It's been a wild week for fans of the superhero genre, especially folks who have been watching the DC movies in order. The internet exploded when it was revealed that James Gunn was stepping away at co-CEO of DC Studios, with the public left wondering if we'll ever see his first phase of announced projects called Gods and Monsters. There's been a ton of discourse online, although I think the issue with the DC TV shows (which are streaming with a HBO Max subscription) have the same issue as some Netflix series.
Gunn's DCU might be cooked, and there are countless questions about upcoming DC movies and TV shows. Variety wrote a long story about what's reportedly happening behind the scenes, as well as the perceived missteps of the shared universe. Regarding what happened on the small screen, the publication blamed the three-year wait between seasons of Peacemaker for the sophomore entry being less popular than the first.
I personally loved how Peacemaker Season 2 retconned the Justice League and helped establish the new DCU, but not everyone was quite as invested as me. Fans have bee wondering if Peacemaker might get a Season 3, although that seems more unlikely with Gunn out.
While all eyes are on what DC did or didn't do wrong, I think that this symptom is something that's also happened for plenty of shows that are available with a Netflix subscription. We've seen a number of years pass between season of Stranger Things, Wednesday, Squid Games and more. While those are some of the streaming service's most popular projects, there are fans who dropped off or lost interest due to the long gap between seasons. Considering how many TV shows many of us watch, those years result in fans not really remembering what had happened during previous seasons.
Netflix also has a penchant for cancelling shows after just one season, and that very well might be happening at DC as well. Fans have been wondering if we'll get Lanterns Season 2, and concerns over the show's future have only gotten louder now that James Gunn and Peter Safran are out. Creature Commandos also hit HBO back in 2024, and there's been no indication that the animated series will get another batch of episodes. While folks are dissecting ever decision the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker made as co-CEO of DC Studios, I can't help but notice connective tissue with some problems that have followed Netflix.
Only time will tell what Gunn's replacement Former Marvel Studios executive and producer Jeremy Latcham is cooking up at DC. Fans are nervous about what's coming next, especially since we're still so early into the run of the DCU.
The next DC movie hitting theaters on Man of Tomorrow, directed by Gunn and releasing on July 9, 2027. What comes next for the shared universe after that sequel's release is anyone's guess.
