What is DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters?

Big announcements came for DC Studios, confirming 10 upcoming DC movies and TV shows that will all be coming in the new DC Universe. DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn confirmed that, while there will be more projects to come, these projects will launch in the first ten years under the banner DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.

In a recorded announcement posted on Twitter, Gunn said that the DCU has been disconnected for a long time and he and Safran are looking to connect these stories between film, television, gaming, and animation. They want to maintain a sense of continuity and that these characters work within a single story. All projects outside of this mainstream DCU continuity will be known as DC Elseworlds, but expect the main DCU to be much more cohesive than it has been.

Similar to the MCU’s phases, DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters will be the official start of the new DC Universe slate, setting up the characters and the overall tone. Based on the name and the chosen projects, it’s not hard to understand why “Gods and Monsters” was chosen.

Superman: Legacy will reintroduce the world to Superman, but it won’t be an origin story. It will focus on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage and his human upbringing. Wonder Woman’s getting a Game of Thrones-style TV series titled Paradise Lost that will feature the Amazons. It takes place prior to Princess Diana’s birth and it will be set on Themyscira. And Batman and Robin will have a Brave and the Bold movie and his sidekick will be his biological son, Damian Wayne.

Although Batman doesn’t have superpowers, he’s part of the DC’s trinity, and these projects encapsulate the idea of “godhood” in the DC Universe at large. Other titles that fit into this category are The Authority movie, Wildstorm superheroes who’ll interact with the DCU, the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow movie, a sci-fi adventure movie, the Booster Gold TV series, and the True Detective-inspired Lanterns TV series featuring Hal Jordan and John Stewart.

As for the “monsters” part of this equation, Swamp Thing will be getting a horror movie, and it’s a tonal shift from the rest of the DC Universe that will hopefully expand into other characters of the supernatural variety. The animated series Creature Commandos is coming from Gunn who’s already written the episodes, and the characters will appear in live-action as well. And an Amanda Waller Tv series starring Viola Davis is in the works.

The gods and monsters theme is heavy in DCU Chapter One, and the other projects that will eventually join them will likely share the same ideas for that sense of continuity.