Animal Man: Jeff Lemire Says He’ll Showrun Series If James Gunn Gives Him a Blank Check (Exclusive)

James Gunn, Peter Safran, and the rest the crew at DC Studios are hard at work putting together the DC Universe, a revamped cinematic universe featuring some of the biggest comic book characters in the history of publishing. In the writer’s room helping form the overarching story of the DCU include screenwriters Drew Goddard Jeremy Slater, Christina Hodson, Christal Henry, and comic writer Tom King. In a perfect world, one would be able to expect Jeff Lemire amongst those helping shape the DCU.

In fact, when we posed the question of which Marvel or DC project Lemire would like to showrun—in a recent interview in support of the CBC’s Essex County—he responded with a simple, two-word answer: “Animal Man.”

“If James [Gunn] gave me a blank check and creative freedom,” Lemire said. “That would be the one for sure.”

Animal Man was one of Lemire’s first projects writing for DC, a critically acclaimed two-year run with the character. Running 29 issues and several tie-ins, the series follows Buddy Baker as he balances the power to assume control of any animal abilities he so desires with his mundane family life.

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.”

The DC Universe officially kicks off with Creature Commandos, which has yet to set a release date, and Superman: Legacy, which enters theaters July 11, 2025.

What part of Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters excites you most? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments section or by hitting our writer @AdamBarnhardt up on Twitter!