Summary

James Gunn takes on directorial and writing roles in both Superman: Legacy and Creature Commandos, showcasing his hands-on approach to shaping the DCU franchise. Creature Commandos, as the first project for the new DCU, bridges the gap between the old and new universes with the return of actors from the previous DC Extended Universe. With the casting of Anya Chalotra as Circe, Creature Commandos has the potential to delve deeply into the DCU’s mythology, generating excitement for the future under James Gunn’s leadership.

James Gunn always seems to have a very set and clear vision for his movie and TV projects, and it looks like the new DCU franchise is going to be no different. While Gunn is already playing co-CEO of DC Studios, and writing and directing Superman: Legacy, it appears that he has also put his name down as director on another of the DCU’s first projects.

In a conversation on Threads, Gunn responded to a question posed by one of his followers, asking who directed the main cast on the upcoming animated series, Creature Commandos. It seems that the answer, as it is in many cases, is Gunn himself. This means that both of the projects spearheading the return of the DC franchise are all on the Guardians of the Galaxy helmer, and he will have not only directed both of them, but written them too. This detail emphasizes Gunn’s hands-on approach to shaping the series, promising a distinctive creative vision that has become a hallmark of his work.

Related James Gunn Insists Creature Commandos Will Mark the Beginning of What’s Canon in His and Peter Safran’s DCU James Gunn took to social media to set the record straight: Nothing is canon in the DCU until the Creature Commandos series.

Creature Commandos will have a tough gig when it arrives. The first project for the new DCU, being an animated series, puts it in a strangely unique position ahead of the release of Superman: Legacy in 2025. This animated series is pivotal as it also brings back actors from the previous DC Extended Universe, who will be reprising their roles and creating some kind of tenuous link between the old and new universes.

The series boasts an impressive ensemble, including David Harbour, Maria Bakalova, Frank Grillo, and Sean Gunn, who will voice multiple characters including Weasel, G.I. Robot, and Maxwell Lord within the broader DCU context. The casting also sees the return of DCEU veterans Viola Davis and Steve Agee, who reprise their roles as Amanda Waller and John Economos, respectively.

Related David Harbour Talks Playing Creature Commandos’ Frankenstein in Both Animation & Live Action David Harbour said, “I like the concept of a live-action and cartoon back and forth” when discussing his role in James Gunn’s Creature Commandos.

Amanda Waller’s DC Journey Continues in Creature Commandos
Warner Bros. Pictures

A key element of Creature Commandos revolves around the character of Amanda Waller. In the series, Waller assembles a black ops team of monstrous prisoners, which sounds very much like her role in both Suicide Squad movies.

Gunn has confirmed that Creature Commandos is set in the present-day DCU, opening the door for interactions between these animated characters and live-action heroes like David Corenswet’s Superman. The series is anticipated to mirror the tone of Gunn’s previous successful venture, Peacemaker, but there is still very little known about exactly what will happen in the show.

Gunn recently announced the casting of Anya Chalotra, famed for her role in The Witcher, as the voice of Wonder Woman villain Circe. This casting choice and the inclusion of such a prominent character underscore the series’ potential to delve deeply into the DCU’s mythology, something that Gunn himself has teased many times since his appointment as one half of the DC Studios CEO team.

Creature Commandos will consist of seven episodes in its inaugural season. This series not only marks a significant expansion of Gunn’s role in the DCU but also signals a new era of storytelling within a DC universe that has suffered a lot of upheaval and disappointment in the last few years. As fans eagerly anticipate the release of Creature Commandos, there is a growing sense of excitement about the future of the DCU under James Gunn’s visionary leadership, but that will only continue if the series, and the Superman movie that follows it, live up to some very high expectations.

Creature Commandos still does not have a release date set.