Top 10 Most Anticipated DC Film Projects in the Coming Years

One of the most highly awaited DC films is Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom, the sequel to James Wan's Aquaman, which grossed over $1.14 billion worldwide. The script for Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom was completed by Wan and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who co-wrote the first film, in 2021. Jason Momoa returns as the title character, Arthur Curry (Aquaman), alongside Mera (Amber Heard), Atlanna (Nicole Kidman), Orm (Patrick Wilson), and Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). The 'Lost Kingdom' is speculated to reference the underwater city of Necrus. Although no full footage has been released so far, James Wan confirmed that Arthur will wear the iconic green and gold stealth suit from the DC comics and adopt a more mature persona.

After several delays, the release date for Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom is now set for December 2023. Initially, it was scheduled for December 2022, with filming starting in June 2021. However, following the March 2023 announcement, the film was delayed again, with the new release date confirmed for December 25, 2023. This delay is said to allow the VFX team to ensure the post-production and overall effects are top-notch. It's likely that the success of Disney's Avatar: The Way of Water influenced WB's decision to push the release of Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom to avoid direct comparisons. Despite this, many fans were displeased by the delay, as this is just one of many setbacks for the movie. Additionally, the postponement of Aquaman 2 has impacted the release schedule of Shazam 2, which will now take Aquaman 2's former March 2023 slot.

Release Date: December 25, 2023

Joker broke away from the typical trend of recent DC films by not only receiving critical acclaim but also satisfying fans of the Clown Prince of Crime. Alongside The Suicide Squad, it has been one of the standout successes for DC in recent years. Given the first film's massive success, a sequel was inevitable, though details remained scarce until 2020. By May 2021, news confirmed the project was still in development. Star Joaquin Phoenix and director Todd Phillips are expected to return, although Phoenix was still in negotiations as of June 2022.

Joker: Folie à Deux is confirmed for a 2024 release and will not be part of the DC Extended Universe, which reassures fans that the film will follow through on its promise. Joaquin Phoenix will reprise his role as Arthur Fleck, the character that helped the first Joker film become a box office hit. Lady Gaga will join the cast as the new version of Harley Quinn, and the film will notably be a musical. The term 'folie à deux' refers to a shared delusion experienced by two closely connected individuals. Other confirmed cast members include Catherine Keener, Brendan Gleeson, and Zazie Beetz, who will return. Reports from May 2021 also suggested that Joker: Folie à Deux could tie into The Batman and its spinoff HBO Max series, Gotham PD.

Release Date: October 4, 2024

Although Birds of Prey (2020) was a critical success, it failed to perform well at the box office, leaving DC Movies uncertain about the potential for a sequel. Rumors suggested that Black Canary would appear again in Batgirl before her own solo film was announced, though specific details about the project remain unclear. In June 2021, news confirmed that a Black Canary film would be joining HBO Max's slate of DC movies. Jurnee Smollett is expected to reprise her role from Birds of Prey (and The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), with Missha Green set to write the screenplay. Sue Kroll, the producer of Birds of Prey, will also produce Black Canary.

In August 2021, the Black Canary spinoff was officially confirmed, with Jurnee Smollett returning as Dinah Lance / Black Canary. Initially planned for release as an HBO Max original, with Missha Green writing the script, there has been no news on the director, supporting cast, or release date. The film is tentatively expected around 2023-2024, though its future remains uncertain. The possibility of a theatrical release has also been debated, as Warner Media has expressed interest in focusing on big-screen films rather than streaming projects. In August 2022, TVLine confirmed that the film is still in development.

Release Date: TBA

Static Shock was first announced at DC FanDome 2020, with Michael B. Jordan joining Reggie Hudlin as an executive producer alongside Randy McKinnon writing the script. The film is expected to be an HBO Max project, although the status of HBO Max films remains unclear. Jordan described the project as 'a new universe centered around Black superheroes,' implying that Static Shock will not be part of the DC Extended Universe but rather introduce a completely new superhero TV series, potentially based on Milestone Comics characters. Randy McKinnon is penning the script, but little is known about the film's big-screen debut of Virgil Hawkins, aka Static Shock.

Revealed at DC FanDome 2021, a Milestone-based film centered on Static Shock is currently in development at Warner Bros. Pictures. Based on the character created by Milestone Media founders Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle, the film will focus on Virgil Hawkins, a teenager with electromagnetic powers trying to navigate a larger world while still staying true to his roots in the safe streets of Dakota. Initially set in Milestone's Dakota Verse, it's unclear whether Virgil will start his adventure there or as a part of the DC Universe. Static only joined the DC Universe in 2008, although his animated counterpart appeared as a guest star in earlier DC animated shows.

Release Date: TBA

While details remain scarce beyond the fact that the film is in production, Matt Reeves' The Batman is set to have a sequel. In April 2022, director Matt Reeves confirmed that both he and star Robert Pattinson would return for the follow-up, with the film continuing where The Batman left off. Many speculations currently suggest that Reeves is preparing an adaptation of the famous 'No Man's Land' story arc, where Gotham becomes a battle-scarred city, cut off from the mainland following a catastrophic earthquake. As with all Batman films, much of the speculation revolves around the villains, with many hoping that The Batman 2 will further explore Barry Keoghan's Joker, briefly teased at the end of the first film.

No additional specifics about The Batman 2 have been revealed, but theories include the potential introduction of Robin, Gotham's elite group known as the Court of Owls, and the villain Hush, who was hinted at in The Batman. Fans also predict that a major storyline could revolve around rebuilding Gotham and Bruce Wayne's struggle to create a public superhero persona. Unlike many other DC film projects, this sequel is not linked to the main DC Extended Universe. There have even been rumors of a connection with the Joker series, but when Reeves confirmed that Barry Keoghan's mysterious Arkham prisoner was intended to be Joker, it raised more questions about how the Batman films would expand with new elements beyond the original concept.

Release Date: TBA

Following the box office success of Wonder Woman, Warner Bros. quickly announced that the third installment was in development. Both director Patty Jenkins and star Gal Gadot are set to return for Wonder Woman 3. Jenkins has stated that this film will continue Diana's solo adventures, offering a more personal journey for the character. While development continues, Jenkins is preparing for her Star Wars film, Rogue Squadron, which has been indefinitely delayed. In April 2022, Gadot revealed in an interview with Forbes that the script is still in progress, but the film is actively moving forward.

The final confirmed DC film in production, Wonder Woman 3, will see Patty Jenkins return to direct with Gal Gadot reprising her role as Diana. Filming is expected to begin in 2023, with speculation suggesting that Jenkins' potential involvement in the canceled Star Wars project, Rogue Squadron, may free her up for this film. There is also talk of a spinoff, set on Themyscira, titled The Amazons, which is reportedly in development. However, Jenkins has clarified that she will not direct this film. Other reports suggest The Amazons will take place between Wonder Woman 1984 and Wonder Woman 3.

Release Date: TBA

Black Adam is Shazam's arch-nemesis, and their film worlds are undeniably intertwined. However, Black Adam is a complex antihero, shifting between being a hero one moment and a brutal force the next. With the potential to rise as a powerful leader of his homeland, this idea draws directly from the comics. Dwayne Johnson has hinted at the possibility of a Superman cameo and a warning to the entire Justice League. Producer Robert Meyer Burnett shared that progress is being made on a sequel to Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam.

Despite the largely negative critical reception, the DCEU has big plans for a sequel to Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam. The sequel is reportedly fast-tracked into production, with Johnson confirming that the character will eventually clash with both Shazam and Superman, though this may not happen immediately in the next film. The script for Black Adam 2 is ready, and the studio could begin shooting within four months if everything aligns. With the first Black Adam earning a box office expectation of $475 million, Black Adam 2 could enter pre-production sooner than anticipated.

Release Date: TBA

Shazam! 2, officially titled Shazam! Fury of the Gods, is set for release in 2023. No surprise that Shazam! was both a critical and commercial hit, and fans are eager for more films featuring Zachary Levi's superhero. While the full plot details remain under wraps, director David F. Sandberg returns along with the original cast, both young and adult versions of the characters. DC Films made significant strides by casting Helen Mirren as the villain Hespera and Lucy Liu as Kalypso.

According to the 2022 Comic-Con teaser, the daughters of the gods are enraged by Billy's use of their powers and will take on the entire Shazam Family to reclaim them. The plot deviates entirely from what was hinted at in the post-credit scene of the first Shazam!. Production for Shazam! 2 began in May 2021, with Sandberg confirming filming wrapped in August, pushing the film from a 2022 holiday release to 2023. The current release date for Shazam 2 is March 23, 2023.

Release Date: March 23, 2023

The plot of The Flash revolves around Barry Allen traveling through multiple dimensions in an attempt to change the fate of his mother. This ambitious adaptation draws from the 2011 DC Comics storyline, Flashpoint, where Barry's attempt to save his mother leads to a catastrophic alteration of the entire universe. Directed by Andy Muschietti, who gained recognition for his work in horror, the film began production in April 2021. Alongside the Flash, the movie will feature both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton reprising their roles as Batman, with other familiar characters possibly making appearances as well.

In March 2022, Warner Bros. moved The Flash from its originally scheduled release in November 2022 to June 2023 due to post-production issues. However, controversy surrounding Ezra Miller’s legal troubles in the spring of 2022 raised concerns about the movie’s future. Despite this, Warner Bros. intends to release the film in the summer of 2023. Based on Flashpoint, a storyline that radically altered the DC Comics universe, this film could mark the end of the DCEU as we know it.

Release Date: June 23, 2023

Blue Beetle follows the story of Jaime Reyes, a Mexican-American teenager from Texas who stumbles upon a mysterious alien beetle that fuses with him to form a powerful battle suit. This suit grants him extraordinary abilities, but complicates his life in ways he never anticipated. In August 2021, Xolo Maridueña of Cobra Kai was cast in the lead role, and the project was further discussed at DC Fan Dome that same year, where the cast and screenwriter Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer expressed excitement about the opportunity to showcase a Mexican-American superhero.

The development of the Blue Beetle film began in late 2018, but it wasn't until early 2021 that the project officially kicked off with Angel Manuel Soto confirmed as the director. Soto assured fans that the film would be part of the DCEU, though early speculation about whether it would be released in theaters or exclusively on HBO Max remained unclear. Filming wrapped in mid-2022, but following the cancellation of Batgirl, there has been some uncertainty about whether the film will meet its originally planned release date.

Release Date: August 18, 2023