Superheroes aren’t going anywhere, and DC Studios is making sure of it. After years of struggling to find its momentum, the studio is officially hitting reset with an interconnected slate that spans detective stories and animated experiments. Whether you’re a die-hard Batman fan or a curious newcomer, the next few years are packed with promise.
Under the leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran, DC Studios unveiled Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, which is basically a detailed roadmap that includes feature films, HBO Max series, and Elseworlds projects that exist outside the main continuity. Some titles have already seen the light of day – Superman took flight in July 2025 and Peacemaker Season 2 made its impressive recent debut – while others have locked release dates – Supergirl lands in 2026, and The Batman: Part II is set for 2027.
Below, we have rounded up every confirmed DC Studios movie and HBO Max series you’ll want to keep tabs on. Some are filming, some are casting, and some are still being written, but all of them are shaping the future for DC Studios.
‘Lanterns’
Release Date: TBC 2026
DC Studios is aiming big with Lanterns, a grounded, noir-inspired take on the Green Lantern mythos. Rather than diving into cosmic battles, this upcoming HBO Max series will follow Hal Jordan and John Stewart as they investigate a dark mystery unfolding on Earth. Early comparisons to True Detective suggest a slow-burn thriller with psychological depth.
The show is worth looking forward to because of the creative team behind it. Chris Mundy (Ozark), Damon Lindelof (Watchmen), and Tom King, whose comic work has redefined modern superhero narratives, will join James Gunn, who has confirmed Lanterns is part of DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. The cast includes Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, and Poorna Jagannathan.
‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’
Release Date: June 26, 2026
One of the most intriguing entries in DC’s upcoming slate is Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, a feature film adaptation of Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s acclaimed comic book series. The story promises a very different Kara Zor-El. She is shaped by loss, isolation, and a more brutal upbringing than her cousin Superman. Gunn has teased that this version will be “much more hardcore.”
With Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon) cast as Kara and Craig Gillespie (Cruella, I, Tonya) directing, the project is already generating buzz. Ana Nogueira is writing the screenplay, and Gunn has called the script “above and beyond” his expectations. The movie is slated for release on July 26, 2026.
‘Clayface’
Release Date: September 11, 2026
Horror takes center stage with Clayface, a standalone feature movie that reimagines the classic Batman villain as a tragic figure. Plot details are still under wraps, but the movie will clearly explore how Matt Hegen, an up-and-coming actor, deep-dives into monstrosity. Originally pitched by Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep), the project was picked up by DC Studios for its potential.
Imagine The Fly meets Joker, but with a supernatural twist and a more empathetic look at evil, and that’s Clayface for you. Directed by James Watkins (The Woman in Black) and produced by Matt Reeves, the movie is part of the expanding DC Elseworlds banner. Gunn and Safran have both emphasized the importance of diversity in the new DC slate, and Clayface could be that breakout horror entry.
‘The Batman: Part II’
Release Date: October 1, 2027
Gotham’s brooding superhero returns in The Batman: Part II, the next chapter in Matt Reeves’ Elseworlds saga. While the plot specifics have not been revealed yet, the sequel will likely chronicle Bruce Wayne’s second year as the Caped Crusader. The ending of The Batman (2022) teased the emergence of Barry Keoghan’s Joker, and speculation suggests he will play a larger role this time around, possibly as a central antagonist.
The sequel has had a bumpy road. It was delayed multiple times, most recently to October 2027, but it is still one of DC’s most anticipated movies. Reeves is currently deep in the writing process, with DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran confirming that the script is worth the wait. Robert Pattinson will reprise his role, and since The Batman: Part II will remain part of the DC Elseworlds banner, it won’t intersect with Gunn’s mainline DCU.
‘Dynamic Duo’
Release Date: June 30, 2028
An animated feature, Dynamic Duo will put the spotlight on two of the most complex members of the Batfamily – Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. Instead of focusing on Batman and Robin, it will explore the evolving relationships between the two Robins as they grapple with legacy and diverging paths. Dick is on the verge of becoming Nightwing, and Jason teeters towards his Red Hood transformation.
Announced by James Gunn in October 2024, Dynamic Duo is slated for theatrical release on June 30, 2028. The movie is written by Matthew Aldrich (Coco) and directed by Arthur Mintz, with animation by Swaybox. Matt Reeves is producing via 6th & Idaho, but the movie won’t connect to his Batman universe.
‘Waller’
Release Date: TBC
Waller puts one of DC’s most morally complex figures front and center. It’s pretty self-explanatory that the series will follow Amanda Waller, a government operative, Task Force X architect, and master manipulator, as she navigates the fallout from Peacemaker Season 1. Her daughter Leota Adebayo has exposed her covert operations and Waller is now in damage-control mode, forced to balance political survival with the need to control metahuman assets.
Initially, Waller was meant to roll out after Peacemaker Season 1, but the development faced delays. James Gunn recently confirmed the series is still alive despite rumors of cancellation or reworking into a “Checkmate” storyline. Additionally, Viola Davis is confirmed to reprise her role, with Christal Henry (Watchmen) and Jeremy Carver (Doom Patrol) attached as showrunners.
‘The Authority’
Release Date: TBC
Another boundary-pushing swing belonging to DC’s new era is The Authority. Based on the WildStorm comic created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch, the story centers on a morally complex team of superhumans who fight evil with the intention of reshaping the world by any means necessary. The group includes characters like Apollo and Midnighter, the reality-bending Doctor, and Angela Spica, aka the Engineer, who has already been introduced in Superman (2025), played by María Gabriela de Faría.
James Gunn has called The Authority one of the hardest DCU projects to get right, and the development has been slow for that reason. “The Authority are a group of superheroes who think the world is broken, and they want to fix it by any means necessary,” is how Gunn summarizes the plot, but it will be a while till the provocative entry makes it to the screen.
‘Paradise Lost’
Release Date: TBC
Before Diana Prince wielded the Lasso of Truth, Themyscira was a land of divine politics, ancient rivalries, and brutal power plays. Paradise Lost, set generations before Wonder Woman’s birth, will explore the origins of the Amazonian society, the conflicts, and the magic that protects it from the outside world.
Inspired by Phil Jimenez and George Pérez’s Paradise Island Lost comic arc, this one promises palace intrigue, forbidden rituals, and civil war among the Amazons. James Gunn has mentioned the tone as akin to Game of Thrones, only set on Paradise Island. Also, being part of DCU Chapter One, it will serve as a thematic precursor to the upcoming Wonder Woman movie.
‘Wonder Woman’
Release Date: TBC
Speaking of which, the Amazonian warrior is officially returning to the big screens, only in a different fashion than fans could expect. DC Studios has confirmed that a new Wonder Woman movie is in active development with Ana Nogueira (Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow) writing the script. This version will reboot the character for the DCU, distinguishing her from Gal Gadot’s portrayal in the DCEU. It could possibly build on the mythos established in Paradise Lost, so it’s fair to expect a fresh take on Themyscira.
Gunn has been very clear about the fact that Wonder Woman is one of the “four pillars” of the DCU alongside Superman, Batman, and Supergirl. The full casting hasn’t been announced, but speculation is swirling around names like Alexandra Daddario and Ana de Armas. Also, since the script isn’t locked yet, expect a 2026 or later release.
‘The Brave and the Bold’
Release Date: TBC
Another way DC Studios is giving the Batfamily its proper spotlight is with The Brave and the Bold, a new Batman movie that introduces Bruce Wayne’s son, Damian Wayne, as Robin. In this one, Batman is no longer the brooding and stoic crusader we have seen countless times. He’s a father navigating the chaos of raising an assassin-trained child while still fighting crime in Gotham.
It’s a “strange father and son story,” as James Gunn described it, and one that’s never been tackled in live-action before. Compelling enough for fans, it will be directed by Andy Muschietti (The Flash) and is still in active script development. Gunn confirmed in August 2025 that casting won’t begin until the screenplay is locked, and Muschietti intends to space out 2027’s The Batman: Part II.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
