Breaking Down All Those DCEU Movie Updates & Reveals: What It Means

The DC Extended Universe received several major updates that provide new information on what is coming next for the Warner Bros. superhero franchise. The Warner Bros. Discovery merger once again changed the outlook of the DCEU. With new leadership and a desire to utilize DC’s biggest character, there is a goal in mind to create a new 10-year plan for the DCEU. These plans have yet to be revealed by the studio, allowing rumors to circulate about what could be. Now it seems that a more definitive update on the DCEU movie future has arrived with a report that provided updates on Superman and Flash’s futures, as well as more of The Batman.

Warner Bros. already has four movies confirmed for 2023 release dates, including much-delayed sequels in Shazam: Fury of the Gods and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Even as the DCEU looks for its Kevin Feige, it appears that WB is beginning to plan what will come next. This includes new movies with Henry Cavill’s Superman and potentially Ezra Miller’s The Flash, as well as new films from directors James Gunn and Matt Reeves. Here is a full rundown of the DCEU movie news and an explanation of the biggest reveals and updates.

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Is Man Of Steel 2 Happening? What We Know

Nearly a decade after Man of Steel‘s release, a sequel is again entering development under the new regime at Warner Bros. Discovery. It has been reported that Man of Steel 2 is in development and looking for writers and directors to tackle the film. Henry Cavill is expected to return in Man of Steel 2 as Kal-El as executives are said to be very interested in giving audiences more of his iteration of the Kryptonian hero. The move comes amid rumors that Superman is in Black Adam and that Dwayne Johnson helped convince the studio to bring Henry Cavill’s Superman back.

Previous reports noted that Henry Cavill and Warner Bros. were at an impasse with contract negotiations about future Superman appearances. This is partially why the hero has had several faceless cameos recently. This included news in 2018 that Henry Cavill was out as Superman so the studio could focus on Supergirl instead. The latest updates for Man of Steel 2 finally show that Warner Bros. is potentially on the right course to make amends for sidelining the character for so long. While no writer or director is attached and the story details are still unknown, Cavill has long expressed hope in Brainiac appearing in a sequel.

The excitement about Man of Steel 2 potentially happening is understandable, but it is also something audiences have heard many times before. Man of Steel 2 originally entered development in 2013, but that movie evolved into Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Even after the film’s divisive response, Warner Bros. put Man of Steel 2 in active development in 2016. However, the studio never found any creatives to tackle the film. More recently, DC Films focused on developing new Superman movies without Cavill and stopped developing a sequel in 2020. Thanks to another creative change, the hopes of Man of Steel 2 happening have been renewed.

Which The Batman Spinoffs Are Rumored & Why It’s Getting So Many

The success of The Batman has brought director Matt Reeves even more freedom to expand the franchise and do movie spinoffs on top of HBO Max shows. The reports note that Reeves is meeting with writers and directors to create movies based on Batman’s villains, including those who are well-known and more obscure. The reported The Batman spinoffs are rumored to include movies starring Scarecrow, Clayface, and Professor Pyg. While Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy used Scarecrow, the villains of Clayface and Professor Pyg have yet to be featured in a DC movie. It is expected that any of these The Batman rogue’s gallery spinoffs would, in some ways, connect to the main story for Robert Pattinson’s Batman.

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The new Batman villain spinoff movies are another sign of Matt Reeves creating a shared universe around Batman. Since the movie exists in a different universe than the DCEU, Reeves has complete freedom to expand the franchise as he wants. It’s now clear that in addition to The Penguin HBO Max show and another focused on Arkham Asylum, Reeves is still interested in building out the grimy criminal underbelly of Gotham. Movies for Scarecrow, Clayface, and Professor Pyg are surprising new additions to The Batman‘s cinematic universe, but they fit within the known shared universe hopes for the franchise.

What Could James Gunn’s Mystery DC Project Be?

James Gunn’s time with the DCEU will continue based on the latest reports. He joined the franchise with The Suicide Squad and then made the Peacemaker spinoff for HBO Max. While he has an Amanda Waller spinoff in development, the new update reveals a mystery James Gunn DC project has also been pitched. The understandable first response to this news is to think about James Gunn making The Suicide Squad 2 or angling for another spinoff with one of the characters. He has repeatedly mentioned conversations with Margot Robbie about future Harley Quinn projects, which could be the answer to James Gunn’s mystery DC project.

Considering the scope of Gunn’s DCEU work to this point, there is a chance his new DC movie or show involves Deathstroke. Joe Manganiello played the role in Justice League, and Gunn did confirm he considered using him in The Suicide Squad. With the last attempt to make a Deathstroke solo movie failing to materialize, perhaps Gunn wants to take charge. He has considered doing a Superman movie before or even his dog Krypto, but neither of those is likely the answer. James Gunn’s secrecy about his DCEU future and his love for obscure comic characters makes it more challenging to pinpoint what he might be thinking.

Is The Flash 2 Really Going To Happen? Will Ezra Miller Be Recast?

The new DCEU movie updates also reveal that The Flash 2 is already written by Aquaman‘s David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. The sequel script already being done is another sign of Warner Bros.’ incredible confidence in the movie and readiness to move forward with a sequel if the first is a hit. Reports have continued to state that The Flash‘s test screenings are on par with the best DC movies. The studio already having a complete script for The Flash 2 indicates that the sequel will happen if the first film starring Ezra Miller lives up to expectations critically and financially. It might also signify that Ezra Miller will remain part of the DCEU despite their various controversies.

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The idea of recasting Ezra Miller for The Flash 2 is not known to be something that Warner Bros. is considering. It might also be tougher for the studio to do if audiences respond well to Miller’s characterization and the performer continues to work on their mental health. Before seeking this help, there were reports that Ezra Miller would not be part of the DCEU’s future, indicating that The Flash would be recast or someone other than Barry Allen would assume the mantle, like Wally West. The Flash even gives WB an easy path to recast Ezra Miller thanks to the multiverse, as another version of the Scarlet Speedster could join the DCEU.

What These DC Movie Reveals Mean For The DCEU’s Future

Thanks to these DC movie reveals, the DCEU’s future begins to really take shape in the aftermath of Warner Bros. Discovery’s merger, Walter Hamada’s exit from leading DC Films, and regarding their 10-year plan. One of the big takeaways is a renewed effort to focus on DC’s Trinity. This is obviously helped by Henry Cavill’s Superman return, but even Robert Pattinson’s Batman is a more significant part of the plan, even if he is not in the DCEU. Superman and Batman finding a spot in the future mean that Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman is not the only member of the Trinity to have a clear future, as Wonder Woman 3 continues to make positive progress.

New James Gunn and Matt Reeves projects ensure that two of the franchise’s most prominent directors remain a vital part of the future. There is even still an interest in J.J. Abrams producing various DC projects, including a film starring a black Superman that is not in the DCEU. That is good news for filmmakers like Patty Jenkins, James Wan, and David F. Sandberg who are currently in the DCEU and may have ambitions to do more. Meanwhile, it is a sign to others that the DCEU is director-driven and a very collaborative space for creators with unique visions for the DC characters.

Through it all, the DCEU’s 10-year plan begins to take a bit of shape. Franchises built around the biggest DC heroes will be the central focus of the new era, and the studio hopes to pair them up with some of the biggest and best filmmakers in the world. This can help re-establish the Justice League and give the franchise a foundation it has been lacking for years. Characters like Black Adam, the Justice Society, Shazam, Blue Beetle, and others can then expand the various corners of the universe. And with the multiverse in play, there is room for the DCEU to begin building towards a potential Crisis on Infinite Earths event film.

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