Reviving Superheroes: Inside DC Studios’ Ambitious Plans for the New Era

by Annika February 26, 2025

In 1984, DC Comics experienced a revival with their comic books resonating strongly with their readers. This era was known by a popular slogan, “The New DC. There’s no stopping us now.” Over four decades later, the saying seems to reecho through DC Studios, which is a Warner Bros. Discovery division aimed at ushering beloved superheroes from the comics to the big and small screens.

Reviving Superheroes: Inside DC Studios’ Ambitious Plans for the New Era

– DC Studios, the Warner Bros. Discovery division, is currently focused on bringing popular comic characters to screens in an effort to revive the brand and introduce these characters to new generations.
– The studio is developing a number of projects across diverse genres, aiming to release two live-action films, one animated movie, two live-action series, and two animated series per year.
– Despite challenges with some projects and issues with developing a new Batman film, the studio remains committed to producing quality content and ensuring each production can stand alone as well as contribute to the larger universe.

DC Studios co-head James Gunn emphasized at a recent press event their commitment to keeping these characters alive by continuing to bring new stories and introducing these characters to new generations of fans. DC Studios, co-run by Gunn and Peter Safran, is slightly over two years old and its major test will be the release of the upcoming Superman movie, which was written and directed by Gunn as the division’s first film.

Following Superman, many other projects are already lined up. The Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is mid-production, Lanterns, an HBO series featuring Hal Jordan and John Stewart, recently started shooting in Los Angeles, Clayface will begin shooting this summer for a fall 2026 release, a movie titled Dynamic Duo is in pre-production, and season two of the action comedy series The Peacemaker will premiere on Max in August.

Indicating a shift at DC, Gunn and Safran stepped in after the merger of Warner Media and Discovery, following a period when DC was split into several factions, each pursuing their own distinctive vision of the characters and stories, which Safran described as a challenging period that eroded the brand’s identity.

Now, Gunn and Safran have already made strides in unifying the brand, greenlighting numerous film and animation projects, all while aiming to produce two live-action films, one animated movie, and four series for Max per year.

Gunn and Safran are focused on creating individual stories that stand on their own, even though they will be contained within a connected universe. This flexibility is reflected in their approach to scriptwriting, with Gunn emphasizing that scripts must meet their approval before going into production.

Looking forward, the duo revealed plans for an Avengers: Endgame-style culmination six years from now. They also acknowledged some setbacks for projects like Waller, a Peacemaker/Suicide Squad spinoff starring Viola Davis, and Booster Gold, a time travel series.

And while Batman remains one of DC’s most popular characters, a new movie featuring the Dark Knight seems years away. Despite the success of Matt Reeves’ The Batman in 2022, a sequel has yet to materialize.

Though some uncertainty exists, the duo are currently focusing all their attention on the post-production of Superman, with plans to make a big impression at the upcoming CinemaCon, a convention for theatre owners.

Despite the character’s America-centric undertones, Gunn believes Superman’s universal appeal will make the film a success. With Warner Bros. Discovery fully backing the project, both Gunn and Safran remain optimistic about the future and are committed to taking DC Studios to new heights.