James Gunn's DCU just got a major update – here are 6 key takeaways from the latest press event, including some big Batman news

Here's the biggest news to emerge from the latest DC Universe presentation

News By Tom Power published 25 February 2025

There were plenty of big reveals at DC Studios' latest press event (Image credit: DC Studios)

It's been more than two years since DC Studios co-chief James Gunn announced the official lineup for Chapter One of his rebooted DC Universe (DCU). Since then, not a lot has changed – indeed, only one project has been released (that being Creature Commandos season 1) while two more (Clayface and Dynamic Duo) have added to the DCU's current slate.

That was the case until the latest DCU press event was held last Friday (February 21), anyway, with Gunn and fellow studio CEO Peter Safran providing the most significant update yet on their DCU Chapter One plans. Here are the six biggest takeaways from the presentation:

1. Robert Pattinson won't be the DCU's Batman

After months of speculation, Gunn and Safran confirmed that Robert Pattison's Bruce Wayne/Batman won't be integrated into the DCU. The pair's stance on the matter comes after numerous reports that Matt Reeves' Batman Universe, dubbed The Batman Epic Crime Saga, would be folded into the DCU. Apparently, that would have seen Reeves installed as the main creative voice for the Caped Crusader's big- and small-screen adaptations at DC Studios, and seen forthcoming films like The Batman Part II merged into Chapter One's lineup.

That won't be happening, though. Gunn told reporters (per IGN) that Reeves' Bat-Verse will continue to sit independently of the DCU, and that progress is being made on the DCU Chapter One's upcoming Dark Knight movie, aka The Brave and the Bold. Indeed, a writer has been hired and, once they've filed a script, it'll be looked over by Gunn, Safran, and the film's director Andy Muschietti to determine whether it's good enough to enter full production.

2. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and Lanterns get significant filming updates

Gunn's Superman movie is the next DCU project that will be released – it'll fly into theaters on July 11 – but two other Chapter One productions I'm really excited about received big production updates at last week's presentation.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which will launch in cinemas worldwide in June 2026, is midway through its shooting schedule (per Deadline). That flick will star House of the Dragon alumnus Milly Alcock as the titular hero, who we got our first look at in an image that'll be very familiar to DC comic book fans, with Jason Momoa recently cast as immortal anti-hero Lobo.

On the TV front, Lanterns, which is being billed as a 'new weird' sci-fi take on HBO's acclaimed anthology crime series True Detective, just wrapped its first week of filming. According to the same Deadline article in the previous paragraph, it could be released on Max in early 2026. It'll star Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler as co-leads Jon Stewart and Hal Jordan, too, who are two of the most recognizable characters to have held the Green Lantern moniker.

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