Here’s a Complete List of All the Upcoming DC Movies

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With Aquaman making a $335 million-splash in theaters and Shazam! earning a Rotten Tomatoes score of 90 percent, it seemed like the DC Extended Universe was finally finding its footing.

But DC’s latest film, Joker, was the subject of controversy before it even hit theaters in October. Starring Joaquin Phoenix as the titular supervillain, director Todd Phillips’ solo Joker movie chronicles failed comedian Arthur Fleck’s transformation into the Clown Prince of Crime in the years before Bruce Wayne takes on the mantle of Gotham’s Dark Knight.

While Joker received an eight-minute standing ovation following its premiere at the 2019 Venice Film Festival and nabbed many positive reviews, some critics called it “dangerous,” “deeply troubling” and “a toxic rallying cry for self-pitying incels.”

Now, it’s received 11 Oscar nominations — including key nods like Best Actor for Phoenix, Best Director for Phillips and Best Picture — a development that has sparked continued debate about the movie.

But regardless of their thoughts on Joker, DC Extended Universe fans aren’t going to have to wait long for more action. This year, Birds of Prey and Wonder Woman 1984 will hit theaters in February and June, respectively, followed by The Batman, The Suicide Squad and Black Adam in 2021.

In fact, Warner Bros.’ full slate of upcoming DC flicks, which includes nearly 25 titles, is jam-packed with movies that are sure to have superhero enthusiasts racing to secure their seats on opening night.

From DC movies that have a set release date to those that are still in development, here’s a complete list of all the upcoming DC movies — including those that don’t fall under the umbrella of the DC Extended Universe.

Birds of Prey (Feb. 7, 2020)

Universe: DC Extended Universe

Margot Robbie will return as Suicide Squad favorite Harley Quinn to assemble her own team of superheroes in Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).

“I pitched the idea of an R-rated girl gang film including Harley, because I was like, ‘Harley needs friends,'” Robbie told Collider in May 2018. “Harley loves interacting with people, so don’t ever make her do a standalone film.”

Robbie gave DC fans their first look at Harley’s new Birds of Prey look in a photo she posted on Instagram in January 2019. “Miss me?” she captioned the shot.

Helmed by Indie director Cathy Yan, the female-led flick will also star Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress, a “former mafia princess who was devastated at a young age when her family was killed in a mob hit,” according to Variety; Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary, a vigilante who takes down opponents with a powerful sonic scream; Rosie Perez as Gotham City PD detective Renee Montoya; and Ewan McGregor as the villainous Black Mask.

Although Batgirl was a member of the Birds in the comics, in the movie, a younger Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco) will come under the protection of the titular team of heroes.

Birds of Prey was written by Christina Hodson (Bumblebee).

Wonder Woman 1984 (June 5, 2020)

Universe: DC Extended Universe

The Wonder Woman franchise is continuing its march toward Diana Prince’s (Gal Gadot) present-day Justice League storyline with a 66-year time jump from the end of WWI to 1984. Following the success of 2017’s Wonder Woman — which became the highest-grossing live-action film directed by a woman less than a month after it hit theaters — Patty Jenkins is hoping for a repeat performance from Wonder Woman 1984.

“I want to make great movies. I realized I have these characters that I love, this world that I love, and we can make this whole new movie about something pure and strong and unique as the first one,” Jenkins said at San Diego Comic-Con 2018.

While Gadot has said that Wonder Woman 1984 is not a sequel, but rather a “different chapter,” both Gadot and Chris Pine — whose character, Steve Trevor, appeared to die in Wonder Woman — are reprising their roles from the first installment. Kristen Wiig is joining in on the fun as Cheetah, a friend-turned-foe with the ability to transform into a human-cheetah hybrid, while Game of Thrones‘ Pedro Pascal is set to play the villainous Max Lord.

The Wonder Woman 1984 script is based on a story by Jenkins and former DC Entertainment president Geoff Johns and was written by David Callaham (Godzilla, The Expendables).

The Batman (June 25, 2021)

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Robert Pattinson arrives to attend the 11th Annual Governors Awards gala hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood on October 27, 2019AFP via Getty Images

Universe: DC Extended Universe

Speculation over a possible Ben Affleck solo Batman movie began floating around in summer 2015, when it was reported that Affleck was in talks with Warner Bros. to star in, co-write and possibly direct the standalone superhero flick. Affleck later decided to step down from the director’s chair in order to focus on his lead role, and Matt Reeves (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) was brought on board to direct.

However, Affleck will not star in Reeves’ movie, which is expected to focus on a younger Bruce Wayne. Instead, Robert Pattinson is set to become the latest actor to take on the mantle of the Caped Crusader while Zoë Kravitz, Colin Farrell and Paul Dano will appear as Catwoman, the Penguin and the Riddler, respectively.

“Obviously, we’re not doing an origin tale or anything like that. We’re doing a story that is definitively Batman though, and trying to tell a story that’s emotional and yet is really about him being the world’s greatest detective and all the things that for me, since I was a kid, made me love Batman,” Reeves said at a Television Critics Association panel, according to Slash Film.

The Suicide Squad (Aug. 6, 2021)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Universe: DC Extended Universe

Warner Bros. has said that The Suicide Squad is not a sequel to Suicide Squad (note the article distinguishing the two titles from one another). Marvel director James Gunn, who was fired and later rehired to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, has been tapped to pen a script and direct what will reportedly be a “reboot” of the first movie. Only some of the original cast members, including Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman and Viola Davis, will return, and Idris Elba, Pete Davidson, Taikia Waititi and Storm Reid will all join the cast.

Notably absent are Will Smith, who played Deadshot in the first film, and Jared Leto, whose days playing the Joker seem to be over.

Black Adam (Dec. 22, 2021)

Universe: DC Extended Universe

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been attached to play DC antihero Black Adam in a DCEU movie for more than a decade. But while he was originally intended to be the villain in Shazam!, Warner Bros. later decided to give each character their own standalone movie before pitting the two against each other on the big screen. Jaume Collet-Serra (Jungle Cruise, The Shallows) is directing Black Adam from a script by Adam Sztykiel (Rampage).

“BLACK ADAM is blessed by magic with the powers equal to SUPERMAN, but the difference is he doesn’t toe the mark or walk the line,” Johnson captioned an Instagram announcing the movie’s November 2021 release date. “He’s a rebellious, one of a kind superhero, who’ll always do what’s right for the people – but he does it his way. Truth and justice – the BLACK ADAM way.”

The Flash (July 1, 2022)

Universe: DC Extended Universe

A Flash spin-off was originally intended to be DC’s first post-Justice League release, but due to a series of director switch-ups and star Ezra Miller’s busy schedule, the fastest man alive flick isn’t expected to start shooting until at least 2021.

IT and IT Chapter Two director Andy Muschietti is currently onboard to helm Barry Allen’s first solo adventure, based on a script by Birds of Prey screenwriter Christina Hodson.

“What captivated me about the Flash is the human drama in it,” Muschietti told Fandango in August 2019. “The human feelings and emotions that play in the drama [of it]. It’s going to be fun, too. I can’t promise that there will be any horror [elements in it], really, but it’s a beautiful human story.”

Aquaman 2 (Dec. 16, 2022)

Jason Momoa as Aquaman in "Aquaman."Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Universe: DC Extended Universe

With Aquaman pulling in over $1 billion worldwide to become the highest grossing DC movie of all time, it’s no surprise that Warner Bros. quickly greenlit a sequel. David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who co-wrote the first movie, is penning the new installment while both James Wan and Peter Safran are in talks to return as producers, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It’s currently unclear whether Wan will also return as director.

The Trench (TBD)

Universe: DC Extended Universe

An Aquaman horror spinoff centered on the man-eating creatures of the kingdom of the Trench is also in development at Warner Bros., with writing duo Noah Gardner and Aidan Fitzgerald penning the script and James Wan and Peter Safran producing. Details about the movie’s plot are still scarce, but it’s slated to be a much lower-budget production than Aquaman and won’t feature its parent movie’s main cast.

Green Lantern Corps (TBD)

Universe: DC Extended Universe

Despite the fact that the 2011 Ryan Reynolds-led Green Lantern solo movie was heavily panned by both critics and audiences, Warner Bros. has opted to move forward with a reboot that will introduce multiple Green Lanterns into the DCEU. Silver Age Green Lantern Hal Jordan will reportedly be paired with a younger John Stewart for a buddy cop-style movie that will focus on Stewart’s origin story.

Green Lantern Corps will be written and produced by former DC Entertainment president Geoff Johns, who wrote Green Lantern comics for nearly a decade. No director is yet attached.

Although Green Lantern Corps “remains a priority” for Warner Bros., according to a November 2019 report by Variety, its original July 2020 release date seems to be no more.

Cyborg (TBD)

Youtube

Universe: DC Extended Universe

Following his cameo in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Cyborg was formally inducted into the DCEU in Justice League. Ray Fisher was then set to reprise the role of Victor Stone in a solo movie that, according to Joe Morton — who played Cyborg’s father, Silas Stone, in Justice League — could potentially expand on a storyline that was scrapped from the 2017 superhero flick.

The Cyborg standalone was originally slated for an April 2020 release, but given the lack of updates about the movie, it seems that date has been pushed back.

New Gods (TBD)

Universe: DC Extended Universe – provisionally

Following the March 2018 release of A Wrinkle in Time, Warner Bros. announced that director Ava DuVernay will be adapting Jack Kirby’s comic New Gods for the DC Extended Universe from a script she’s co-writing with Mister Miracle comic book writer Tom King.

If the movie follows the comics, the story will likely center on the war between the Fourth World planets of New Genesis, a utopia ruled by the Highfather, and Apokolips, a dystopia ruled by the despot Darkseid. DuVernay has confirmed on Twitter that both Darkseid and the villainous Female Furies will appear in the movie.

Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds), Darkseid’s uncle, was already introduced into the DCEU in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and later returned as the main villain in Justice League. Some fans also speculate that Darkseid was the menacing “he” that Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) referenced at the end of Batman v Superman.

“The bell’s already been rung. And they’ve heard it. Out in the dark among the stars. Ding dong, the God is dead,” Luthor told Batman (Ben Affleck) following Superman’s (Henry Cavill) death. “But a bell cannot be unrung. He’s hungry. He’s found us. And he’s coming.”

However, some reports seem to indicate that New Gods will exist outside of the DCEU entirely and is intended to be the start of a new universe of properties for Warner Bros.

Justice League Dark (TBD)

Universe: DC Extended Universe

Originally titled Dark Universe, Justice League Dark has been in development since at least 2013, when Guillermo Del Toro confirmed he was working on the movie. Nearly six years later, Del Toro is no longer involved, but the project is supposedly still active.

Doug Liman (The Bourne of Idenity, Mr. and Mrs. Smith) was also attached to Justice League Dark for a period of time, but exited in May 2017.

Details about the movie’s plot are being kept under wraps, but as The Hollywood Reporter explains, in the comics, “Justice League Dark was a loosely organized team of supernatural characters who dealt with threats to the world (and, occasionally, all of existence) that were of a more metaphysical nature than the regular League could handle.”

The members of the team vary, but some mainstays include John Constantine, Swamp Thing, Deadman, Zatanna and Etrigan the Demon.

Batgirl (TBD)

Marvel’s Joss Whedon (The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron) was hired to both write and direct a standalone Batgirl movie in March 2017, but left the project in February 2018 after releasing a statement in which he said he “really didn’t have a story.”

Warner Bros. is now looking for a female director to replace Whedon while Christina Hodson, the screenwriter for Birds of Prey, pens a script for the Barbara Gordon-centric story.

Gotham City Sirens (TBD)

SUICIDE SQUAD
Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in Suicide SquadClay Enos—Warner Bros. Pictures

Universe: DC Extended Universe

Margot Robbie will be back for another DCEU adventure in David Ayer’s (Suicide Squad) Gotham City Sirens movie, which will see Harley Quinn team up with fellow Gotham City female villains Poison Ivy and Catwoman. It’s unclear as of yet what this movie’s relationship is to Birds of Prey, but some fans have speculated that Birds may set up the plot of Sirens.

“It’s a story about three fantastic women who’re trying to find their way in the world, and realize that they have more power together than they do individually,” Ayers told IGN in 2017. “I have daughters, and I want to create something that might be able to help them get along in the world a little bit.”

Geneva Robertson-Dwore (Tomb Raider) is writing the script.

Blackhawk (TBD)

Universe: TBD

Steven Spielberg officially signed on to produce and potentially direct a movie adaptation of the DC comic Blackhawk — a series that centers on the leader of an elite squadron of WWII fighter pilots — in April 2018. Frequent Spielberg collaborator David Koepp (Jurassic Park, War of the Worlds) is writing the script.

“We are so proud to be the studio behind Steven Spielberg’s latest hit, and are thrilled to be working with him again on this new action adventure,” said Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich following the success of Spielberg’s 2018 release Ready Player One. “We can’t wait to see what new ground he will break in introducing Blackhawk to movie audiences worldwide.”

It’s not yet been confirmed that Blackhawk will be a part of the DC Extended Universe.

Supergirl (TBD)

Universe: DC Extended Universe

Warner Bros. put a Supergirl movie written by Oren Uziel (The Cloverfield Paradox) into development in August 2018. Details about the plot have not yet been released, but in the comics, Supergirl is the teenage cousin of Superman who escapes Krypton at the same time as baby Clark Kent.

Nightwing (TBD)

Universe: DC Extended Universe

Although Warner Bros. announced a Nightwing solo film directed by Chris McKay (The Lego Batman Movie) and written by Bill Dubuque (Ozark) nearly two years ago, progress on the movie seems to have stalled indefinitely since.

But according to McKay, there’s still hope for a Dick Grayson standalone chronicling the adventures of the original Robin. “No. You’re going to have to wait tho,” McKay tweeted in October 2018 inresponse to a fan who asked if the Nightwing movie was no more. “Keep hope alive. To paraphrase Dick Grayson: Nightwing lives. Always.”

Deathstroke (TBD)

Universe: DC Extended Universe

After making his first DCEU appearance in Justice League’s end credit scene, Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke was slated to star opposite Ben Affleck in the solo Batman movie. But with that project going in a different direction, Warner Bros. decided to move forward with a Deathstroke standalone.

“I say ‘it’s in the works’ because it is. There’s nothing further,” Manganiello told MTV at San Diego Comic-Con 2018. “I can’t say without speaking out of school. I’m part of a team, I’m a part of a locker room. You don’t talk outside the locker room. All I can say is, for the hardcore fans, it’s in the works. They want it, they want the character to happen, it’s just when he happens. They [want to do it the right way]. Everybody’s committed to that.”

Gareth Evans (The Raid) has signed on to direct.

Lobo (TBD)

Universe: DC Extended Universe

A movie centered on alien bounty hunter Lobo has been stuck in development for nearly a decade —before the DCEU even existed. But with Jason Fuchs (Wonder Woman) now on board to pen the screenplay, it seems the interstellar mercenary flick may get underway. Transformers‘ Michael Bay has reportedly met with Warner Bros. to discuss the project, but has yet to officially sign on to direct.

Blue Beetle (TBD)

Universe: DC Extended Universe

Warner Bros. announced in November 2018 that Jaime Reyes will become the first Latino superhero to headline a movie in a Blue Beetle standalone. Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer (Miss Bala) has been tapped to write the screenplay with Zev Foreman (Once Upon a Time in Venice) executive producing.

Plastic Man (TBD)

Universe: DC Extended Universe

A Plastic Man movie has reportedly been in development at Warner Bros. since December 2018, when the studio announced that Amanda Idoko (Breaking News in Yuba County) was hired to pen a comedic action-adventure script for the DC character who can transform himself into any shape. Bob Shaye, the co-founder of New Line Cinema, will executive produce.

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Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com