Modern horror master Mike Flanagan could be in talks to make a film in the DC Universe in the near future. Flanagan was a little cryptic, but he teased the idea of participating in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s renewed version of the superhero franchise. Maybe he could tackle one of DC’s horror-adjacent properties?

As reported by ScreenRant, Flanagan showed up at Fan Expo Canada 2024, where he was asked about a recent meeting he had with producer Peter Safran in Paris, when he was on vacation. It appears that Flanagan wasn’t only taking a leisure trip with his partner and frequent collaborator Kate Siegel. Flanagan was asked about the meeting, and he said the following:

“I’ll say that I have always been a huge fan of James Gunn as a person and filmmaker, and that is a universe that I would love to be a part of. And… Yeah, we were having a good time.”

The exchange didn’t end there. Flanagan was also asked what his favorite DC characters were, and his answer was far from clear. Everything is under wraps so far, and he has no intention of revealing a project that’s still theoretical. Nevertheless, he gave ScreenRant a very important clue:

“Who my favorite characters are? If I say this, it’s gonna be on ScreenRant. [Laughs] I can’t say anything. Yeah, if you Google hard enough… Just to answer your question, I sure do love everybody over there.”

Flanagan’s next project is far away from the superhero universe. The horror maestro is making a new film in The Exorcist franchise, which is still untitled and scheduled for release in March 2026. Flanagan’s involvement follows the cancellation of a new trilogy led by David Gordon Green after 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer failed to capture critics and audiences. Details about Flanagan’s addition to the Exorcist-verse are still under wraps, but he has promised to make a very scary film. Well, duh.

What Would a Mike Flanagan Superhero Film Look Like?

Mike Flanagan has a very distinct filmmaking and storytelling style. His films usually have his fingerprints all over them, mainly because he has built a cinematic language, prefers to work with the same group of actors, and has comfortably stayed within the realm of horror. Though he doesn’t drift from the usual sub-genres, Flanagan’s execution of supernatural horror is superb, earning him a spot as one of modern horror’s most important auteurs. Even Stephen King has said that Flanagan is a master at adapting his works.

Adapting a darker superhero story is the easy answer to what Flanagan could do in the superhero genre. IPs like Constantine, Swamp Thing, and Justice League Dark are horror-themed stories in the DC universe that could be revamped. However, we did what Flanagan said and Googled. What we found isn’t exactly a confirmation of what Flanagan will do next, but back in November 2022, after a studio meeting, the filmmaker revealed his favorite superhero and the DC movie he was hoping to discuss. This is an excerpt of his answer to a Tumblr question:

We were meant to talk about DC Comics and see if there was anything to do there. I was really hoping to chat about a horror-slanted Clayface movie, and about my favorite superhero: Superman.

No one has brought Clayface to the big screen in live action, and we’d love to see Flanagan’s take on this incredible Batman villain.

Mike Flanagan’s latest film,
The Life of Chuck
, based on a Stephen King novella, is set to premiere on September 6 at TIFF.