DCStudios will not be repeating the past mistakes of the superhero genre, asJames Gunnhas clued fans in on the DCU’s movie release plan. “Superhero fatigue” is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot online, and is the cause of much debate. While some believe the specific genre fatigue is real (citing that the same thing has happened to Westerns, Rom-coms, and Musicals in the past), others equate the genre’s recent rough patch to lazy storytelling which prioritizes selling toys and future movies. Regardless of which side of the proverbial fence you sit on, one thing is for sure:we’ve watched a LOT of superhero movies over the past few years.
Taking toThreads, James Gunn said “no more” to the over-saturation of the genre on DC Studios' part. The director often uses the social media platform to answer fans' questions about upcoming releases. When asked, “Are we getting 3 DCU films every yearin Chapter 1 or not?” by a fan, the director and co-president of DC Studios gave a clear-cut answer.“No way. That was never even a consideration,“responded James Gunn. Looking ahead at the DCU’s release schedule, its movies and shows are few and far between.Creature Commandoswill kick off the rebooted, multi-medium universe when it debuts on Max this December. The DCU’s first big cinematic release will come by way of Gunn himself, whenSupermanflies into theaters on August 16, 2025.
The DCU Movie Slate Isn’t as Secure as Fans Thought
James Gunn clarifies his past comments about the “Gods & Monsters” phase, and it has left fans nervous.
While Gunn didn’t explicitly say it,the DCU’s movie timeframe goes against the MCU’s release slate from the past decade.Many equate the recent superhero fatigue to the overabundance of Marvel movies hitting theaters every year. While 2024 was the anomaly, with onlyDeadpool & Wolverinereleasing in theaters and stealing the money straight out of our wallets, the heyday of the MCU saw an average of three movies released annually. This was doubled when Marvel Studios made the move to interconnected television, first releasingWandaVisionin 2021, giving audiences even more homework to do before the next movie.
Marvel Studios Have “Learned” From Past Release Mistakes
Marvel Studios has spent the last decade overwhelming fans with new movies and shows, but, according toDisney CEO Bob Iger, the company is slowing down its release schedule. To combat superhero fatigue, Iger said, “the first step that we’ve taken is that we’ve reduced volume, we reduced output, particularly in Marvel.” The comment was made in February of this year, and it appears thatthe studio might have already forgotten its own promise.
2025 is looking to be a packed year of superhero movies and shows by Marvel Studios. The DCU only has its premiere film,Superman, releasing in the new year, but Marvel is going back to its three movie ways. The MCU will kickstart 2025 withCaptain America: Brave New World(releasing on February 14). The franchise’s newest team-up will then get their debut outing inThunderbolts*(May 2). Finally, Marvel’s first family will make their long awaited MCU debut inFantastic Four: First Steps(June 06, 2025).Bladewas also scheduled for release in 2025, but not even Marvel Jesus knows when that film will see the light of day.
Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman is the first movie in Warner Bros.' rebooted DC Universe to center around the titular comic book hero. It introduces a new version of the Man of Steel after Henry Cavill’s departure from the role, honoring the character’s roots as “the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way.”
