Recapping the CREATURE COMMANDOS panel

by Jeremy Fuscaldo

When Guardians of the Galaxy came out, I was fascinated by how unconventional it was compared to other superhero or action films at the time. What made it and its successors (Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 and 3) stand out was its indie auteur visionary, James Gunn, who was previously known for his days at Troma Pictures and on Slither and Super.

In 2018, Gunn was hired at Warner Bros. to write and direct 2021’s The Suicide Squad (not to be confused with 2016’s Suicide Squad), which led to him writing, directing, and producing its spinoff, Peacemaker (starring John Cena). He’s now the CEO of DC Studios.

And among the upcoming projects under his supervision is Creature Commandos, the adult animated series debuting December 5 on Max. On Saturday at New York Comic Con, Gunn, co-executive producer Dean Lorey, and the voice cast appeared on a Creature Commandos panel to talk about the series.

Following the events of The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker Season 1, Creature Commandos follows Amanda Waller (reprised by Viola Davis) dispatching another black ops team of monsters. The team includes Doctor Phosphorus (Alan Tudyk), Eric Frankenstein (David Harbour), The Bride (Indira Varma), Nina Mazursky (Zoe Chao), GI Robot and Weasel (Sean Gunn), lead by Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), the father of Colonel Rick Flag Jr. Steve Agee’s John Economos is also set to return to the screen, marking this as his third outing. Michael Rooker, Benjamin Byron Davis, Gregg Henry, Linda Cardellini, and Peter Serafinowicz have been confirmed as some of the first guest appearances on the show.

During the panel, the voice cast, Gunn, and Lorey took center stage and shared insights on the recording and creative processes, and the psychology of the characters. Gunn revealed that he would direct the voice actors’ performances while the animation team (Bobbypills and Warner Bros. Animation) were given total creative freedom. Animation veteran Rick Morales is a supervising producer.

On the character development, Harbour said that you will fall in love with the characters, but you will be appalled and infuriated by their bad decisions. A baby cried in the panel audience, leading to someone joking that this is the audience for Creature Commandos. This was backed up by Gunn, who said this will be different from the Guardians of the Galaxy films; he claims it’s the saddest show he has ever written in his career. 

Further elaborating on the writing, Gunn broke down the story structure. In the first episode, the team will assemble. In every episode to follow, we’ll learn the backstory of specific characters based on that chapter’s theme and focus. For instance, Doctor Phosphorus’s backstory will be explored, including how he became a monster. Harbour said Frankenstein’s story will tie into the classic themes of Dr. Frankenstein’s monster, but it will have a fresh take.

As for how this connects to the greater DCU, Gunn confirmed that other shows or films, past or present, will not be required viewing to understand Creature Commandos. While there may be some nods to or Easter eggs from those stories, they will presumably be references rather than plot points.

On the greater DCU connection, the panel pivoted toward the future of other DCU films and the connected universe. It was confirmed that Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. will have an important and integral role in the DCU moving forward. He will already be appearing in Superman and in Peacemaker Season 2.

Speaking of Superman, Gunn said Krypto will have an incredible part in the story and that David Corenswet will amaze everyone as the Man of Tomorrow. He has also confirmed the film is deep in the editing process and that it may be some time before we get a trailer.

He also confirmed that Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow already has its director, Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya); that Milly Alcock’s screen test has already taken place; that the screenplay will be written by actress and playwright, Ana Nogueira (The Michael J Fox Show; The Vampire Diaries; Hightown); that filming is expected to begin in England in January; and that the film will have a different take on the Woman of Tomorrow. It will draw inspiration from Tom King’s comic Woman of Tomorrow. King was confirmed to be involved in the writer’s room of Lanterns, an upcoming TV series about the Green Lantern Corps.

Finally, the panel also showcased upcoming Creature Commandos toys in collaboration with Funko Pop and McFarlane Toys.

All in all, I feel very hopeful for the future of both Creature Commandos and the DC Universe under James Gunn’s supervision. I have always been fascinated by his style of filmmaking and his evolution from writer to auteur visionary. I hope that under his tutelage, other directors and showrunners may reach the same heights.

The Guardians of the Galaxy films, The Suicide Squad, and Peacemaker all feel special to me and others because they touch upon themes of misfits, criminals, or misunderstood people all trying to become better, or at least trying to do the right thing. 

Creature Commandos debuts December 5 on Max.