What is the DCU endgame? What James Gunn's Story Should Lead To

james gunn DC Universe It's just getting started, but there are already some seeds that could lead to some different and innovative future events that the franchise could develop. The first DCU films and TV shows were announced in January 2023. Nearly two years later, Gunn's DCU has finally begun. The first two entries in the shared universe have Gunn as the main creative force. Creature Commandsan animated series from TV-MA, kicked off the franchise, with the first of the upcoming DC films starring David Corenswet's Superman. The latter recently started its marketing campaign.

The first trailer for James Gunn's Superman movie has been released, and it shows how the Man of Steel's humanity and desire to help others will be an important part of him in a world full of superheroes and supervillains. WNature commands and Superman aren't the only DCU projects that could set up other characters and stories for the future of Gunn's DC Universe. Gunn is mixing major heroes like Superman and several Green Lanterns with more obscure characterslike Booster Gold and The Authority, in early DCU projects, which could lead to different endings.

Justice League Feels Like Chapter One's Endgame

The superhero team has apparently already appeared in the DCU

The first endgame that could be created for the DCU is the formation of the Justice League. Rather than opting for a smaller roster like that of the 2017 Justice League film, which featured six heroes, it's more likely that the D.C.U. assembling a vast list of characters for his version of the JLA. There are different versions of the team in this format, like the animated one Justice League Unlimited series. The DCU has no problem inserting multiple heroes or villains into one project, which means two things.

Many heroes will be left out of the Justice League or an expansive version of the team will make it to the next live-action installment. 2025 Superman will feature the Man of Steel, Metamorpho, Mr. Terrific, Hawkgirl, Green Lantern Guy Gardner and reportedly Supergirl. Likewise, DCU films and series like Batman's The brave and the bold film or Flashlights the series will star several characters. With the creation of the Justice League being a likely goal - especially since Supermanthe other heroes seem to already be organized with matching costumes — then the story that would unite the team comes into question.

The first DCU project has already set up a possible story for the Justice League. Creature Commands Episode 4 had Circe show Amanda Waller a vision of a future she saw Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and apparently several Justice League heroes dead. The threat in question was Princess Ilana Rostovic, who apparently chose to ally with Gorilla Grodd and others to devastate the world. With Rick Flag Sr. not wanting to kill Ilana, this prophecy could come true. There's also a chance that if she dies, Grodd himself or another villain will take her place.

Flashlights can start the path into the blackest night

An even darker endgame for the DCU

Creature Commands and Superman may appear to be setting up the DCU's Justice League, but HBO's Flashlights The series could be the project that starts the franchise on the path to a dark DC Comics event. Flashlights will focus on two main Green Lanterns, Hal Jordan by Kyle Chandler and John Stewart by Aaron Pierrealthough Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner will appear, and more Green Lanterns could follow suit. The series has been described as similar to True Detectivewith a veteran Lantern, Jordan, and a rookie hero, Stewart, investigating a mystery on Earth. Check it out Flashlights' synopsis below:

"Lanterns follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic police officers drawn into a dark Earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the heart of America."

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn shared interesting details about Flashlights in the official CC website. According to Gunn, Flashlights'mystery will lead to'the general story"of the DCU projects. He also added that Hal Jordan and John Stewart will find a "ancient horror on Earth." This could end up being the beginning of the Blackest Night story. The ancient horror described by Gunn would fit with DC Comics' Nekron, which is a powerful being that serves as the personification of death. If the Green Lanterns let Nekron loose by accident, the dead characters could come back as Black Lanterns.

Crisis on Infinite Earths would make the most of the multiverse

DC has used the multiverse before in live action

With James Gunn making it clear that he is a huge comic book fan and that the DCU will be closer to the comics than the DCEUDC's biggest story could be adapted into live action – again. The multiverse has become a popular storyline in current superhero adaptations. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in the midst of its Multiverse Saga, while both DC's past shared universe on TV, the Arrowverse, and in film, the DCEU, have used characters and stories from the multiverse. Gunn could take a page from the Arrowverse's most ambitious crossover event and make a big-budget version of Crisis on Infinite Earths.

After some complaints Deadpool and Wolverine brought audiences back to stories from the multiversebecoming the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, showcasing the potential of the multiverse. It's important to note that a new Crisis on Infinite Earths adaptation could serve as the endgame for Gunn's DCU a decade or two from now, and not a short-term DCU crossover event.

This way, Gunn could avoid using the multiverse while Marvel does and also build up the DCU's heroes and villains before looking to the past. That being said, Gunn commented on how he wants to work with The FlashGrant Gustin. A crisis event that pitted David Corenswet's Superman, Henry Cavill's Superman, Grant Gustin's Flash, and heroes from all their universes would be groundbreaking.

The Legion Of Doom Forms To Balance The Game

Villains' answer to Justice League

Based on all the Justice League teases in just the first two DCU projects, it looks like the team won't take long to assemble. As such, the Justice League teaming up and defeating a major villain could be the planned endgame for Chapter One of the DCU. After that, the JLA and the heroes in their DCU projects will be able to defeat major DC Comics villains like Deathstroke, Gorilla Grodd, Sinestro, Black Adam and more. Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor and the rest of the villains might get tired of losing and decide to change the tide.

Before the DCU reboots many years from now and recasts its main characters, a major event would be needed to end the universe. A battle to the death between the Justice League and the Legion of Doom could serve as that endgame, building on a decade or more of history in the shared universe to provide the DCU with a climactic and emotional ending. Through the announced and reported projects of UDCGunn is showing he's a fan of heroes banding together, so a squad of villains like the Legion of Doom could be on his way.

Upcoming DC film releases