DC Studios Slate Pays Tribute to DC History in a Surprising Way

Last week, the landscape of live-action DC adaptations changed pretty significantly, with DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran sharing their plans for a new era of the franchise. The duo’s first initiative of storytelling in the DC Universe, titled “Chapter One: Gods & Monsters”, has a lot of fans to be excited about, with five movies and five HBO Max-exclusive shows. Not only does this crop of ten titles spotlight characters old and new — but, in a surprising way, the film side of it pays tribute to a delightful part of DC’s history.

The five films included in the Chapter One slate thus far are Superman: Legacy, the Batman-centric The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Swamp Thing, and The Authority. Outside of The Authority, the films on this list represent the first four DC characters who ever got their own feature film: Superman got 1951’s Superman and the Mole Man (and later 1978’s Superman and its subsequent sequels), Batman got 1966’s Adam West-led Batman and 1989’s Michael Keaton-led Batman, Supergirl got a self-titled film in 1984, and Swamp Thing got cult-classic films in 1982 and 1989. While it is unclear if this connection is intentional, it is still delightful nonetheless.

What is on the DC Universe slate?

As Gunn and Safran revealed, the initial DC Studios slate for “Gods and Monsters” will include movies for Superman: Legacy, The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Swamp Thing, and The Authority. It will include the HBO Max television shows Waller, Booster Gold, Lanterns, Paradise Lost, and an animated Creature Commandos series.

“We’re honored to be the stewards of these DC characters we’ve loved since we were children,” Gunn and Safran said in a statement when their roles were first announced. “We look forward to collaborating with the most talented writers, directors, and actors in the world to create an integrated, multilayered universe that still allows for the individual expression of the artists involved. Our commitment to Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Harley Quinn, and the rest of the DC stable of characters is only equaled by our commitment to the wonder of human possibility these characters represent. We’re excited to invigorate the theatrical experience around the world as we tell some of the biggest, most beautiful, and grandest stories ever told.”

Are you excited for DC Studios’ slate? What do you think of this connection to DC film history? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!