Outside of the comics, 2024 was a pretty quiet year for DC. It didn’t help that Joker: Folie à Deux turned out to be one of the year’s biggest box office bombs. But there’s a new hope on the horizon. James Gunn’s DCU is coming, and with it a brand new era for DC on the big and small screens.
From Gunn’s hotly anticipated Superman movie to the return of shows like Peacemaker and The Sandman to the expansion of DC’s Absolute Universe, let’s break down the biggest and most important DC projects arriving in 2025.
DC Universe: Every Upcoming Movie and TV Show
Superman Kicks Off the Live-Action DCU
Compared to 2023, which saw the release of no fewer than four films set in the now-defunct DC Extended Universe, 2025 is definitely smaller in scope. Just like with 2024’s Joker: Folie à Deux, there’s only one new live-action DC movie hitting theaters this year. That said, it’s easily the most important movie DC has released in years.
That movie is, of course, James Gunn’s Superman. Where Gunn’s Creature Commandos animated series gave us our first taste of the new DCU cinematic universe, Superman is our first live-action foray into this world. Based on Creature Commandos’ quality, not to mention Gunn’s work on the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, we have high hopes.
Superman casts David Corenswet as the Man of Steel. Rather than exploring Kal-El’s origin story for the umpteenth time, the movie takes place after Superman has been on the job for a few years. He’s trying his best to use his powers to guide and protect mankind and prove that there’s room for decency and kindness in our cynical modern world. In other words, exactly the sort of superhero film we could all use right about now.
Superman also stars Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White. And because this film is our introduction to the DCU in live-action, fans can expect a lot of other DC heroes to drop by. That lineup includes Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho. Also helping tie together the growing DCU will be Frank Grillo, who reprises the role of Rick Flag, Sr. from Creature Commandos.
Needless to say, there’s a lot riding on Superman’s brawny shoulders right now. This film marks the full debut of a brand-new cinematic universe, and it paves the way for a number of big-budget DC projects in the years ahead, from movies like Supergirl and The Authority to shows like Lanterns and Paradise Lost. It’s a piece in a much larger puzzle Gunn is calling “Gods and Monsters.”
The question is whether Superman can succeed where so many DC movies have crashed and burned in recent years. Given the way films like The Flash and Shazam! Fury of the Gods bombed at the box office in 2023, it’s clear fans had written off the old DCEU before it even finished. And Joker: Folie à Deux proved to be a complete misfire for DC in 2024. Is the DC brand irrevocably tarnished in Hollywood, or can Superman start the road to recovery?
Whatever happens, we’re eagerly looking forward to the release of Superman, which hits theaters on July 11, 2025.
Batman: Knightfall Gets Animated
Superman may be the only live-action theatrical release DC is putting out in 2025, but it won’t be the only new DC movie. DC’s line of direct-to-DVD animated films will continue in the new year, with details starting to leak about their ambitious next project.
Following the release of the critically acclaimed two-part Watchmen adaptation, DC is turning to another classic graphic novel for its next adaptation, Batman: Knightfall. In fact, Knightfall is reportedly getting a full trilogy of adaptations, matching the scope of the recent Crisis on Infinite Earths movie trilogy. The trilogy hasn’t been officially announced yet, but as pointed out by The Direct, a listing for the first movie has appeared on the EIDR database.
Batman: Knightfall is the famous 1993 crossover where Batman first encountered the ruthless Bane. Over the course of the story, Bane wears down the Dark Knight physically and psychologically and breaks his back. Left paralyzed, Bruce has no option but to turn the Batman mantle over to another like-minded vigilante named Jean-Paul Valley.
Given that Batman: Knightfall is a trilogy of movies, we assume the first film will adapt Knightfall itself, while the second will cover the follow-up crossover Knightquest and the third will cap off the story by adapting Knightsend. In Knightquest, Jean-Paul establishes himself as a more ruthless and deranged alternative to Bruce, while in Knightsend a recovered Bruce has to reclaim the Batman mantle and save Gotham City from this sadistic new Dark Knight.
Again, DC has yet to formally announce the Batman: Knightfall movies, so at this stage we don’t know the voice cast or potential release dates. It’s possible that Knightfall is a continuation of the Tomorrowverse, meaning that Batman: The Long Halloween star Jensen Ackles would reprise the Batman role again. But it’s also possible that DC has closed the door on that animated universe following the Crisis trilogy, meaning we may see a new actor cast as Batman. Either way, expect Batman: Knightfall to be one of the darkest and most violent Batman movies since DC’s adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns.
DC TV in 2024
There may be only one new DC movie hitting theaters in 2025, but DC definitely has a more stacked TV and streaming lineup planned this year. That includes another addition to the new but rapidly growing DCU, as Gunn’s Peacemaker returns for Season 2.
Peacemaker: Season 2 will be the next DCU project to hit after Superman. How does that work when the first season was a spinoff of Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, which was part of the DCEU? Don’t think too hard about it. Just know that Season 2 continues the misadventures of John Cena’s peace-loving anti-hero Christopher Smith. Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick are all also returning for Season 2, and Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. continues to serve as the glue tying the DCU together.
Peacemaker Season 2 will debut on Max in August 2025, so fans don’t have to wait long after Superman’s release to get more of this growing superhero universe.
We’re expecting one other live-action DC series to arrive in 2025, as Netflix finally continues the saga of The Sandman. Tom Sturridge is back as Morpheus, as the Lord of Dreams deals with new challenges to his realm. One of those challenges comes from Gwendoline Christie’s Lucifer, who is out for revenge after being outwitted by Morpheus in Season 1. It’s expected that Season 2 will adapt the comic storyline The Season of Mists, a tale that pushes the Morpheus/Lucifer rivalry in a very unexpected direction.
We can also expect to meet the rest of Morpheus’ siblings in Season 2, including Adrian Lester’s Destiny, Esmé Creed-Miles’ Delirium, and Barry Sloane’s Destruction. Why did Morpheus’ little brother Destruction abdicate his responsibilities? That’s another mystery the series looks poised to explore in Season 2.
With production on Season 2 having wrapped in 2024, Netfix has previously confirmed a 2025 release for Season 2. However, executive producer Neil Gaiman was recently accused of sexual assault and abuse by multiple women, and it’s unclear how this might affect Netflix’s timetable.
On the animated side of things, we’re hoping to see new seasons of Batman: Caped Crusader, My Adventures With Superman, and Harley Quinn in 2025.
Caped Crusader debuted on Prime Video in 2024, at which point Amazon had already greenlit the series for a second season. Hamish Linklater will return as the voice of Bruce Wayne and Batman. Based on the ending to Season 1, it seems safe to assume that Season 2 will deal with the emergence of Batman’s greatest foe, the Joker, though we don’t yet know who will voice the Clown Prince of Crime.
As for My Adventures With Superman, this lighthearted, shonen anime-inspired series has been greenlit for Season 3. With Season 1 debuting in 2023 and Season 2 following in 2024, we’re hopeful that the third season can continue that annual release schedule, especially with the new movie also dropping this year. With Season 2 introducing Supergirl and pitting Superman against Amanda Waller and ARGUS, it’s anyone’s guess what parts of the Superman mythos Season 3 will mine.
Finally, Harley Quinn is confirmed to return in January 2025. This decidedly adults-only animated series took a year off in 2024 to make room for the Kite-Man spinoff, but it’s time to put the spotlight back on Kaley Cuoco’s Harley and Lake Bell’s Poison Ivy.
DC Games: Will We See a New Arkham Game?
2025 is looking to be pretty quiet on the gaming front for DC. Rocksteady will be adding Deathstroke as the newest and last playable character to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. After a rough launch in 2024, that live-service game looks to be headed into maintenance mode in 2025.
We could see new DC characters added to the free-to-play fighting game MultiVersus, which already includes mainstays Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Joker, and Harley Quinn. And it’s also possible the Meta Quest-exclusive Batman: Arkham Shadow will be ported to other VR systems in 2025.
But beyond that, there’s not much for DC fans to look forward to in 2025. At best, we hope to see some concrete announcements about what’s coming in terms of DC’s video game roadmap.
We do know there are projects in the works. While Gunn has already shot down rumors of a new game set in Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe, there is at least one new Batman game in development right now. Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav confirmed as much when he revealed on a recent investor call that Batman is one of the core pillars of the company’s gaming future going forward.
Could Rocksteady be working on the next entry in the Arkham franchise? Or will another studio take charge of putting players in Batman’s boots? Either way, we’re hoping to catch a glimpse of this mysterious game at some point in 2025. And while we’re at it, it would be nice to see a little more of Monolith’s Wonder Woman game, which was announced at the 2021 Game Awards but has basically dropped off the map since.
DC Comics Goes All In
DC may have had a rough year on the big screen in 2024, but DC Comics is coming off a very successful year and looking to continue that momentum into 2025.
DC’s main focus right now is on the DC All In initiative, which aims to give readers fresh, easy jumping-on points for all of DC’s ongoing titles. That includes major books like Tom King and Daniel Sampere’s Wonder Woman, Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora’s Superman, Tom Taylor and Mikel Janin’s Detective Comics, and Mark Waid and Dan Mora’s Justice League Unlimited. We’re also eagerly looking forward to digging into Ram V and Evan Cagle’s New Gods, a series that just kicked off in December 2024 and will be as important as any other when it comes to charting the Darkseid-focused future of the DC line.
DC’s Absolute Universe: Preview Art Gallery
Then there’s the Absolute Universe, the other side of the DC All In coin. The Absolute line is similar to Marvel’s Ultimate Universe in that it focuses on updating and streamlining DC’s iconic heroes without the burden of decades of existing continuity. Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta’s Absolute Batman, Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman’s Absolute Wonder Woman, and Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval’s Absolute Superman have all proven to be big hits for DC, and they’ll continue to expand the line heading into 2025. Look for new additions like Al Ewing and Jahnoy Lindsay’s Absolute Green Lantern, Jeff Lemire and Nick Robles’ Absolute Flash and Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez’s Absolute Martian Manhunter, all debuting in March.
DC’s biggest story of the year, however, may well be Batman: Hush 2. This sequel brings back writer Jeph Loeb and artist Jim Lee for a brand-new mystery centered around the titular villain. Hush 2 kicks off in the pages of Batman #158, also releasing in March.
Finally, DC is bringing back the beloved Vertigo imprint in 2025. Once the home of critically acclaimed mature readers comics like The Sandman, Preacher, and Y: The Last Man, Vertigo was previously shuttered back in 2019. But now it’s returning as a home for creator-owned comics. James Tynion and Álvaro Martínez Bueno’s The Nice House by the Sea is the first book to carry the Vertigo banner, but we’re expecting a lot more announcements in the months to come.
And that’s what you can expect from DC in 2025. Are you excited for Gunn’s Superman? What about the return of Peacemaker and The Sandman? Cast your vote in our poll and let us know in the comments which new DC project you’re most looking forward to this year.
Also be sure to check out every upcoming DC movie and series.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.
