A legion of heroes and villains are assembling before our eyes as James Gunn's DCU finally starts to take shape. Here are all the superheroes who've been confirmed so far.
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00:00A legion of heroes and villains are assembling before our eyes as James Gunn's DCU finally
00:05starts to take shape.
00:07Here are all the superheroes who have been confirmed so far.
00:11January 2023 saw the announcement of the DCU's first feature film, Superman, though it took
00:16a while before DC Studios revealed any names attached to the project.
00:20But in June 2023, the studio announced David Coren Sweat as its new Man of Steel, while
00:25Rachel Brosnahan was cast as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult was later confirmed to be playing
00:30villain Lex Luthor.
00:31Coren Sweat landed the role with less than a decade of experience in Hollywood, having
00:35launched his acting career with the 2014 internet comedy series Moe & Jerryweather.
00:40His breakout role came in 2019, when he played the recurring part of River Barkley in The
00:45Politician.
00:46He's had some film work as well, most notably playing a supporting role in 2024's Twisters.
00:51Reactions to the film's first teaser suggest that the actor will knock it out of the park
00:54when the film debuts, which makes sense as he's been interested in the role for years,
00:58way back in 2019 before his casting was even a glimmer in James Gunn's eyes.
01:02The actor told Entertainment Weekly,
01:04"...my pie-in-the-sky ambition is definitely to play Superman.
01:07I would love to see somebody do an upbeat throwback take on Superman."
01:12After being cast as the iconic hero, he revealed that he drew inspiration from Grant Morrison
01:16and Frank Quietly's critically acclaimed all-star Superman for his interpretation of the character.
01:22Not long after the major leads for Superman were announced, other casting news followed.
01:26In July 2023, DC Studios revealed that Eddie Guthiegie would play Mr. Terrific, and now
01:31that the teaser is out, there's much that can be gleaned from his appearance.
01:35The original Mr. Terrific debuted in 1942, but the one featured in the film is the second
01:40man to take up the mantle, Michael Holt, who premiered in 1997's The Spectre issue 54.
01:45Guthiegie has said that he takes his role as Mr. Terrific seriously and hit the gym
01:49to get in shape for the part.
01:51The costume and iconic T-shaped mask he wears are taken straight out of the comics, giving
01:55him a look that's incredibly accurate to the source material.
01:58This actually isn't the first time Guthiegie has played a superhero.
02:01He portrayed Darwin in 2011's X-Men First Class, although that role was short-lived.
02:06"...adapt to this."
02:12Outside of his superhero performances, Guthiegie has had notable roles in The Blacklist and
02:17For All Mankind, to name a few.
02:19Nathan Fillion's name was announced alongside Eddie Guthiegie's in July 2023.
02:24With the veteran actor playing Guy Gardner, one of Earth's Green Lanterns, Guy appears
02:28briefly in the Superman teaser.
02:30And yes, that horrendous bowl cut is 100 percent comic accurate.
02:33Guy debuted in 1968's Green Lantern issue 59, and is easily one of DC Comics' most powerful
02:39Lanterns.
02:40He's egocentric and kind of a jerk to work with, but he's a true superhero at heart,
02:45and a great addition to the DCU.
02:47"...ooh, does it mean little Quim and O'Neill need his diaper changed?"
02:51As for Fillion, well, he's obviously no stranger to comic book roles, or working with James
02:56Gunn.
02:57Their long list of collaborations includes Slither, Super, The Suicide Squad, a voice
03:01cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy, and an on-screen appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.
03:063.
03:07When he's not playing a character in a superhero movie, Fillion is busy on the small screen.
03:10He's currently the lead in The Rookie, though he's probably best known for playing Mal Reynolds
03:15in Firefly and Richard Castle in Castle.
03:18Fillion actually isn't new to playing a Green Lantern, either, as he's provided the voice
03:21for another Lantern, Hal Jordan, in multiple animated DC projects.
03:26Isabelle Merced was revealed to be playing DC's Hawkgirl in July 2023, alongside the
03:31casting announcements for Guy Gardner and Mr. Terrific.
03:34She appears in the Superman teaser, but it's unclear what her role will be in the film.
03:38Hawkgirl is a complicated character with a backstory that involves centuries of reincarnation.
03:43Merced is portraying the Kendra Saunders incarnation, who first appeared in 1999's JSA Secret Files
03:48and Origins Issue 1.
03:50Saunders' body is inhabited by the spirit of the first Hawkgirl, Ciara Hall, but she
03:54retains Kendra's mind and memories.
03:56Merced has appeared in several high-profile projects since she started acting, including
04:00Sony's much-derided Madam Web and the more successful Alien Romulus.
04:04She is also slated to appear in The Last of Us Season 2.
04:07Merced approached the casting process for Superman without knowing much about the project.
04:11When she landed the role, she said she burst into tears and immediately called her mom
04:15to let her know.
04:16She's also said that she's a big fan of her character's costume, telling Empire,
04:19"...I'm geeking out every time I try on the super suit.
04:22It's just the coolest thing in the world to me."
04:252023 also saw the announcement that Anthony Kerrigan will play Metamorpho in Superman.
04:30Metamorpho first appeared in 1965's The Brave and the Bold, Issue 57, and he's somewhat
04:35unusual.
04:36Often a hero, though occasionally a villain, Rex Mason, a.k.a. Metamorpho, can transmute
04:41his body into any element on the periodic table.
04:44He typically exists as four elements at the same time, giving his body a patchwork appearance.
04:48Metamorpho's unique abilities make him a highly skilled combatant, as he can reshape his limbs
04:52into tools and weapons, and is able to withstand attacks that would kill most people.
04:58"...Bulletproof.
04:59That's annoying."
05:00"...Tip of the iceberg, strokey!"
05:03Kerrigan has been acting since the late 2000s, a career that includes two stints in DC Projects
05:09— Myst in The Flash and Victor in Gotham.
05:11Kerrigan has expressed his excitement over playing Metamorpho, telling Variety,
05:15"...It'll certainly be a bit of a jump.
05:16I'm excited to play someone completely different and surprise people with just being unrecognizable."
05:21DC characters Ultraman and The Engineer are expected to be the main villains of the upcoming
05:26Superman movie, but we're keeping the focus on the heroes here.
05:30One thing that most fans know about Superman is that he has a cousin named Kara Zor-El,
05:34better known as Supergirl.
05:35The character was first introduced in 1958's Superman issue 123, and she's been a major
05:41player in DC Comics, movies, TV series, and more ever since.
05:44In January 2024, DC Studios announced that Millie Alcock, of House of the Dragon fame,
05:49will play Supergirl in the DCU.
05:51The casting announcement centered around the character's solo film, Supergirl Woman of
05:55Tomorrow, is slated to hit theaters sometime in 2026.
05:58According to James Gunn, it will draw from the comic of the same name.
06:02Alcock's IMDb page also lists Superman as a forthcoming project, so she's likely to
06:06appear in that film, too, though the first teaser doesn't include her.
06:10Alcock began her professional acting career in 2014, and is best known for playing a young
06:14princess, Rhaenyra Targaryen, in HBO's House of the Dragon, and we're excited to see what
06:19she does for the iconic DC character.
06:22While Guy Gardner will make his debut in Superman, he's far from the only Green Lantern in the
06:26DC Universe.
06:27The original Silver Age Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, was previously portrayed in live-action
06:31by Ryan Reynolds, but DC Studios announced in September 2024 that Kyle Chandler landed
06:36the role.
06:37One of DC Comics' first Silver Age superheroes, Hal Jordan is a test pilot turned space cop
06:42who's been in the Justice League and other organizations.
06:44While he isn't slated to appear in Superman, Chandler will play the character in the forthcoming
06:48TV series, Lanterns, which will be centered around an Earth-based murder mystery in the
06:53United States.
06:54Chandler has been working in movies and TV since the 1980s, and is probably best known
06:58for his work in Friday Night Lights.
07:00His casting received immediate backlash from fans over his age, as Chandler was born in
07:041965.
07:05James Gunn laughed off these concerns, pointing to the nature of the story, which calls for
07:09an older, grounded, and more seasoned Jordan than the one typically depicted in the comics.
07:15In October 2024, it was revealed that Aaron Pierre will play Jon Stewart in Lanterns.
07:19Like Hal Jordan, the character isn't expected to appear in Superman or other projects prior
07:24to the Green Lantern series' debut in 2026.
07:27Jon Stewart first appeared in 1971's Green Lantern issue 87, and he's been a staple in
07:32numerous games, animated series, and comics ever since.
07:35Stewart is a more focused Lantern than most, as well as a natural-born leader, making him
07:39an ideal superhero.
07:41Since his introduction, he's been one of DC's most popular Green Lanterns, and fans have
07:44wanted to see him in live action for a long time.
07:47Let those who worship evil's might beware my power, Green Lantern's light!"
07:55Pierre is a relative newcomer to Hollywood, having launched his acting career in 2016.
08:00In addition to starring in Netflix's 2023 hit movie Rebel Ridge, he's probably best
08:04known for playing Dev M in Krypton, so he's already experienced DC's superhero world prior
08:09to this casting.
08:10Regarding his emerald-hued superhero role, Pierre has constantly expressed his admiration
08:14for the character.
08:15For me, this character has always, you know, radiated class, he's always radiated charisma,
08:22strength."
08:23One of the most anticipated casting announcements in DC film history hit on December 30th, 2024,
08:29when DC Studios revealed that Jason Momoa will play Lobo.
08:33Folks have been fan-casting Momoa as DC's main man for years, but it looked as if it
08:37would never happen when he landed the role of Aquaman in the DCEU.
08:40Fortunately, James Gunn isn't worried about the double-DC casting, and is making Momoa's
08:44and a lot of fans' dreams come true.
08:46"'Guess we're doing this the fun way!"
08:51Lobo is an anti-hero if there ever was one.
08:54Having killed his entire species, he's the last Zanian.
08:56Lobo once died and screwed up the afterlife so badly that he was kicked out, effectively
09:01making him immortal.
09:02Though he does work alongside DC's heroes as often as he fights them, he's a space-dolphin-loving
09:06bounty hunter with a bad attitude who's appeared in animated series and a whole mess of comics
09:11since his debut.
09:12Roughly translated, his name means he who devours your entrails and thoroughly enjoys
09:17it.
09:18So, you know, not the first choice of friends to bring home for Sunday supper.
09:21Lobo will appear in Supergirl, Woman of Tomorrow, and Momoa is an ideal choice for the role.
09:25The actor's career exploded when he played Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones, and he's been
09:29a go-to action star for years.
09:31Prior to his latest DC casting, Momoa said,
09:33"'So Lobo was, I collect comics, and I don't do so much anymore, but he was always my favorite,
09:38and they always wanted to play Lobo because I'm like, hello, it's the perfect role.'"
09:43The project that officially launched at DCU in December 2024 is Creature Commandos, an
09:48animated series airing on Max.
09:50The first season introduces the main characters, nearly all of whom are monsters recruited
09:54by Amanda Waller, voiced by Viola Davis, reprising her Suicide Squad role to take on shady missions
09:59under the command of General Rick Flagg Sr., voiced by Frank Grillo.
10:04Reviews for Creature Commandos have been excellent, and it's proved to be an impressive lead-in
10:07to the DCU.
10:08The show features an excellent ensemble cast and the elements common in a James Gunn project,
10:13which makes sense since he's the show's creator and writer.
10:16Bringing Davis back as Waller cements the show in the DCU, and makes her one of only
10:20a handful of actors to portray their characters in both Warner Bros.' new cinematic universe
10:24and the DCEU.
10:26Joining Davis are Indira Varma as The Bride, Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus, Sean Gunn as
10:31both Weasel and GI Robot, Zoe Chow as Nina Mazursky, and David Harbour as Frankenstein.
10:36Technically, the Creature Commandos aren't so much superheroes as they are monsters
10:40who kill Nazis, though this does place them on the hero's side.
10:43Interestingly, Gunn pitched the series prior to landing his gig co-running DC Studios,
10:48then later approved the pitch himself when he accepted his much larger job.
10:51"...You wanted monsters, you got monsters."
10:56James Gunn began working with DC prior to the establishment of the DCU with 2021's The
11:01Suicide Squad, which introduces John Cena as Peacemaker.
11:04The success of that film and the fans' love of Cena's character led to the development
11:08of the Peacemaker series in 2022, but it wasn't clear if he would be a part of the DCU once
11:13it launched.
11:14Fortunately, Gunn found a way, and Peacemaker Season 2 will fit into his overarching narrative
11:19for the new universe.
11:20Gunn has revealed that Peacemaker Season 2 takes place after the events in Superman,
11:24and the film will have an impact on the story depicted in the TV show.
11:28Peacemaker has been incredibly well-received, so it's unsurprising that another season is
11:32on the way.
11:33Fans can rejoice in knowing the character has a future in the new DCU.
11:37Peacemaker introduced several characters that resonated with fans, so it's likely several
11:41will make the leap into the DCU alongside John Cena.
11:45One of the few who's been confirmed is Freddy Stroma's vigilante, Peacemaker's best friend
11:49— after Eagly, of course — who appears in all eight episodes of the first season.
11:52"...He has mental issues."
11:59Stroma has been acting since 2006.
12:01Some of his most notable work prior to Donning a Mask includes his role as Cormac McLaughlin
12:05in three Harry Potter films and Prince Friedrich in Bridgerton.
12:08Stroma took over his DC role after Chris Conrad left the show over creative differences.
12:13As a result of the recasting, Stroma had to reshoot the character's scenes from the first
12:16five episodes to replace Conrad's work.
12:19In 2023, Gunn posted on X that, quote, "...yes, Freddy as vigilante is still around."
12:23It's unclear if he was specifically referring to Peacemaker Season 2 or the DCU as a whole.
12:29Still, since Gunn revealed that the show's second season connects to other projects in
12:32the franchise, it seems that Stroma isn't going anywhere any time soon.
12:37Of all the actors who appeared as leads in the DCEU films, only one is confirmed to be
12:41making the leap to the DCU.
12:43Sholomari Dwenya portrayed Jamie Reyes, aka Blue Beetle, in 2023's movie of the same name,
12:48which ended up being the penultimate film of the DCEU.
12:51While it was critically acclaimed, the film wasn't a financial success, though that might
12:55have been due to fans' belief that the character wouldn't go anywhere when James Gunn took
12:59the reins at DC Studios.
13:00However, just over a month after the film's theatrical debut, Gunn posted on Threads that
13:05Mara Dwenya and Blue Beetle were sticking around.
13:07As of right now, the only announced plan for Blue Beetle is an untitled animated series
13:11that is still in development.
13:12It may be a while before it surfaces, but until then, fans can rest assured that the
13:16character's story didn't end when the DCEU closed its doors to make way for the DCU.