Here's a quick sketch of the upcoming WB DC Comics projects and where they stand. The list may be missing some things that are in development that I am unaware of or even a few things that have come and gone without me noticing.
Movies
Black Adam
About a month away and a true success story. Up until about a year ago I would have bet big money this would never happen. Dwayne Johnson has been trying to get this off the ground for a decade and it's to his credit that it is actually going to happen.
Shazam - Fury of the Gods
March 2023. Barring WB pulling a Batgirl, this one's coming soon. I enjoyed the first one and am looking forward to the sequel.
The Flash
June 2023. Unless you live under a rock, you know what this film is dealing with. I don't want to talk about it.
Blue Beetle
June 2023. This actually has a theatrical release date. Knock me down with a feather. Great character and huge comedic potential if you add the Booster Gold character to the mix for a buddy cop sequel.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
December 2023. More controversy on this one thanks to Amber Heard. Still love me some Jason Momoa and am thrilled that this is on the way.
Joker 2
October 2024. The Joker made a billion at the box office and Lady Ga-Ga has been cast as Harley Quinn for a musical sequel. I personally didn't enjoy The Joker, at all, but the musical angle has me at least curious about the sequel.
Wonder Woman 3
TBD. I absolutely LOVED the first one. The sequel was a disappointment but not the worst thing DC has ever done. Hopefully number 3 closes out the (assumed) trilogy with the same kind of style and heart as the first.
The Batman 2
TBD. While the first movie isn't my favourite Batman film (that's Batman Begins, fyi) or my favourite version of the character (Batman - The Animated Series, Kevin Conroy, 'natch) it is a serviceable and nicely grounded version of the Dark Knight, so I'm happy to see it's getting a sequel.
Green Lantern Corps
TBD. This could be the greatest DC Comics film, ever. It has to be handled correctly and I have only minimal confidence that it will be. Fingers crossed. There's a tv show in the works for the Green Lantern property as well, so all kinds of possibilities exist and I hope there's hope...
Supergirl
TBD. There's a likelyhood that this will get scrapped given where the rest of the DC stuff that is related to Zack Snyder's versions of the Justice League characters have gone. My bet is that Momoa and Gadot will hang around as Aquaman and Wonder Woman respectively since they're proven commodities but seeing as Sasha Calle's Supergirl will spin out of The Flash and all that entails, I'm not betting on a long future for her version of the Maid of Might.
Blackhawk
TBD. While "Blackhawk" sounds like a superhero film, it's actually about a human WWII pilot named Blackhawk, possibly with a team of pilots under his banner. Steven Spielberg is apparently attached and it has a ton of potential as a concept. I'd love to see it happen.
Nightwing
TBD. That's Batman's Robin all growed up, folks. He's in The Titans over at HBOMax right now but a film is still technically in development, even if it's more likely to get axed or totally retooled long before it ever sees the light of day at this point.
Lobo
TBD. Gawd, I'd love this. Think Alice Cooper and Lou Ferrigno's love child, but as an alien bounty hunter. At least 5 years out, if ever.
Zatanna
TBD. Part of that rag-tag bunch of magic users that make up the Justice League Dark, this is another one of those projects that is barely above a rumour at this point. Could go either way, but a sexy woman in a body suit and fishnets already has a built in audience, so who knows.
Black Canary
TBD Jurnee Smollet was only okay in her debut as Black Canary in the Harley Quinn movie, but she is hella good in Lovecraft Country and I'd love to see her headline a movie or show. Sadly at this moment in time, it's about at the same place as Zatanna. Has that same built in audience though...
Static Shock
TBD. Little more than a rumour now. Retooled or shelved completely within a year.
Superman
TBD. There's a couple of "projects" in the wind, including a Man of Steel sequel, a Black Superman show or movie. Nothing new in months on any front and I'm betting the current reshuffle puts all of it right back at square one.
Along with Batgirl, the plans for a Wonder Twins movie, a New Gods movie and an Aquaman spin off called "The Trench" have all been cancelled.
I'd bet there's more cancelling on the way. This "line-up" will look very different this time next year.
Television
The future of DC Comics is likely no longer on the CW since it's been sold to an interest that looks to be more interested in cheap reality and game shows than weekly superhero drama and all the costs that adds up to. Still, WB has HBOMax and so far seems willing to spend a few bucks on shows to stream there. How many shows and just which shows we'll get are questions that have yet to be answered. Here's what I know or hear as "probable".
Green Lantern
There still seems to be movement on the show, even though they might be concurrently developing a movie around the property. Given that the Green Lantern Corps includes thousands of neato alien space cops, I think I prefer a series that might get to introduce more than just a handful of them in live action. It'll be bloody expensive I'm guessing...
Strange Adventures
This one is intriguing but recent offhand comments from Kevin Smith may indicate that it's already dead. I hope not. It's an anthology show that sounds like fun with a sort of Twilight Zone in spandex vibe that will showcase different, less explored areas of the DC Comics universe. I'd love to see it come to fruition.
Batwheels
An animated Cars meets Batman show for kids. It'll be awful, but I will still watch. Premiered today, in fact.
My Adventures with Superman
Another animated entry, due next year. Sort of Superman Year One with an exploration of Clark Kent's early days in Metropolis. There hasn't been a Superman cartoon series in a while, so I'm all aflutter for this one.
Batman - Caped Crusader
Batman gets animated and I can't wait. Bizarrely dumped from HBOMax despite a promising premise and a creative team that includes the brilliant Bruce Timm, it's being shopped around and will likely see daylight somewhere next year. Again, that aflutter thing.
Justice League Dark
Despite the cancellation of Constantine and Madame X, characters likely to have fed into this series, there's been no announcement of it being shelved...yet. It's another great concept that deserves the adult approach that's possible on HBOMax, so despite long odds, I'm hoping it happens.
Arkham Asylum
Originally, this was going to be a cop show set in the Gotham of the recent The Batman movie. It's evolved into a psychological thriller set in the famed Asylum that houses the worst villains in Batman's rogue's gallery. Still a go, as far as I know.
The Penguin
Another show spun out of The Batman with Colin Farrell's excellent take on the character getting a shot at leading a crime empire show. Another go, so far at least.
Superman
This is apparently going to be the Val-Zod version of the character, meaning a Black man as Superman. I'm hoping that it happens but since its announcement, radio silence.
Dead Boys Detective Agency
This one is spinning out of Doom Patrol. Not a property I'm familiar with or enthusiastic about, but I've been surprised before. In development, no idea if it makes a screen one day or not.
Sweet Tooth
I couldn't get through season 1, but apparently enough folks could to get season 2 greenlit. Maybe I'll give it another try...
Pennyworth
Season 3 of this extremely weird show is set to premier in October. I'm not a huge fan but it has had a few moments of brilliance in the first two seasons. No word on season 4.
Harley Quinn
Season 3 just ended, season 4 has been greenlit. Love this show!
Titans
Filming on season 4 just wrapped. It's been an uneven run but still better than the last few seasons of anything on the CW.
Doom Patrol
This show is so damned weird but it has some joyously fun moments and we got Giant Rita at the end of season 3, so there's a lot of potential for season 4 which is set to start production soon.
Superman and Lois
Season 3 on the way but no large bet for a season 4 unless it moves to HBOMax.
Stargirl
Season 3 is airing now, same kind of odds as Superman and Lois for a season 4, again unless it shifts its home to HBOMax.
With the exception of the few airing shows still afloat and the couple of renewed series, pretty much the entire DC Comics family of shows is standing on very unsteady foundations at the moment. Like the movie line-up, it will likely be a damned sight different in the fall of 2023.
No comments:
Post a Comment