The DCU is officially set to launch later this summer with James Gunn’s Superman, the highly anticipated reboot of the iconic character that is already breaking records. However, that doesn’t mean upcoming DC projects will be relegated to one cinematic universe. Matt Reeves’ epic crime saga, featuring The Batman, remains outside of the DCU, despite speculation stating otherwise. And to curb any potential confusion from audiences, the co-head of DC Studios has confirmed that Elseworld spinoffs will have a distinct intro sequence.
Gunn went to Threads to answer a fan’s question as to why HBO’s The Penguin and the animated Harley Quinn series on Max does not include the DC Studios logo intro. While the new intro sequence can be seen in Creature Commandos, it is absent in the two aforementioned shows. The filmmaker confirms that due to both Penguin and Harley Quinn being set outside the DCU, the DC Studios logo is heavily modified or totally absent. However, he confirmed that they are “currently working on the DC Studios Elseworlds opening,” so future non-DCU projects will indeed feature an entirely different intro sequence.

“Because Harley Quinn was developed long before us, we didn’t think it was fair to put the DC Studio fanfare on there. On Penguin, which we had a small hand in developing, we have a different DC Studios animation at the end.”

The latest news confirms that when The Batman Part II finally hits theaters in 2027, a new intro with the DC Studios Elseworlds branding will be included at the beginning of the film. That said, it’s unknown when it will be seen for the first time, if not The Batman sequel. Still, it’s quite clear that Gunn and DC Studios are keen on making DCU its own entity that takes precedence over everything else. The Batman and other Elseworld-related films and TV shows will surely have their own audience, but the upcoming slate of DCU projects is clearly the priority moving forward.
Every Confirmed Non-DCU Elseworlds Project Thus Far

Besides The Batman and a possible The Penguin Season 2, the Elseworlds side of DC’s future is relatively thin. James Gunn recently confirmed that, despite no updates for several years, J.J. Abrams and writer Ta-Nehisi Coates’ upcoming Superman film is still in the works. Keanu Reeves’ long-awaited return as Constantine is murky right now, but the sequel script has been completed since last year. Meanwhile, Joker: Folie à Deux left things open for another sequel in the mind-boggling ending, but the disastrous box office performance has likely put a pin on Todd Phillips’ DC franchise.

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Interestingly enough, despite featuring another Batman villain akin to The Penguin, Mike Flanagan’s theatrical take on Clayface will be set in the DCU. It’s also been confirmed that Andy Muschietti’s Brave and the Bold will feature an entirely new Caped Crusader, killing any chance of Robert Pattinson’s version of the hero making his way into the main cinematic universe. Other projects shrouded in mystery yet expected to be set in the DCU include Luca Guadagnino’s Sgt. Rock movie featuring Daniel Craig, James Mangold’s Swamp Thing, and the animated stop-motion film Dynamic Duo, featuring Jason Todd and Dick Grayson.