10 DCEU Dreams The DCU Is Already Set To Make Reality

It’s safe to say that the DCEU let down many fans over the course of its existence, with many hopes for the series never panning out, but the new DCU already has plans put into motion that will make some of these long-awaited wishes come true. Starting with 2013’s Man of Steel and ending unceremoniously with Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom in 2023, the DCEU had a troubled production cycle, to say the least. Suffice it to say, many fan wishes for the series now seem to be already planned for the burgeoning DCU led by James Gunn.

The fact is that the DCEU struggled to ever pay off much of its setup, with many iconic characters going without solo movies as the franchise’s focus constantly shifted, pivoting from negative reception to negative reception. While there were some great DCEU movies, they were far overshadowed by the listlessness of the overall story, which never addressed many burning audience desires. Luckily, the newest take on a live-action movie DC universe is promising many projects that will seemingly realize these unfulfilled fantasies its predecessor never could.

10 A Solo Batman Movie

Ben Affleck was always part of a greater ensemble

For all the things the DCEU got wrong, Ben Affleck’s Batman is widely regarded to be one of the series’ triumphs. Considered one of the better actors to play Batman in live-action, DCEU hopefuls often rallied behind the idea of a solo film revolving around him exclusively. Yet somehow, The Dark Knight was always forced to be a team player in the DCEU’s films, more like the Nick Fury to the Justice League’s Avengers than his own self-realized hero.

Thankfully, the DCU already has plans to start off strong with a headlining Batman feature, Batman: The Brave and the Bold. This story will allegedly see an already experienced Batman meeting with and training his estranged son with Talia al Ghul, Damian Wayne. By taking the time to introduce important characters in their own films before even considering to throw them together, the DCU is already avoiding one of the DCEU’s biggest pitfalls.

9 A Deathstroke Movie

It isn’t only the heroes worthy of solo projects

One of the biggest pieces of wasted potential in the DCEU was Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke. After being fancast as the character for years, the DCEU finally made the hypothetical casting a reality with a cameo appearance at the tail end of Justice League, with a more extended presence in the Zack Snyder cut. Sadly, dreams of an entire feature film revolving around the callous mercenary assassin never came to be, with the cinematic universe meeting its end before the idea could be developed.

Shockingly, the DCU has promised an entire film co-starring Deathstroke in a lead role. In an as-of-yet unnamed feature, Deathstroke will apparently star alongside fellow masked Batman villain Bane, the drug-abusing super-strong brute who has already appeared in live-action twice before. The presence of a solely supervillain-oriented movie proves that the DCU understands that not all of the comics’ most intriguing characters are on the right side of the law.

8 A Green Lantern Project Starring Hal Jordan & John Stewart

Will shine the green light of willpower on villainy once more

If there’s one core member of the classic Justice League line-up that’s been woefully neglected in live-action films, it’s Green Lantern. Ever since the abysmal Ryan Reynolds adaptation was a commercial and critical bomb, studios seemed to have avoided the construct-wielding space guardian like the plague, refusing to grant him a dedicated slot in a crossover movie, let alone his own leading feature. Beyond a brief cameo from an alien Lantern in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the DCEU sidestepped the Green Lantern mythos altogether, much to the chagrin of fans.

Luckily, the DCU seems to be aware that the idea behind Green Lantern is worthy of another chance. Not only will Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern be making an appearance in Superman: Legacy, but both Hal Jordan and John Stewart will be making their live-action DCU debuts in the upcoming HBO series Lanterns. Hopefully, the DCU can garner enough success in these arenas to eventually lead to a Green Lantern solo film in the future.

7 Superman As A Message Of Hope

Gunn seems to have a sunnier tone in mind for Superman’s story

One thing that was apparent about the DCEU from its very beginning was just how dark it was, even with a famously optimistic character like Superman. While Snyder may have intended for his version of the Man of Steel to inspire just as much hope as the classic comic or Christopher Reeve incarnations did, the result was an angry, vengeful Jesus allegory that lived in a muted gray world. As great as Henry Cavill was as Superman, he never got the chance to act in a manner befitting of the character’s classic disposition.

Fans have long clamored for a Superman that returned to the character’s roots as a hopeful hero who felt more like a corn-fed farm boy raised on Earth than an alien savior looking down on humanity. James Gunn seems to understand this, with every spoken word and promotional image of Superman: Legacy promising a hero that doesn’t shy away from an unabashedly positive message. Gunn’s loving embrace of corny comic book staples like Krypto the Superdog is also a good proof of insurance on that sentiment.

6 Supergirl’s Own Movie

One of the DCEU’s best characters was never capitalized on

Wonder Woman isn’t the only valuable DC heroine the movies should be focusing on, with Kara Zor-El’s Supergirl being just as important. Despite being one of the best parts of The Flash, the DCEU never found the time to squeeze in a dedicated Supergirl film before closing its doors. The character hasn’t been the focus of a theater release since the 1984 film that rode the coattails of the Christopher Reeve Superman quadrilogy, to poor results.

Conversely, the DCU has already cast their Supergirl, with Milly Alcock of House of the Dragon fame stepping into the iconic red cape. While she’ll first appear alongside her cousin in Superman: Legacy, Alcock has been confirmed for the solo film Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow in a lead role, adapting the comic of the same name. Appearing so early in the DCU’s movie slate, Supergirl will be a crucial part of the franchise’s core roster, rather than an alternate dimension oddity like in the DCEU.

5 A Live-Action Robin

The Boy Wonder is more than just teased for the DCU

Another one of the DCEU’s most missed-out on opportunities was the presence of Batman’s sidekick, Robin. Not counting Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s cop in The Dark Knight Rises, Robin hasn’t been seen in live-action since the critically reviled Batman & Robin. This made it all the more exciting when Robin’s suit briefly appeared in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, only for the character to exist solely in the past of the franchise’s canonical past.

After hopes of ever seeing a Robin appear alive in the DCEU were dashed, James Gunn seemed to have taken note of the growing fan sentiment to see Batman share the screen with his iconic sidekick once more. Incredibly, the very first solo Batman movie, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, will feature Robin quite heavily. Specifically, the Damian Wayne incarnation of Robin, one of the more recent comic identities to wear the mask of the Boy Wonder.

4 A Robin Solo Movie

Robin won’t just appear in the DCU – He’ll be a headliner

Many names in the comics have worn the mantle of Robin before, including Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson, and Jason Todd. The latter is most famous for being killed by the Joker and resurrecting as Red Hood after being killed by the Joker, something that may have been implied by the DCEU’s empty Robin suit. It would then serve to reason that the DCEU had a Dick Grayson somewhere out there operating as Nightwing, his successor identity after breaking away from Batman. Despite fan demand, a Nightwing or Robin solo movie was not in the cards for the franchise.

As if Robin simply appearing in the DCU wasn’t exciting enough, it seems like a different incarnation of him will also be getting a solo movie. The upcoming animated film Dynamic Duo will pair Dick Grayson, the original Robin, with Jason Todd for an exciting team-up adventure. While who will wear what hero identity remains to be seen, the fact that the DCU is directly paying off the patience of Robin fans is a great sign of its longevity.

3 Canon Animated Features

The DC Universe has always thrived in animation

DC Comics have always fared better in animated adaptations compared to live action. From the Tomorrowverse to the DCAMU to all the one-off cartoons in-between, something about the bombastic nature of the series’ heroes has always lent itself to the medium. That makes it all the more disappointing that the DCEU never experimented with canon animated supplements, whether they be feature films or TV series.

James Gunn seems to better understand the value of animation in DC storytelling. Other than the Dynamic Duo movie being fully animated, the DCU is also set to release the series Creature Commandos, which seeks to lovingly portray the monstrous task force in a way live-action couldn’t easily achieve. Even better, Gunn has confirmed that not only will these tales be canon to the overarching story, but each of the voice actors will also reprise their roles should their characters ever breach containment to the live-action movies.

2 A Deeper Look Into Amazonian Society

Wonder Woman’s home country allows for some compelling drama

Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman was one of the best aspects of the DCEU, with the signature guitar riff that marked her entrances always promising a good time to come. Part of her success was due to the intrigue of Amazonian society, which gave the DCEU a proper chance at world-building. While several of the DCEU films gave brief glimpses into life on Themyscira, fans were always left grasping for more.

The DCU will be capitalizing off the intrigue of the isolated nation before even setting its sights on Wonder Woman herself. One of the DCU’s many upcoming projects, Paradise Lost, will be a prequel taking place in Themyscira before the advent of Wonder Woman. Styling itself after Game of Thrones, the show will give a chance to see what fantasy storytelling could look like through the DCU’s lens.

1 A Teen Titans Movie

The DCEU missed out on an iconic DC team

Beyond the Justice League themselves, it’s safe to say that the Teen Titans are the DC Universe’s most popular superhero team, thanks in no small part to their self-titled 2003 animated series. The presence of Cyborg and famed villain Deathstroke made many DCEU fans hopeful for a Teen Titans feature film, even going as far as to make a fan wiki page for a hypothetical Teen Titans movie. Sadly, Cyborg remained a staple of the Justice League, and the crime-fighting youth team never made it to DCEU canon.

On the other hand, a dedicated Teen Titans movie is in the works at the DCU, listed on the studio’s upcoming slate of films. While details have still been scarce on the film ever since James Gunn confirmed it was not yet in production as of May 2024, the mere idea of the first live-action Teen Titans movie is exciting enough on its own. Seemingly retaining talent, the DCU has tasked Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow scribe Ana Nogueira with penning the story.

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