These 2 DC Projects Accidentally Created a Major DCU Challenge for James Gunn

When it came time for Warner Bros. Discovery to figure out what to do with its DC Comics characters, they turned to a filmmaker with a track record of success for rival Marvel Studios. James Gunn and DC Studios cofounder Peter Safran want to create a coherent, shared universe for these characters. However, the success of HBO’s The Penguin and The CW’s Superman & Lois highlights Gunn’s greatest obstacle to creating his DC Universe.

Gunn has experience working inside the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and WBD wants him to be the DCU’s “Kevin Feige.” The latter is now the head of all Marvel Entertainment, the producer is the architect of the MCU, and its most passionate cheerleader. However, what’s unclear is if the DCU can match the success Feige had with the MCU or, more importantly, if it should even try. While the films released under the DC banner have been hit-or-miss, WBD’s output stood as strong competition to the superheroes from the House of Mouse because not everything was connected. This is what allows two shows as tonally different (yet equally enjoyable) as The Penguin and Superman & Lois to be on-the-air at the same time. A cohesive DCU under Gunn’s stewardship threatens the diversity of projects the DC fans have to choose from.

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Since Avengers: Endgame and the advent of Disney+, Marvel Studios is now responsible for the films, television shows and animated series. Even before this, most Marvel series — outside of the Fox-produced mutant series like Legion or The Gifted — were tangentially associated with the MCU. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC and the suite of series culminating in The Defenders referenced MCU continuity. Conversely, DC Comics television series were all over the place.

“As many of you know, DC has been disconnected in film and television for a long time and it’s [mine and co-CEO Peter Safran’s] jobs…to come in and make sure the DCU is connected in film, television, gaming and animation.” James Gunn in DC’s “Chapter 1 – Gods and Monsters announcement.

Despite not often speaking highly of them, James Gunn is influenced by the Arrowverse. The shows which all ended up on The CW created a shared continuity of stories across multiple live-action and animated series. Gunn’s DCU would emulate this, but also tying in the feature films and, apparently, video games. This inter-connected universe will feature different stories for different age groups. The animated series Creature Commandos is for adults, while the animated film The Dynamic Duo is for younger audiences. (Though the latter is not confirmed to be DCU canon.)

Of course, with Matt Reeves still developing his DC Multiverse, Gunn already has to contend with The Batman, The Penguin and future stories in his “Epic Crime Saga.” While Gunn said he’s glad to have “Elseworlds” story alongside the DCU, WBD may not be so eager. Gunn announced the Batman and Robin film The Brave and the Bold, but the project hasn’t even moved to the casting phase. Andy Muschietti was announced as the director, but since The Flash bombed things have been quiet on that front.

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In past years, it wasn’t rare to see many different styles of DC Comics’ inspired programming on television. Along with the Arrowverse shows there were adult-oriented series like Titans or Doom Patrol. There were also other all ages shows disconnected from the shared universe on The CW like Stargirl or Naomi. Currently, DC fans have both The Penguin and the final season of Superman & Lois to watch each week. Those two shows, however, couldn’t be more different.

The Penguin is a Game of Thrones-like saga with no heroes and wanton violence. Superman & Lois is perhaps one of the most earnest shows ever produced under the Berlanti productions banner. Oz Cobb is a vicious, manipulative villain who doesn’t seem to truly care about anyone. This version of Superman — who is Clark Kent is married to Lois Lane with twin sons — is a purely good version of the Man of Steel. He cares about everyone, even the villains trying to wreck his or other worlds.

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The two shows represent the kind of tonal diversity that is difficult to find in the MCU. The new Marvel Spotlight branded series, which skew more adult, like Echo and 2025’s Daredevil: Born Again show Marvel Studios is trying to change the homogeny of its shows. If James Gunn hopes to unite the DCU across film, television, live action and animation, it could mean the end of shows like The Penguin and Superman & Lois co-existing.

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Both The Penguin and Superman & Lois cater to different audiences in search of different things from the stories they take in. Oz Cobb’s quest for power in Gotham appeals to the fans who want gritty, realistic and adult-focused storytelling. The adventures of Clark Kent, Lois Lane and, now, Lex Luthor in Smallville appeals to fans who want heroic morality plays the whole family can enjoy. Yet, there’s also likely a core audience of diehard DC fans who tune into both.

These loyalists are similar to Marvel fans who kept the brand afloat during the days when Marvel relied on other studios to produce their films. Even once the MCU was underway, Marvel Television created shows both loosely adjacent to the shared universe of the films and completely divorced from them like Legion, Helstrom and the animated Hit-Monkey. Since the X-Men and Fantastic Four are back in the Marvel fold, people who want something different from the MCU have only reruns to turn to.

The problem facing Marvel Studios isn’t “superhero fatigue,” but rather a generational shift in the audience. MCU kids are growing up, thus eager for more adult fare (including avoiding superheroes altogether). For those trying to get into the universe, there are few on-ramps that don’t involve watching some 40-odd movies and shows. James Gunn’s plans for a widely cohesive DC Universe may be too late to capitalize on the shared universe trend. The kids who grew up with the Arrowverse may have also moved on. Those who appreciated DC’s piecemeal approach to its adaptations may not want to sign on to a multi-year epic saga, leaving the DCU with only the diehards to support it.

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The DCU James Gunn envisions is not the kind of all-ages fare that made the MCU a pop culture juggernaut. The animated series Creature Commandos and live-action Peacemaker are shows for adult audiences. His Superman movie seems more geared towards younger viewers. However, will kids want to follow along with a giant shared universe when they are only allowed to watch some of its stories? Instead of linking it all together, should Gunn follow the example set by Greg Berlanti over the past dozen or so years?

Berlanti Productions is the company behind most of the televised DC series that came out in the past decade or more. The series on The CW were mostly connected, even though shows like Stargirl, Supergirl and (as of Season 2) Superman & Lois take place on different Earths. Other shows produced by the company, such as Doom Patrol and Titans embraced adult language and themes yet, unlike The Penguin, were replete with comic book whimsy. Even shows not produced by Berlanti, like Swamp Thing and Naomi, were wildly different offerings.

On one hand, the lack of a shared continuity may have seemed to work against the DC Universe of old on film and television. However, as both The Penguin and Superman & Lois prove, DC characters work across different tonal styles. This might not work so well if the events of The Penguin were somehow relevant to Clark and Lois’s adventures in Smallville. It’s possible that Gunn’s DCU timing is right, especially with the MCU in a transitional period. However, it’s equally likely that by trying to tie everything together, James Gunn could lose the one advantage DC had over Marvel since the beginning.

The Penguin is currently streaming on Max, and Superman & Lois debuts new episodes Mondays at 8 PM Eastern on The CW, and streams on their app the next day.

DCU

Get ready for a brand new DC experience! The DC Universe (DCU) is coming soon, bringing together familiar comic book heroes in a connected storyline across movies, TV shows, animation, and even video games. It is an upcoming American media franchise and shared universe based on characters from DC Comics publications.

Cast

David Corenswet , Rachel Brosnahan , Nicholas Hoult , Milly Alcock , Edi Gathegi , Nathan Fillion , Isabela Merced , Anthony Carrigan , Viola Davis , John Cena , Xolo Mariduena

Where to watch

Max

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