James Gunn and Peter Safran just released the first slate of DC projects under their leadership and it's looking good. Dubbed as Gods and Monsters, the first phase involves established characters, such as Superman and Batman, and surprising entries, like Swamp Thing and The Authority. We take a look down below at these upcoming DC universe movies and rank them according to the impact they can make when released.
James Gunn's Gods and Monsters DC films ranked and explained
5. The Authority
First up on the list is an entry no one expected at all. The Authority is a superhero group consisting of hard-edged characters from Wildstorm Comics. These include Midnighter, a hardened tactician, solar-powered Apollo, the Engineer, a being with microscopic nanites in her blood, Swift, a metahuman with wings, Jack Hawksmoor, a being who draws his power from cities, and the Doctor, a shaman who uses the Earth's energies.
These super-powered individuals may be seen as another clone of the Justice League at first. The truth is, they're grittier and don't fall into the typical trope of superheroes. Their inclusion in the upcoming Gods and Monsters slate opens the door for new blood in the DC universe, which in turn, gives fans new stories to discover. As it stands, The Authority is the ideal vehicle to introduce fresh ideas that can potentially draw interest to the new DC universe by James Gunn and Peter Safran.
4. Swamp Thing
It wasn't that long ago when a Swamp Thing series can be watched on the defunct DC Universe network. While that effort ultimately failed, James Gunn and Peter Safran are seeking to make the character significant again as the new version of this cinematic universe is looking to diversify its offerings.
In a nutshell, Swamp Thing centers around Alec Holland, a scientist who found himself fused with different plants within a swamp after escaping from an explosion. The character would go on to be defined by legendary comic book writer Alan Moore, which raised his reputation in the mid to late 80s for DC Comics.
A couple of decades later, Gunn and Safran are looking to expand the DC Universe by adding Swamp Thing to the first phase. The inclusion of this Alan Moore-creation serves to give the cinematic universe more horror and mysticism, two elements Swamp Thing is known for. If done correctly, the success of this project can open a lot of other characters in future phases of Gunn and Safran's DC universe.
3. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Almost everyone knows how Kal-El's story and how he became the Man of Steel. What's not explored in depth, though, is his cousin, Kara Zor-El, or better known as Supergirl to the world. Even with several adaptations that have been done through the years, both on the small screen and in various animated series, there has never been a film dedicated to the Girl of Steel. James Gunn seeks to remedy that by making Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow part of DC's first phase.
Taking inspiration from the limited comic series written by Tom King and illustrated by Bilquis Evely, the movie's story centers around Supergirl and how she was raised on a piece of Kyrpton that drifted away from the planet. In contrast to Clark's conducive upbringing on Earth, Kara had a harsher and harder time growing up. This stark difference will be explored further in the film, making it an interesting inclusion in DC's Gods and Monsters. At the same time, Woman of Tomorrow will add more to the mythos of both Superman and the overall DC universe Gunn is currently shaping.
2. The Brave and the Bold
For most of its history on the big screen, Batman's story revolves around how he started his stint as Gotham's protector. The thing is, everyone knows how that goes with Bruce losing his parents to a senseless crime, him making a vow to wage war against these criminals, and eventually, the birth of the Dark Knight commences. That won't be the case anymore as Gunn and Safran aim to change the narrative with The Brave and the Bold, a movie that revolves around Batman training his son, Damian Wayne, to take on the mantle of Robin.
While that may sound altruistic at best, it won't be as simple as it may seem. Damian, as it stands, is the son of Thalia al Ghul the daughter of Ra's al Ghul, one of Batman's deadliest foes. Having been raised as an assassin, Bruce must now take the boy under his wing and teach him what it means to be a hero. In the process, something new about the lore of Batman is introduced to fans, paving the way for the Bat Family to potentially make their way onto the big screen.
1. Superman: Legacy
Perhaps the most important film of James Gunn's Gods and Monster slate for DC is Superman: Legacy. After all the chaos Henry Cavill's update brought about, the expectation for this movie is going to reach astronomical heights as the entire cinematic universe hinges on its most prominent character – Superman. This is the reason why Gunn opted to start anew with a younger actor and a fresh story that places Clark's good nature right in the middle of a very complex world. It's safe to say that if Gunn pulls Legacy off, the DC universe will be able to build a solid foundation for all of its upcoming projects.
With two more years until the first film comes out, DC has more than enough time to get things right. These films under the Gods and Monsters banner will surely drive up a lot of interest, especially if the right directors and actors are cast. Nevertheless, now is a very interesting time to become a fan of DC.
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