Outside of the comics, 2024 was a fairly quiet yr for DC. It didn’t assist that Joker: Folie à Deux turned out to be one of many yr’s largest field workplace bombs. But there’s a brand new hope on the horizon. James Gunn’s DCU is coming, and with it a model new period for DC on the large and small screens.
From Gunn’s hotly anticipated Superman film to the return of exhibits like Peacemaker and The Sandman to the growth of DC’s Absolute Universe, let’s break down the most important and most necessary DC initiatives arriving in 2025.
Superman Kicks Off the Live-Action DCU
Compared to 2023, which noticed the discharge of no fewer than 4 movies set within the now-defunct DC Extended Universe, 2025 is certainly smaller in scope. Just like with 2024’s Joker: Folie à Deux, there’s just one new live-action DC film hitting theaters this yr. That mentioned, it’s simply crucial film DC has launched in years.
That film is, after all, James Gunn’s Superman. Where Gunn’s Creature Commandos animated collection gave us our first style of the brand new DCU cinematic universe, Superman is our first live-action foray into this world. Based on Creature Commandos’ high quality, to not point out Gunn’s work on the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, we now have excessive hopes.
Superman casts David Corenswet because the Man of Steel. Rather than exploring Kal-El’s origin story for the umpteenth time, the film takes place after Superman has been on the job for a number of years. He’s making an attempt his greatest to make use of his powers to information and defend mankind and show that there’s room for decency and kindness in our cynical trendy world. In different phrases, precisely the kind of superhero movie we may all use proper about now.
Superman additionally stars Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White. And as a result of this movie is our introduction to the DCU in live-action, followers can anticipate a whole lot of different DC heroes to drop by. That lineup consists of Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho. Also serving to tie collectively the rising DCU will likely be Frank Grillo, who reprises the position of Rick Flag, Sr. from Creature Commandos.
Needless to say, there’s so much using on Superman’s brawny shoulders proper now. This movie marks the complete debut of a brand-new cinematic universe, and it paves the way in which for quite a lot of big-budget DC initiatives within the years forward, from films like Supergirl and The Authority to exhibits like Lanterns and Paradise Lost. It’s a chunk in a a lot bigger puzzle Gunn is asking “Gods and Monsters.”
The query is whether or not Superman can succeed the place so many DC films have crashed and burned in recent times. Given the way in which movies like The Flash and Shazam! Fury of the Gods bombed on the field workplace in 2023, it’s clear followers had written off the outdated DCEU earlier than it even completed. And Joker: Folie à Deux proved to be a whole misfire for DC in 2024. Is the DC model irrevocably tarnished in Hollywood, or can Superman begin the highway to restoration?
Whatever occurs, we’re eagerly trying ahead to the discharge of Superman, which hits theaters on July 11, 2025.
Batman: Knightfall Gets Animated
Superman often is the solely live-action theatrical launch DC is placing out in 2025, but it surely received’t be the one new DC film. DC’s line of direct-to-DVD animated movies will proceed within the new yr, with particulars beginning to leak about their formidable subsequent undertaking.
Following the discharge of the critically acclaimed two-part Watchmen adaptation, DC is popping to a different basic graphic novel for its subsequent adaptation, Batman: Knightfall. In reality, Knightfall is reportedly getting a full trilogy of variations, matching the scope of the current Crisis on Infinite Earths film trilogy. The trilogy hasn’t been formally introduced but, however as identified by The Direct, a listing for the first movie has appeared on the EIDR database.
Batman: Knightfall is the well-known 1993 crossover the place Batman first encountered the ruthless Bane. Over the course of the story, Bane wears down the Dark Knight bodily and psychologically and breaks his again. Left paralyzed, Bruce has no possibility however to show the Batman mantle over to a different like-minded vigilante named Jean-Paul Valley.
Given that Batman: Knightfall is a trilogy of films, we assume the primary movie will adapt Knightfall itself, whereas the second will cowl the follow-up crossover Knightquest and the third will cap off the story by adapting Knightsend. In Knightquest, Jean-Paul establishes himself as a extra ruthless and deranged various to Bruce, whereas in Knightsend a recovered Bruce has to reclaim the Batman mantle and save Gotham City from this sadistic new Dark Knight.
Again, DC has but to formally announce the Batman: Knightfall films, so at this stage we don’t know the voice forged or potential launch dates. It’s attainable that Knightfall is a continuation of the Tomorrowverse, that means that Batman: The Long Halloween star Jensen Ackles would reprise the Batman position once more. But it’s additionally attainable that DC has closed the door on that animated universe following the Crisis trilogy, that means we might even see a brand new actor forged as Batman. Either manner, anticipate Batman: Knightfall to be one of many darkest and most violent Batman films since DC’s adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns.
DC TV in 2024
There could also be just one new DC film hitting theaters in 2025, however DC undoubtedly has a extra stacked TV and streaming lineup deliberate this yr. That consists of one other addition to the brand new however quickly rising DCU, as Gunn’s Peacemaker returns for Season 2.
Peacemaker: Season 2 would be the subsequent DCU undertaking to hit after Superman. How does that work when the primary season was a by-product of Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, which was a part of the DCEU? Don’t suppose too exhausting about it. Just know that Season 2 continues the misadventures of John Cena’s peace-loving anti-hero Christopher Smith. Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick are all additionally returning for Season 2, and Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. continues to function the glue tying the DCU collectively.
Peacemaker Season 2 will debut on Max in August 2025, so followers don’t have to attend lengthy after Superman’s launch to get extra of this rising superhero universe.
We’re anticipating one different live-action DC collection to reach in 2025, as Netflix lastly continues the saga of The Sandman. Tom Sturridge is again as Morpheus, because the Lord of Dreams offers with new challenges to his realm. One of these challenges comes from Gwendoline Christie’s Lucifer, who’s out for revenge after being outwitted by Morpheus in Season 1. It’s anticipated that Season 2 will adapt the comedian storyline The Season of Mists, a story that pushes the Morpheus/Lucifer rivalry in a really surprising course.
We can even anticipate to fulfill the remainder of Morpheus’ siblings in Season 2, together with Adrian Lester’s Destiny, Esmé Creed-Miles’ Delirium, and Barry Sloane’s Destruction. Why did Morpheus’ little brother Destruction abdicate his tasks? That’s one other thriller the collection seems poised to discover in Season 2.
With manufacturing on Season 2 having wrapped in 2024, Netfix has beforehand confirmed a 2025 launch for Season 2. However, government producer Neil Gaiman was just lately accused of sexual assault and abuse by a number of girls, and it’s unclear how this may have an effect on Netflix’s timetable.
On the animated aspect of issues, we’re hoping to see new seasons of Batman: Caped Crusader, My Adventures With Superman, and Harley Quinn in 2025.
Caped Crusader debuted on Prime Video in 2024, at which level Amazon had already greenlit the collection for a second season. Hamish Linklater will return because the voice of Bruce Wayne and Batman. Based on the ending to Season 1, it appears protected to imagine that Season 2 will take care of the emergence of Batman’s biggest foe, the Joker, although we don’t but know who will voice the Clown Prince of Crime.
As for My Adventures With Superman, this lighthearted, shonen anime-inspired collection has been greenlit for Season 3. With Season 1 debuting in 2023 and Season 2 following in 2024, we’re hopeful that the third season can proceed that annual launch schedule, particularly with the brand new film additionally dropping this yr. With Season 2 introducing Supergirl and pitting Superman in opposition to Amanda Waller and ARGUS, it’s anybody’s guess what components of the Superman mythos Season 3 will mine.
Finally, Harley Quinn is confirmed to return in January 2025. This decidedly adults-only animated collection took a yr off in 2024 to make room for the Kite-Man spinoff, but it surely’s time to place the highlight again on Kaley Cuoco’s Harley and Lake Bell’s Poison Ivy.
DC Games: Will We See a New Arkham Game?
2025 is trying to be fairly quiet on the gaming entrance for DC. Rocksteady will likely be including Deathstroke as the latest and final playable character to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. After a tough launch in 2024, that live-service sport seems to be headed into upkeep mode in 2025.
We may see new DC characters added to the free-to-play preventing sport MultiVersus, which already consists of mainstays Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Joker, and Harley Quinn. And it’s additionally attainable the Meta Quest-exclusive Batman: Arkham Shadow will likely be ported to different VR techniques in 2025.
But past that, there’s not a lot for DC followers to stay up for in 2025. At greatest, we hope to see some concrete bulletins about what’s coming when it comes to DC’s online game roadmap.
We do know there are initiatives within the works. While Gunn has already shot down rumors of a brand new sport set in Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe, there may be no less than one new Batman sport in improvement proper now. Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav confirmed as a lot when he revealed on a current investor name that Batman is likely one of the core pillars of the corporate’s gaming future going ahead.
Could Rocksteady be engaged on the following entry within the Arkham franchise? Or will one other studio take cost of placing gamers in Batman’s boots? Either manner, we’re hoping to catch a glimpse of this mysterious sport sooner or later in 2025. And whereas we’re at it, it might be good to see somewhat extra of Monolith’s Wonder Woman sport, which was introduced on the 2021 Game Awards however has mainly dropped off the map since.
DC Comics Goes All In
DC might have had a tough yr on the large display in 2024, however DC Comics is coming off a really profitable yr and trying to proceed that momentum into 2025.
DC’s foremost focus proper now could be on the DC All In initiative, which goals to provide readers recent, simple jumping-on factors for all of DC’s ongoing titles. That consists of main books like Tom King and Daniel Sampere’s Wonder Woman, Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora’s Superman, Tom Taylor and Mikel Janin’s Detective Comics, and Mark Waid and Dan Mora’s Justice League Unlimited. We’re additionally eagerly trying ahead to digging into Ram V and Evan Cagle’s New Gods, a collection that simply kicked off in December 2024 and will likely be as necessary as another in terms of charting the Darkseid-focused way forward for the DC line.
Then there’s the Absolute Universe, the opposite aspect of the DC All In coin. The Absolute line is much like Marvel’s Ultimate Universe in that it focuses on updating and streamlining DC’s iconic heroes with out the burden of a long time of current continuity. Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta’s Absolute Batman, Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman’s Absolute Wonder Woman, and Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval’s Absolute Superman have all confirmed to be massive hits for DC, and so they’ll proceed to broaden the road heading into 2025. Look for brand spanking new additions like Al Ewing and Jahnoy Lindsay’s Absolute Green Lantern, Jeff Lemire and Nick Robles’ Absolute Flash and Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez’s Absolute Martian Manhunter, all debuting in March.
DC’s largest story of the yr, nonetheless, might be Batman: Hush 2. This sequel brings again author Jeph Loeb and artist Jim Lee for a brand-new thriller centered across the titular villain. Hush 2 kicks off within the pages of Batman #158, additionally releasing in March.
Finally, DC is bringing again the beloved Vertigo imprint in 2025. Once the house of critically acclaimed mature readers comics like The Sandman, Preacher, and Y: The Last Man, Vertigo was beforehand shuttered again in 2019. But now it’s returning as a house for creator-owned comics. James Tynion and Álvaro Martínez Bueno’s The Nice House by the Sea is the primary e book to hold the Vertigo banner, however we’re anticipating much more bulletins within the months to return.
And that’s what you’ll be able to anticipate from DC in 2025. Are you excited for Gunn’s Superman? What in regards to the return of Peacemaker and The Sandman? Cast your vote in our ballot and tell us within the feedback which new DC undertaking you’re most trying ahead to this yr.
Jesse is a mild-mannered employees author for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your mental thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.
