As the DC movie universe prepares to unleash its next wave with The Batman, The Flash, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and more, we’re of course keeping an eye on the overall plan for not just the DC Extended Universe but also the DC Comics live-action movie and projects that may not quite fall into that particular world.
Unlike Marvel, DC’s plans don’t include synergy across all mediums. Their movies, while containing many of the same characters, don’t generally cross over with the CW TV-verse that includes The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Superman & Lois, or DC Universe streaming shows like Titans and Doom Patrol. Even the Robert Pattinson/Matt Reeves Batman is set in a different universe from the other current DC movies. At the same time, some HBO Max exclusives are direct tie-ins to the DCEU, such as Gotham PD and Peacemaker.
So let’s take a look at the road ahead for both the DCEU and the bigger universe of DC movies and shows. From Black Adam to Shazam! Fury of the Gods to Aquaman 2 and beyond, read on for all of DC’s planned movies and shows. Some of these are definitely happening, some are in development, and some have big question marks surrounding them, but all could wind up on the big screen sooner or later… (And head here if you want a breakdown of just which DC 2022 movies and TV shows are happening.)
Of course, all release dates remain subject to change due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
What Are the Next DC Movies Coming Out? 2022 Release Dates
For those keeping track, here’s the full lineup of upcoming DC movies and TV shows:
- The Batman (March 4, 2022)
- DC League of Super Pets (May 20, 2022)
- Black Adam (July 29, 2022)
- The Flash (November 4, 2022)
- Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 16, 2022)
- Batgirl (2022)
- The Sandman TV Series (2022)
- Harley Quinn Season 3 (2022)
- Titans Season 4 (Likely 2022)
- Doom Patrol Season 4 (Likely 2022)
- Pennyworth (Season 3) (2022)
- Young Justice: Phantoms Season 4 (2021-2022 Season)
- The Arrowverse TV Series (2021-2022 Seasons)
- Shazam! Fury of the Gods (June 2, 2023)
- Blue Beetle (August 18, 2023)
- Wonder Woman 3 (In Development)
- Gotham PD TV Series (In Development)
- Penguin TV Series (In Development)
- Superman TV Series/Movie (In Development)
- Green Lantern Corps TV Series (In Development)
- Justice League Dark TV Series/Movie (In Development)
- Constantine TV Series (In Development)
- Madame X TV Series (In Development)
- Zatanna (In Development)
- Hourman (In Development)
- Static Shock (In Development)
- Gotham Knights TV Series (In Development)
- Supergirl (Status Unknown)
- Joker 2 (Status Unknown)
Here are the most definite projects that are currently in the works:
The Batman (March 4, 2022)
Director Matt Reeves (War for the Planet of the Apes) is helming the next Batman solo film, which at one time was expected to star Ben Affleck as the Caped Crusader. Indeed, Affleck was originally going to co-write (with DC guru Geoff Johns) and direct the film as well. But instead Reeves crafted his own script and started from scratch with a story set in the second year of Batman’s career. Robert Pattinson takes over the Batman role, with other casting including Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon, Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Paul Dano as Riddler, Andy Serkis as Alfred, and Colin Farrell as Penguin. The film is expected to be the first part of a trilogy.
Black Adam (July 29, 2022)
Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam is finally making his movie debut in 2022. This one has been in the works for years, and will also feature the Justice Society of America with Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, and Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate.
The Flash (November 4, 2022)
The Flash has gone through a variety of directors and writers over the past few years, including helmers Seth Grahame-Smith and Rick Famuyiwa and writers Phil Lord and Chris Miller. More recently, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the team that worked on the Spider-Man: Homecoming script, were involved as directors, but they too left the project. In July 2019, Andy Muschietti (Stephen King’s It) and Christina Hodson came on as director and screenwriter, respectively. Ezra Miller still stars, while Maribel Verdú has been cast as Barry’s mother, Nora. Billy Crudup originally signed on to play Barry Allen’s dad, Henry, but has since dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. At one point it was rumored that Cyborg could appear in the film in some capacity, though the character has reportedly been written out of the movie. However, both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton are reprising their respective Batman roles, and it’s believed the movie will deal heavily with the concept of the DC multiverse.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 16, 2022)
The first Aquaman made over a billion dollars worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing DC film of all time for Warner Bros. So yeah, a sequel is happening. Director James Wan returns to helm Aquaman 2, while David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who co-wrote the first film, is scripting. Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II are also returning.
Batgirl (2022)
Leslie Grace stars as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in this movie which is being made for HBO Max. J. K. Simmons, Brendan Fraser, Ivory Aquino, and Michael Keaton — yes, Batman himself — will co-star in the film.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (June 2, 2023)
It wasn’t long after Shazam!’s April 2019 release that rumors surfaced about a sequel. Zachary Levi will be back as Shazam and director David F. Sandberg and writer Henry Gayden are also returning. Most of the cast from the first movie will return, while Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu join the proceedings as Hespera and Kalypso, respectively.
Blue Beetle (August 18, 2023)
Charm City Kings director Angel Manuel Soto is set to direct Blue Beetle, which will focus on Mexican-American teen Jaime Reyes, the third character to adopt the Blue Beetle name. Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña will play Reyes. Originally planned as an HBO Max film, this title is now slated for a theatrical release.
Wonder Woman 3 (In Development)
After the long-delayed Wonder Woman 1984 finally hit theaters and HBO Max, Warner Bros wasted little time before confirming a sequel. Both director Patty Jenkins and star Gal Gadot are slated to return, and Jenkins previously indicated Wonder Woman 3 will be set in the present rather than being a period piece like its predecessors.
Gotham PD TV Series (In Development)
HBO Max will play host to Gotham PD, a police procedural spin-off to The Batman. The series is specifically set in the first year of Batman’s costumed career (setting it one year before the movie), delving deeper into the corruption and conspiracies plaguing the city. It’s unclear if Robert Pattinson’s Batman or Jeffrey Wright’s Jim Gordon will appear in the series. The Batman director Matt Reeves is producing the series. Boardwalk Empire creator Terence Winter was also set to produce and write Gotham PD, but he later dropped out due to creative differences.
Penguin TV Series (In Development)
HBO Max is also developing a The Batman spin-off series starring Colin Farrell as the Penguin. The series has been compared to the Al Pacino-starring movie Scarface.
DC’s movie and TV plans continue to evolve. Joker became the most profitable comic book movie of all time, so it’s not surprising that reports indicate that DC will pursue more R-rated superhero movies. Of course, Zack Snyder’s Justice League finally debuted on HBO Max in March of 2021, and that cut of the film was R-rated.
Which DC films or shows are you most looking forward to? And which characters or titles do you want to see DC tackle in live-action next? Let’s discuss in the comments!
