The DC Universe is about to get a major makeover in the coming years. James Gunn, director of such films as Guardians of the Galaxy and Slither, is now heading up DC Studios alongside producer Peter Safran. The duo has pulled back the curtain on their plans for the first chapter of their vision for the new DCU, which is actually titled Gods and Monsters. So it seems genre fans have some stuff to look forward to. While more projects are set to be announced at a later date, Creature Commandos is one worth paying attention to from this initial lineup.
CREATURE COMMANDOS — This seven-episode animated show, written by James Gunn, shows Amanda Waller creating a black-ops team out of monstrous prisoners. #DCStudios
Get to know the Creature Commandos: https://t.co/syEthaTpiw pic.twitter.com/1BfaFmwSlP
— DC (@DCComics) January 31, 2023
The animated series is written by Gunn personally and will consist of seven episodes. The team originated in the pages of DC Comics back in 1980, as created by J.M. DeMatteis and Pat Broderick. Gunn, speaking at a press event (per Comicbook.com) explained a bit about the show in question but, more broadly, about how they’re going to approach the DCU moving forward.
“Creature Commandos is based on the great team from DC. What we’re doing with the DCU is, we are having animation tied directly into live action. Television, movies, and games all intertwine within the same universe. We’re going to cast actors that are going to be able to play the characters in this as well as in other things, some of which we’ve already cast. I’ve written all seven episodes of the show, and it’s in production. So that’s the first thing, and I love it.”
So, presumably, some of these characters could show up elsewhere in future live-action projects, even though this show will be animated. The lineup for the show will include Rick Flag Sr., Nina Mazursky, Doctor Phosphorus, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, G.I. Robot, and Weasel. Some of those names will sound familiar for a variety of reasons. For horror fans, Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein need no introduction, though these will, admittedly, be different versions, as they exist within the confines of the DC Universe.
Aside from that, Rick Flag was in both Suicide Squad and The Suicide Squad, as portrayed by Joel Kinnaman. Here, we’ll get to see some of his father. There’s also Weasel, another relic of The Suicide Squad, who was played by Sean Gunn. He had very little action in that film, though his time on screen was quite memorable. Presumably, we’ll see much more of him here.
Elsewhere in the announcement, it was revealed that a new Swamp Thing movie is also coming our way. No director or cast has been announced for that one yet. The big takeaway here is that DC, in its new form, will not be shying away from the horror side of its universe. Rather, they are embracing it rather fully, giving us some high-profile projects focused on these characters. The future seems bright in that regard.
Creature Commandos does not yet have a release date, but it is expected to be released on HBO Max.
