2025 has been a huge year for DC, and the franchise’s future looks even brighter. James Gunn’s Superman emphatically launched the DC Universe while Peacemaker Season 2 is continuing to flesh out its world. This new interconnected universe follows in the footsteps of the now-defunct DC Extended Universe, whose future never looked promising after 10 years of inconsistent quality. The DCU, along with separate DC worlds, are set to release tons of movies and TV shows centering on iconic superheroes. DC fans should be psyched about what the intellectual property has in store both on the big screen and on streaming in the near future and beyond.
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DC’s hype-worthy upcoming slate includes movies and shows set in the DCU timeline, as well as projects belonging to other universes.
1) Lanterns – Canon
The DCU’s first project following the conclusion of Peacemaker Season 2 is another TV series that will premiere on HBO Max. Lanterns follows the experienced Green Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and newcomer John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as they investigate a murder on Earth. Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), who first appeared Superman, is also set to feature in the show. Lanterns‘ first season consists of eight episodes, which will take viewers through a detective-style story only loosely connected to the larger DCU narrative. Former True Detective and Ozark executive producer Chris Mundy will serve as showrunner.
Lanterns will stream on HBO Max in early 2026.
2) Supergirl – Canon
The DCU’s next movie stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl, who made her cameo debut in Superman. Directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira, Supergirl bases its story on the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic. The film adaptation follows Kara, a Kryptonian and the cousin of Clark Kent/Superman (David Corenswet) as she embarks on a galaxy-wide mission for revenge with her dog Krypto. Supergirl has already finished filming and is now in the post-production phase ahead of its 2026 release. Other castings include Jason Momoa as Lobo, Eve Ridley as Ruthye Marye Knoll, and Matthias Schoenaerts as Krem of the Yellow Hills. As a direct follow-up to Kara’s brief appearance Superman, Supergirl will delve into its main character’s past and potentially set her up as one of the DCU’s main heroes going forward.
Supergirl will open in theaters on June 26, 2026.
3) Clayface – Canon
Clayface follows Supergirl as the DCU’s third movie. The James Watkins-directed film stars Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen/Clayface, a shapeshifting being made of clay who lives in Gotham City. Expected to feature more horror elements than other DCU installments, Clayface will detail Hagen’s origin story as an aspiring actor whose face gets disfigured, leading to his ascendance as a metahuman. Clayface began filming in August 2025 and has enlisted horror genius Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini as writers. Naomie Ackie and Max Minghella are also part of the cast.
Clayface hits theaters on September 11, 2026.
4) Man of Tomorrow – Canon
Recently announced and coming sooner than most expected, Man of Tomorrow is Superman’s next chapter. Gunn will return to write and direct, though plot details have been kept under wraps as of now. Superman will feature as a prominent character in Man of Tomorrow, however, the movie isn’t planned as a direct sequel to Superman. Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and presumably more Superman characters are slated to play a role in Man of Tomorrow. Arriving just two years after the DCU’s first film, Man of Tomorrow promises to generate just as much fan excitement as Superman.
Man of Tomorrow is scheduled to open in theaters on July 9, 2027.
5) The Batman: Part II – Not Canon
The Batman: Part II‘s many delays have frustrated DC fans, but the sequel to 2022’s The Batman should still draw the masses to movie theaters. Matt Reeves will step back into the director’s role, and Robert Pattinson will again portray Bruce Wayne/Batman in the highly anticipated project, which was announced in April 2022. After the spinoff series The Penguin, The Batman: Part II is primed to expand its dark, gritty version of Gotham City, which exists separately from the DCU. Some fans have advocated for integrating Pattinson’s Batman into the DCU, but that doesn’t appear to be a likelihood right now. Oz Cobb/Penguin (Colin Farrell), Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis), and Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) are among the characters set to return in the sequel, though The Batman: Part II‘s main villain has not yet been revealed.
The Batman: Part II will hit theaters on October 1, 2027.
6) Dynamic Duo – Canon (Assumed)
DC Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation are teaming-up for the first time to make Dynamic Duo, which will tell the origin story of the Robins, also known as Dick Grayson/Nightwing and Jason Todd/Red Hood. The movie will chronicle the duo’s friendship in their early days as they encounter various challenges. In his feature film debut, Arthur Mintz is attached to direct Dynamic Duo, which will be made using puppetry animation.
Dynamic Duo is not part The Batman universe; however, its connection to the DCU is not fully certain yet. The only evidence so far is a post on the DC website that specifically calls out all upcoming DC projects set within the DCU continuity.
Dynamic Duo will release in theaters on June 30, 2028.
Other DC Projects in Development
DC has a ton of projects lined up without release dates, and some of them carry significant implications for the future of the studio. The DCU’s yet-to-be-revealed Batman will take center stage in The Brave and the Bold, while a new Diana Prince will be introduced in an upcoming Wonder Woman movie. Other DCU films, such as Teen Titans, The Authority, and Swamp Thing, are in the works as upcoming installments in the franchise. A Bane and Deathstroke movie and a Mister Miracle animated feature are also in development. Constantine 2, which takes place outside of the DCU, will see Keanu Reeves reprise his role from the 2005 movie.
In the TV realm, DC will release Creature Commandos Season 2 as part of the DCU. Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller is also getting her own series, while Paradise Lost, Booster Gold, and a Blue Beetle show are set to figure in the DCU’s TV lineup at some point in the future.
Since the aforementioned projects are all in the pre-production phase, DC’s plans are always subject to change. If the studio succeeds in getting all of them off the ground, fans should be in for an exhilarating ride that will define DC’s place in the superhero genre.
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