James Gunn is offering a little more clarity on the future of the DC Universe.
The DC Studios co-head took to Threads this week to explain the studio’s much discussed eight to 10 year roadmap, revealing that Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman remain the three characters at the heart of DC’s long term plans.
Gunn referred to the trio as DC’s “diamond characters,” while also pointing toward several smaller heroes the studio believes could eventually reach that same level.
“The often cited ‘8 to 10 year roadmap’ originally pitched wasn’t only story points,” Gunn wrote, explaining that the plan also included the larger direction of DC Studios.
According to Gunn, that strategy includes focusing on Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman while developing characters such as Krypto, John Stewart and Peacemaker into potential future franchise cornerstones.
The comments also offer a clearer picture of how Gunn and fellow DC Studios head Peter Safran view the new DCU.
Rather than every movie and series existing solely to build toward one massive crossover, Gunn says the universe will continue to mix standalone stories with projects that are part of a larger narrative.
David Corenswet as Superman [dc studios]
He pointed to Clayface as an example of a standalone story, while describing the continuing adventures surrounding Superman as part of a broader “Superman Saga.”
Gunn also emphasized that each project should still be able to stand on its own.
That philosophy has become one of the biggest differences between Gunn’s DCU and the interconnected approach audiences have become accustomed to with modern superhero franchises.
For Gunn, a DC project does not necessarily need to set up the next movie in order to matter.
The filmmaker recently pushed back against criticism that DC Studios should be moving more aggressively toward a major crossover, comparing the approach instead to franchises such as Star Wars, where individual stories can exist in different places and time periods without always serving a single central storyline.
But Gunn’s latest comments make one thing clear: DC still knows exactly who its biggest characters are.
Superman has already become the foundation of the new live action universe, with David Corenswet continuing as the Man of Steel and the story expanding further with Superman: Man of Tomorrow.
Batman remains one of the biggest unanswered questions.
A new DCU version of the Dark Knight is planned for The Brave and the Bold, separate from Robert Pattinson’s Batman universe, but an actor has not yet been officially announced.
Wonder Woman is also being positioned as a major piece of the DCU’s future, with a new film currently in development.
Beyond DC’s traditional Trinity, Gunn appears equally interested in finding the next generation of characters capable of becoming household names.
Krypto has already emerged as one of the breakout characters of the new Superman era, while John Stewart remains a major part of the expanding Green Lantern side of the universe. John Cena’s Peacemaker has also become one of Gunn’s most recognizable DC creations.
For Gunn, those characters represent an opportunity to expand DC beyond its most famous heroes without abandoning the icons who built the franchise.
And according to the filmmaker, the pieces are finally beginning to come together.
Gunn says that progress has made him even more excited about what DC Studios has planned next, particularly Superman: Man of Tomorrow, which is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters July 9, 2027.
