would begin. Fisher expressed desire for Snyder to direct the film. Cyborg was scheduled to be released on April 3, 2020, but was later delayed. In April 2020, Fisher confirmed that development on the project had continued, but later in 2021 stated that he would not play the role with Hamada’s involvement amidst a dispute between them. Fisher acknowledged that he would reprise the role, if Justice League Part Two were to be directed by Zack Snyder.DC Films stated that they will not recast the role. In March 2021, Fisher stated that he is not opposed to reprising the role in future DCEU movies, with the Cyborg film preferably being directed by Snyder or Rick Famuyiwa.
• Deathstroke : In October 2017, a film centered around Slade Wilson / Deathstroke was announced to be in development with Gareth Evans attached as screenwriter and director from a story by Joe Manganiello, who was also set to reprise his role from Justice League. The project was greenlit after Evans impressed executives with his pitch.By April 2020, Evans was no longer in negotiations to work on the project, stating that he had never been contractually involved with its development. He described the story as a “dark” and “unforgiving” origin story, similar to Korean noir films. In December 2020, after reprising the role in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Manganiello stated he and Snyder were working on projects featuring Deathstroke. In March 2021, after numerous delays, Manganiello confirmed that Deathstroke had been canceled because Warner Bros. did not consider it a priority. Manganiello stated that he had spent six months writing the “human and grounded” revenge story for the film that was pitched to the studio; with details including the character’s time in the U.S. Military, his connection to the League of Shadows, his wife, and the death of his son which he blames on Batman. Manganiello noted that a revival was possible leading to a fan campaign to convince streaming service HBO Max to revive the project.

• Harley Quinn vs. the Joker : In July 2017, a film featuring Harley Quinn and the Joker was announced to be in development with the working title of “Harley Quinn vs. the Joker”, scheduled to begin production after the Suicide Squad sequel. Glenn Ficarra and John Requa were hired as co-writers, co-directors, and co-producers. In September 2018, Ficarra and Requa said that the script was completed and submitted to Warner Bros., and that production would commence after Birds of Prey. The story would have explored the toxic relationship of the characters, combining the tones of Ficarra and Requa’s previous works Bad Santa and This Is Us. The film was canceled by February 2019.
• Untitled Joker film: In June 2018, a film featuring the Joker entered early development. Jared Leto would have served as an executive producer in addition to reprising his role as the Joker, as well as being involved with hiring the film’s production crew. The film was intended to “pave the way” for all other Suicide Squad-related projects. By February 2019, the film had been canceled, and a Joker film unrelated to the DCEU was released later that year.
• Justice League sequels: In October 2014, Justice League Part Two was announced, with Snyder returning as director. In June 2016, Deborah Snyder revealed that Justice League would not be one film split in two. The film was scheduled to be released on June 14, 2019, but production was pushed back to accommodate The Batman.Joss Whedon, the director of Justice League’s reshoots, would eventually rework one of the film’s post-credit scenes in order to tease the Injustice League as villains of a possible sequel. In October 2017, J. K. Simmons stated that work on the script was in-progress, while in December, Variety reported that there were “no immediate plans” for Snyder to return as director. Before his departure from DC Films, Snyder originally intended for the sequel to focus on the League’s battle against Darkseid, and show the death of Batman. The sequel would have ended in the League’s defeat while also setting up a third film to be directed by Snyder. By 2019, Warner Bros. had prioritized standalone films over the project, although Patty Jenkins noted she would be open to directing the next Justice League film. Zack Snyder’s Justice Leaguewas considered “a storytelling cul-de-sac”, with no sequels planned. Snyder said that he did not “have any expectation that there would be more movies than this. If that happened, that would be amazing — but that bridge is far away. Frankly I’m cool”. He would later add that Warner Bros. had “no appetite or interest” to have him direct more films. In January 2021, Ray Fisher stated that he would only be willing to reprise his role as Cyborg in a future DCEU film if Justice League Part Two were to be made by Snyder. The next month, Snyder said that he would return to direct the sequels if he was offered the chance.
• New Gods : In March 2018, Ava DuVernay signed on to direct a film centered around the New Gods, with a script written by Kario Salem. In May 2019, DuVernay announced that she and Tom King would instead co-write the film. Darkseid was planned to be the main antagonist of the film, and the Female Furies were set to appear. In May 2020, DuVernay announced that work on the fourth draft of the script was ongoing. In December 2020, DuVernay said that the COVID-19 pandemic had given her and King time to dig into “the mind and musings of Jack Kirby.” King stated that he and DuVernay wanted to honor Kirby’s “genius” and described working on the film as “a joy”. King said that DuVernay was focused on the emotional core of the characters and the complex relationships that Kirby wrote for them. New Gods was canceled in April 2021, though Warner Bros. stated that it may be revived in the future. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project faced difficulties due to Darkseid’s role in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and Warner Bros. wanted time to pass before the character appeared again. Later, DuVernay revealed that Mister Miracle, Big Barda, Granny Goodness, and Highfather would have appeared in the film.
• The Trench : In February 2019, Warner Bros. announced a horror spin-off from Aquaman focusing on the villainous Trench kingdom. Peter Safran and James Wan were set to produce, with Noah Gardner and Aidan Fitzgerald writing the script. The film was planned to have a lower production budget than other DCEU films. The following month, Safran stated that he expected the film to be released before Aquaman 2. In April 2021, The Trench was canceled, though Warner Bros. stated that it may be revived in the future.

In addition, the 2011 film Green Lantern was originally meant to be the first film in what would become the DCEU. However, its planned sequels were canceled and the film was retconned due to the film’s poor critical and financial performance. Despite this, Sinestro actor Mark Strong still referred to it as “part of the DCEU” in February 2019. The television series Krypton was also connected to Man of Steel by October 2015, but these connections were dropped by the series’ release. Executive Producer Cameron Welshwould later describe the series as “adjacent” to both the DCEU and the Arrowverse.

Expanded setting

In October 2014, Geoff Johns explained that DC’s approach to their films and television series would be different to Marvel Studios’ cinematic universe, stating that their film universe and TV universes would be kept separate within a multiverse to allow “everyone to make the best possible product, to tell the best story, to do the best world.” Johns and Jon Berg were appointed by the studio to co-run the DC Films division and oversee creative decisions, production and story arcs in order to create a cohesive overarching plot within the films. Johns left his position in June 2018 to start his own studio where he will take on a greater hands-on role with film media as a producer and screenwriter. However, he remained with the studio as a co-chairman. Berg was replaced by Walter Hamada as the president of DC Films in January 2018. After the successful release of Wonder Woman (2017), DC Films decided to deemphasize the shared nature of the franchise. In August 2020 however, Hamada announced plans to develop a multiverse inspired by the comics. In doing so, the studio also stated that all past, present, and future projects are a part of the same unified multiverse.

Arrowverse

The DC Extended Universe was retroactively established to have connections to The CW’s Arrowverse continuity via the concept of a multiverse, during Part 4 of the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover. Ezra Miller reprised his role as Barry Allen in a cameo appearance alongside Grant Gustin’s version of the same character. During their conversation, Miller’s Barry Allen gets the idea to call himself “The Flash” from his alternate self and even mentions “Victor”. However, despite their cameo, the episode does not confirm the designated Earth for the DCEU characters.

Miller’s cameo opened up more possibilities for crossovers between the DC films and Arrowverse. Hamada revealed prior to “Crisis on Infinite Earths”, DC had been structured in a way that the television division had to clear the use of characters with the film division. Now, the company could “really lean into this idea of and acknowledge the fact there can be a Flash on TV and one in the movies, and you don’t have to pick one or the other, and they both exist in this multiverse.” Arrowverse creator and executive producer Greg Berlanti agreed, feeling that “moving forward, there’s more opportunity to do more things like this”, and was open to more film characters appearing in the Arrowverse.In September 2020, the TV universe was rebranded as The CWverse following the consolidation of various alternate realities in various DC Television productions into one continuity with the “Crisis” episode.

Other DC films

In August 2020, Hamada revealed various DC adaptations compose the cinematic DC Multiverse. Hamada stated that Joker (2019) and The Batman (2022) existed on separate Earths from each other as well as the DCEU, where Justice League takes place. Andy Muschietti, director for The Flash (2022), further explained that all previous adaptations of DC Comics are a part of the multiverse, stating: “…all the cinematic iterations that we’ve seen before are valid…all that you’ve seen exists, and everything that you will see exists, in the same unified multiverse.”

In December, Hamada further announced that studio’s plan for the franchise will more greatly explore the DC Multiverse adapting various realities with multiple incarnations of the same character being developed and released. The President of DC Films noted, “I don’t think anyone else has ever attempted this.” Hamada would also describe the main DCEU as being set on one Earth, while The Batman (2022) would be set on a different Earth.

Timeline

In the DCEU, most events of the film never explicitly make their exact years known. Man of Steel takes place after the events of Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984, which are set in 1918 and 1984, respectively. The events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice occur 18 months after the events of Man of Steel, which follows the consequences and the emergence of aliens and metahumans such as Superman. The film concludes with the death of Superman, which is emphasized in the following ensemble films, Suicide Squad and Justice League, taking place approximately one and two years later, respectively.

Jason Momoa confirmed that Aquaman takes place right after Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Aquaman is followed by Shazam!, which occurs during the Christmas season of 2018. Afterwards, the events of Birds of Prey are set in 2020, followed by The Suicide Squad, confirmed to take place in 2021.

Recurring cast and characters

List indicator(s)

This section shows characters who will appear or have appeared in more than two films in the series.

• An empty, dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character’s official presence has not yet been confirmed.
•  ^A indicates an appearance through archival footage.
•  ^C indicates a cameo role.
•  ^P indicates an appearance in onscreen photographs.
•  ^S indicates an appearance through use of special effects.
•  ^U indicates an uncredited appearance.
•  ^V indicates a voice-only role.
•  ^Y indicates a younger version of the character.

Character	Films
	Man of Steel	Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice	Suicide Squad	Wonder Woman	Justice League	Aquaman	Shazam!	Birds of Prey	Wonder Woman 1984	Zack Snyder’s Justice League	The Suicide Squad
	2013	2016		2017		2018	2019	2020		2021
Barry Allen The Flash		Ezra Miller	Ezra MillerC		Ezra Miller					Ezra Miller
Henry Allen					Billy CrudupU					Billy Crudup
Antiope				Robin Wright	Robin WrightC				Robin Wright
Ares				David Thewlis	Nick McKinlessUC David ThewlisS					Nick McKinlessC David ThewlisV
Atlan					Julian Lewis Jones	Graham McTavish				Julian Lewis Jones
Arthur Curry Aquaman		Jason MomoaC	Jason MomoaP		Jason Momoa	Jason Momoa				Jason Momoa
Jor-El	Russell Crowe									Rusell CroweVC
Kal-El / Clark Kent Superman	Henry Cavill	Henry Cavill			Henry Cavill		Ryan HadleyUC			Henry Cavill
Rick Flag			Joel Kinnaman								Joel Kinnaman
James Gordon					J.K. Simmons					J.K. Simmons
George “Digger” Harkness Captain Boomerang			Jai Courtney					Jai CourtneyP			Jai Courtney
Hippolyta				Connie Nielsen					Connie Nielsen
Joker			Jared Leto					Johnny GothUC Jared Leto A		Jared Leto
J’onn J’onzz Martian Manhunter	Harry Lennix									Harry Lennix
Jonathan Kent	Kevin Costner	Kevin CostnerC			Kevin CostnerP					Kevin CostnerAV
Martha Kent	Diane Lane				Diane Lane					Diane Lane
Lois Lane	Amy Adams				Amy Adams					Amy Adams
Lex Luthor		Jesse Eisenberg			Jesse EisenbergC					Jesse Eisenberg
Mera					Amber Heard					Amber Heard
Alfred Pennyworth		Jeremy Irons			Jeremy Irons					Jeremy Irons
Diana Prince Wonder Woman		Gal Gadot		Gal Gadot	Gal Gadot				Gal Gadot
Harleen Quinzel Harley Quinn			Margot Robbie					Margot Robbie			Margot Robbie
Steppenwolf		CGIS			Ciarán Hinds					Ciarán Hinds
Silas Stone		Joe MortonC			Joe Morton					Joe Morton
Victor Stone Cyborg		Ray FisherC			Ray Fisher					Ray Fisher
Steve Trevor		Chris PineP		Chris Pine					Chris Pine
Nuidis Vulko						Willem Dafoe				Willem Dafoe
Amanda Waller			Viola Davis								Viola Davis
Bruce Wayne Batman		Ben Affleck	Ben AffleckU		Ben Affleck					Ben Affleck
Perry White	Laurence Fishburne
Slade Wilson Deathstroke					Joe ManganielloC					Joe Manganiello
Zeus				CGIS	Sergi Constance					Sergi Constance
Zod	Michael Shannon	Michael ShannonS

Additional crew and production details

Film	Crew/detail
	Composer(s)	Cinematographer	Editor(s)	Production companies	Running time	Rating
Man of Steel	Hans Zimmer	Amir Mokri	David Brenner	Syncopy Inc., DC Entertainment, Legendary Pictures	143 mins	PG-13
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice	Junkie XL & Hans Zimmer	Larry Fong		DC Entertainment, Atlas Entertainment, RatPac Entertainment, Cruel and Unusual Films	152 mins Ultimate Edition: 182 mins	PG-13 Ultimate Edition: R
Suicide Squad	Steven Price	Roman Vasyanov	John Gilroy	DC Films, Atlas Entertainment, RatPac Entertainment	123 mins Extended Cut: 134 mins	PG-13
Wonder Woman	Rupert Gregson-Williams	Matthew Jensen	Martin Walsh	DC Films, Wanda Pictures, Tencent Pictures, Atlas Entertainment, RatPac Entertainment, Cruel and Unusual Films	141 mins
Justice League	Danny Elfman	Simon Firsht & Fabian Wagner	Martin Walsh, David Brenner & Richard Pearson	DC Films, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, Cruel and Unusual Films, Access Entertainment, Atlas Entertainment	120 mins
Aquaman	Rupert Gregson-Williams	Don Burgess	Kirk M. Morri	DC Films, Warner Bros. Pictures, Cruel and Unusual Films, The Safran Company Mad Ghost Productions	143 mins
Shazam!	Benjamin Wallfisch	Maxime Alexandre	Michel Aller	DC Films, Seven Bucks Productions, New Line Cinema, The Safran Company, Mad Ghost Productions	132 mins
Birds of Prey	Daniel Pemberton	Matthew Libatique	Jay Cassidy & Evan Schiff	DC Films, LuckyChap Entertainment, Kroll & Co. Entertainment, Clubhouse Pictures	109 mins	R
Wonder Woman 1984	Hans Zimmer	Matthew Jensen	Richard Pearson	DC Films, The Stone Quarry, Atlas Entertainment	151 mins	PG-13
Zack Snyder’s Justice League	Tom Holkenborg	Fabian Wagner	David Brenner	DC Films, The Stone Quarry, Atlas Entertainment, WarnerMax	242 mins	R
The Suicide Squad	John Murphy	Henry Braham	Fred Raskin & Christian Wagner	DC Films, Atlas Entertainment, The Safran Company	TBA

Reception

Box office performance

Film	U.S. release date	Box office gross			All-time ranking		Budget	Ref(s)
		U.S. and Canada	Other territories	Worldwide	U.S. and Canada	Worldwide
Man of Steel	June 14, 2013	$291,045,518	$377,000,000	$668,045,518	88	120	$225 million
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice	March 25, 2016	$330,360,194	$543,274,725	$873,634,919	58	60	$250 million
Suicide Squad	August 5, 2016	$325,100,054	$421,746,840	$746,846,894	61	98	$175 million
Wonder Woman	June 2, 2017	$412,563,408	$409,283,604	$821,847,012	25	73	$149 million
Justice League	November 17, 2017	$229,024,295	$428,900,000	$657,924,295	146	123	$300 million
Aquaman	December 21, 2018	$335,061,807	$813,400,000	$1,148,461,807	55	23	$200 million
Shazam!	April 5, 2019	$140,371,656	$225,600,000	$365,971,656	410	356	$100 million
Birds of Prey	February 7, 2020	$84,158,461	$117,700,000	$201,858,461	919	814	$84.5 million
Wonder Woman 1984	December 25, 2020	$46,108,000	$120,000,000	$166,108,000			$200 million
Zack Snyder’s Justice League	March 18, 2021						$70 million
Total		$2,193,793,393	$3,456,905,169	$5,650,698,562	11	10	$1.75 billion

Critical and public response

Film	Critical		Public
	Rotten Tomatoes	Metacritic	CinemaScore
Man of Steel	56% (337 reviews)	55 (47 reviews)	A−
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice	29% (430 reviews)	44 (51 reviews)	B
Suicide Squad	26% (384 reviews)	40 (53 reviews)	B+
Wonder Woman	93% (463 reviews)	76 (50 reviews)	A
Justice League	40% (400 reviews)	45 (52 reviews)	B+
Aquaman	65% (406 reviews)	55 (50 reviews)	A–
Shazam!	90% (409 reviews)	71 (53 reviews)	A
Birds of Prey	78% (427 reviews)	60 (59 reviews)	B+
Wonder Woman 1984	59% (426 reviews)	60 (57 reviews)	B+
Zack Snyder’s Justice League	71% (283 reviews)	54 (45 reviews)

Music

Soundtracks

Title	U.S. release date	Length	Label
Man of Steel: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack	June 11, 2013	87:49 118:18 (Deluxe Edition)	WaterTower Music
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)	March 18, 2016	71:35 90:27 (Deluxe Edition)
Suicide Squad: The Album	August 5, 2016	50:57 60:49 (Collector Edition)	Atlantic
Suicide Squad: Original Motion Picture Score		72:33 93:38 (Digital Edition)	WaterTower Music
Wonder Woman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack	June 2, 2017	78:38
Justice League: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack	November 10, 2017	101:22
Aquaman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack	December 21, 2018	65:02
Shazam!: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack	April 5, 2019	73:13
Birds of Prey: The Album	February 7, 2020	42:52	Atlantic
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) – Original Motion Picture Score	February 14, 2020	62:01	WaterTower Music
Wonder Woman 1984: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack	December 16, 2020	90:23
Zack Snyder’s Justice League (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)	March 18, 2021	234:09

Singles

Title	U.S. release date	Length	Artist(s)	Label	Film
“Heathens”	June 16, 2016	3:15	Twenty One Pilots	Atlantic	Suicide Squad
“Sucker for Pain”	June 24, 2016	4:03	Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Imagine Dragons, Logic and Ty Dolla Sign featuring X Ambassadors
“Purple Lamborghini”	July 22, 2016	3:35	Skrillex and Rick Ross
“Gangsta”	August 1, 2016	2:57	Kehlani
“To Be Human”	May 25, 2017	4:01	Sia featuring Labrinth	WaterTower Music	Wonder Woman
“Come Together”	September 8, 2017	3:13	Gary Clark Jr. and Junkie XL		Justice League
“Everybody Knows”	November 10, 2017	4:26	Sigrid
“Everything I Need”	December 14, 2018	3:16	Skylar Grey		Aquaman
“Diamonds”	January 10, 2020	3:19	Megan Thee Stallion and Normani	Atlantic	Birds of Prey
“Joke’s On You”	January 17, 2020	3:04	Charlotte Lawrence
“Boss Bitch”	January 24, 2020	2:14	Doja Cat
“Sway With Me”	January 31, 2020	2:48	Saweetie and GALXARA
“Experiment On Me”	February 7, 2020	3:35	Halsey
“Sway With Me (GALXARA Version)”	May 1, 2020	2:33	GALXARA

Other media

Short films

Title	Release date	Director	Producer(s)	Home media release	Note
Etta’s Mission	August 28, 2017 (Digital) September 19, 2017 (Blu-ray)	Patty Jenkins	Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder and Richard Suckle	Wonder Woman

Novels

Title	Publication date(s)	Writer(s)	Note
Man of Steel: The Early Years: Junior Novel	April 30, 2013	Frank Whitman	Tie-in children’s book to Man of Steel
Man of Steel: The Official Movie Novelization	June 18, 2013	Greg Cox	Novelization of the film
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – Cross Fire	February 16, 2016	Michael Kogge	Tie-in prequel novel to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Suicide Squad: The Official Movie Novelization	August 5, 2016	Marv Wolfman	Novelization of the film
Wonder Woman: The Junior Novel	May 30, 2017	Steve Korte
Wonder Woman: The Official Movie Novelization	June 6, 2017	Nancy Holder
Aquaman: The Junior Novel	November 6, 2018	Jim McCann
Aquaman: Arthur’s Guide to Atlantis	November 6, 2018	Alexandra West	Guide book
Aquaman: Undertow	November 6, 2018	Steve Behling	Tie-in prequel novel to Aquaman
Shazam!: The Junior Novel	February 26, 2019	Calliope Glass	Novelization of the film
Shazam!: Freddy’s Guide to Super Hero-ing	February 26, 2019	Steve Behling	Guide book
Wonder Woman 1984: The Junior Novel	July 7, 2020	Calliope Glass	Novelization of the film
Wonder Woman 1984: Truth, Love & Wonder	July 7, 2020	Alexandra West	Quotes book

Comics

Title	Issue(s)	Publication date(s)	Writer(s)	Artist(s)	Notes
Man of Steel – Prequel	1	May 18, 2013	Sterling Gates	Jerry Ordway	Promotional digital prequel comic from Walmart
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice	5	January 28, 2016	Christos Gage	Joe Bennet	Promotional digital prequel comics from Dr Pepper
	4	February 28, 2016	Jeff Parker, Christos Gage, Marguerite Bennett, and Joshua Williamson	R. B. Silva, Federico Dallochio, Marcus To, and Eduardo Pansica	Promotional prequel mini-comics that appeared in select General Mills cereal
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – Upstairs/Downstairs	1	February 29, 2016	Christos Gage	Joe Bennet	Promotional prequel digital comic from Doritosand Walmart
Suicide Squad: Suicide Blonde	1	June 2, 2016	Tony Bedard	Tom Derenick, Juan Albarran, Hi-Fi, and Lori Jackson	Promotional prequel comic from Splat Hair Dye
Mercedes-Benz Presents: Justice League	6	October 20 – November 15, 2017	Adam Schlagman	Jason Badower	Promotional digital comic from Mercedes-Benz
Wonder Woman 1984: Museum Mayhem	1	September 29, 2020	Anna Obropta, Louise Simonson, and Steve Pugh	Bret Blevins and Marguerite Sauvage	One-shot comic featuring a prequel story and a second story unrelated to the DCEU.

Video games

Title	Release date(s)	Publisher(s)	Notes
Man of Steel	June 14, 2013	Warner Bros. International Enterprises
Kellogg’s Man of Steel	April 19, 2013	Catapult Marketing
Batman vs Superman – Who Will Win?	March 16, 2016	Warner Bros. International Enterprises	Endless runner
Suicide Squad: Special Ops	July 19, 2016		First-person shooter
Wonder Woman: Rise of the Warrior	May 23, 2017		Endless runner
Justice League VR: The Complete Experience	December 5, 2017		Virtual reality