Summary

James Gunn unveils
Creature Commandos
as solution to unresolved DC Universe storylines, directly tied to
Peacemaker’s
first season.
Amanda Waller assembles new
Creature Commandos
team of monsters due to operational restrictions, promising creative storyline development.
Star-studded voice cast announced for
Creature Commandos
, with new characters and revamped character designs revealed at Annecy Animation Festival.

James Gunn revealed that Creature Commandos will be the answer to the numerous story arcs left by the DC Extended Universe. This series plans to bridge gaps left by previous narratives, particularly linking directly to Peacemaker’s first season.

During a special panel at the Annecy Animation Festival (via The Hollywood Reporter), Gunn, speaking from the Superman movie set, shared that Creature Commandos will continue where Peacemaker left off. The finale had left Amanda Waller, played by Viola Davis, in a precarious position with significantly constrained operational capabilities. Faced with these new limits, Waller’s response is to assemble a team distinctly different from her previous human squads.

In a striking departure, Waller’s new team, the Creature Commandos, is composed entirely of monstrous beings. This shift not only marks a creative turn in the narrative but also reflects Waller’s adaptation to the restrictions imposed on her. Gunn expressed immense excitement about the series, highlighting the creation of the Creature Commandos as a thrilling venture. The director said:

I can’t wait for you to meet them. Creating this series has been one of the absolute joys of my life.

The series will see Davis and Steve Agee return to the fold, reprising their roles as A.R.G.U.S. agents Amanda Waller and John Economos, respectively. Joining them is Sean Gunn, who not only brings back the enigmatic Weasel from Task Force X but also lends his voice to G.I. Robot, playing dual roles.

The series also introduces new characters. Frank Grillo will play Rick Flag Sr., marking an interesting narrative choice by bridging animated storytelling with live-action. Grillo’s character is set to debut in animation and then transition into the live-action Peacemaker Season 2.

The voice cast further expands with notable names such as David Harbour as Eric Frankenstein, Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana Rostovic, and Indira Varma as the Bride of Frankenstein. Zoe Chao, Alan Tudyk, and Anya Chalotra round out this impressive ensemble, each bringing their unique characters to life, from mystical figures to monstrous creations.

Creature Commandos Unveils Revamped Character Designs and Intriguing Storyboards

During the festival, the panel also revealed new character designs and storyboarded sequences. Creature Commandos will have a redesigned character who was previously depicted with four arms and now streamlined to two for her appearance in the DC Universe. This adaptation, voiced by Indira Varma, reflects a practical and more conventional approach suitable for both animated and potential live-action renditions. The Bride, also known as Lady Frankenstein, is a reimagined character from DC Comics’ 2005 series Seven Soldiers by Grant Morrison.

The panel also showcased two storyboarded sequences. The first sequence featured Grillo’s Flag Sr. character in a heated conflict with Alan Tudyk’s character, Doctor Phosphorus. This sequence shows the creative challenges of animating a character who is essentially a walking special effect due to his radioactive, skeletal appearance. The altercation between Flag and Phosphorus ends dramatically as they crash through the floor.

Related James Gunn’s DCU Kicking Off With ‘Funny & Filthy’ Hard R-rated Series Creature Commandos star Frank Grillo offers an interesting description of James Gunn’s DCU first animated show.

In another sequence, viewers were treated to a moment of camaraderie between G.I. Robot, voiced by Sean Gunn, and Nina Mazursky, portrayed by Zoë Chao. Here, the emotional depth of these characters is explored during a quiet interlude. Additionally, a dialogue from Viola Davis’s Amanda Waller teases G.I. Robot’s programmed mission to combat Nazis.

Creature Commandos is slated for a December premiere on the Max streaming service, marking it as the first entry in the revamped DCU lineup.