What should the DC Films slate look like Post-2024?

[bat39]

So in 2023 we've got four DC movies out - Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle and Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom. I think there's a fairly high certainty that these four will definitely release, even if there will be a lot of post-production changes, particularly to The Flash. But after that, we've mostly got a blank slate. There's no telling that the new Gunn/Safran regime will do - what projects will they kill, what projects will they save and repurpose, or maybe even what dead projects they could revive.

I guess now's the optimal time for some fun (and maybe not-so-fun) speculation about what could lie ahead.

First off, I think Joker: Folie a Deux is almost certainly going to release as well. So our tabula rasa starts in 2025 and beyond.

As a prelude, I'm assuming here that The Flash ends with some kind of cosmic reset, and we have a soft-rebooted DCU where pretty much anything goes in terms of what stays or goes from continuity.

2025

The Batman 2

There's no way in hell this isn't moving ahead. I do feel there's a chance this will be folded into the DCEU proper though via Flashpoint, or will serve as the basis for the new DCEU. But I'm expecting that in this film proper, there will be few, if any, wider DC references and Reeves and Pattison will simply tell the story they wanted to tell.

Wonder Woman 3

Might be a bit of wishful thinking on my part, but I do think WB might be able to convince Gal Gadot to come back for one final go-around. I do think her iteration of the character needs a finale. Haven't really thought the plot through, but I definitely want it to involve the Gods, and Circe, and address Diana's role as Wonder Woman in the present-day world, and also feature a return to Themyscera. I would potentially end this movie with Diana 'dying' and possibly ascending to Godhood and/or Olympus (with Steve Trevor?) with hints that a new iteration of her could be (re)born - perhaps with the traditional clay origin.

Green Lantern Corps

I think the GL franchise will finally get its due here. My preference would be for this movie to star John Stewart as the protagonist, with Hal Jordan already established as a past GL (maybe played by...Ryan Reynolds!). Kilowog, Tomar Re, Katma Tui, Mogo and a bunch of other GL's should show up as well. I think this would be a great opportunity to explore the cosmic side of the DCU, and maybe introduce a bunch of other characters as well, like Lobo, or Adam Strange, or the Thanagarian Hawkgirl.

2026

Man of Steel 2

Might be some crazy wishful thinking here but I'm kinda still hoping that Cavill returns as Superman here for what should essentially be a soft-reboot. The film starts with Lois and Clark married and take it from there. I definitely want this film to introduce Brainiac, and focus on the more sci-fi and out-there elements of the mythos, including a trip to Kandor.

Suicide Squad 3

Directed by Gunn of course. Pretty much in the same vein as his previous Suicide Squad film.

The Flash 2

I see this as a bridge film, passing the torch from Barry Allen to Wally West. Haven't really thought it through beyond that.

2027

Legion of Superheroes

Another big space-centric franchise I can totally see Gunn playing with successfully. I'd have some involvement from the Superman family here - possibly Supergirl. (Maybe Sascha Calle's Supergirl remained as a multiversal anomaly and went to the future?) I actually feel this might not be the worst place to showcase Darkseid as the main villain for the first time.

Green Arrow and Black Canary

Dinah's either recast or Jurnee Smollet returns, and obviously this is Oliver's introduction to the big-screen.

Justice League 2

Well, more like a (soft)reboot than a sequel. This film would be loosely based on Morrison's 'New World Order' (and the pilot of the JLU cartoon) and have J'onn bring the League together to fight the White Martians. The team would include Cavill's Superman, a reborn (and recast) Wonder Woman, the new Wally West Flash, John Stewart GL, Momoa's Aquaman (if he's still around), Martian Manhunter and of course, Pattison's Batman (yeah, they'd have to back a truckload of money into Pattison's driveway for this to happen, but let's see...). Possibly Hawkgirl as well if she was introduced in the GL movie.

A lot of this is wishful thinking but anyway, my basic idea is to build-up to a new Justice League movie, while also introducing new characters and corners of the universe to explore.

[superduperman]

Hard reboot for the main line. Superman first. Then Wonder Woman. Then Batman.

Joker and The Batman get their sequels and that's the end of their franchises.

[Ascended]

No idea what Gunn and Safran will want to do, much less what they'll be allowed to do since they don't have full control and still have to answer to Zaslav. But I'm assuming they'll want to do their own thing and not play with someone else's toys so I'm expecting a (mostly?) scorched earth policy. Now, setting up the plan for a new 'verse, finding the people to put all that together, and getting it to theaters...that takes time, so maybe we'll see an Aquaman 3 or a Black Adam 2, fast tracked and given smaller budgets, to fill the gap. Maybe, maybe not?

I think Pattison's Batman will get its sequel. And because it's Batman I wouldn't even rule out a third, if the stars align just right.

Not mad at Jenkins for walking out on WW3, I'm sure whatever notes WB gave her were awful. Only reason the first film was any good was because WB ignored it and stayed out of the way. Given how Gunn pulled all the teeth out of Gamora's character and miscast with Zoe (who I don't mind but wasn't quite right for the role) I'm not sure how well Diana will fare, honestly.

From there? No idea. But I think the DCEU's reputation is in tatters and actually presents a branding problem that could affect the box office. Maybe Gunn's name and the promise of a fresh start will be enough to compensate, maybe not. So I think they need to do more than just start over, I think they need to think outside the box and not just launch the expected names in expected ways. Quality is a necessity but originality is nearly as important, I suspect.

One great way to start, I think, might be Booster Gold and Geoff Johns' first arc, 52 Pickup. We haven't really seen the "influencer/celebrity" superhero yet despite it being obviously relevant, and the "secret time master" hook is damn good. Booster's got the kind of comedic vibe that Gunn understands so we know he'll correctly translate the character's tone. It shouldn't be terribly expensive to produce by superhero movie standards (I'd think?), so a profit shouldn't be hard to earn.

And 52 Pickup is a perfect story for a film. You revisit Booster's origin and his usual status quo before hitting him with the time master stuff, and you can use the time travel elements to tease out future plans for the larger DCU in a way that adds to Booster's story instead of distracting from it. Add Ted Kord as part of Booster's supporting cast and you can't ask for better!

Green Lantern seems like an obvious way to go too. Not a ton of larger media focus in the ten-ish years since Reynolds' failed movie, but still a Big Name who's been used just enough to stay in the public awareness. Gunn probably wouldn't write or direct many/any DCU films but his success with the GotG probably means audiences would trust him with the Corps, and show up on opening night.

And Superman seems to still be important to Zaslav, so whether they honor Cavill's return or recast, I kinda expect Clark to be among the first of the new era.

But what worries me is this talk about everything being connected across platforms. Are they thinking a single continuity across film, tv, even video games? WB hasn't been able to maintain a continuity just in film, there's gonna be zero brand trust in them trying to enforce a single continuity across everything. But I suspect that's just click bait marketing hype BS; the "everything co-exists...somewhere in the multiverse!" crap, yknow?

[Factor]

I don’t want to speculate on actors, but I think DC should in the very least soft reboot or create a very clear new starting point for a new vision of the DCU.
For me that should start with a very hopeful Superman: Man of Tomorrow movie. I want the Superman that’s a symbol of hope, the man that inspires a whole new generation of heroes to rise in the DCU.
The movie should have nods to the past (Pa Kent hinting at the JSA’s WWII exploits) and to the future (LOSH monitoring Clark from a distance) but Clark should be the sole hero in focus, dealing with a huge threat like Brainiac.
Before doing a new Justice League movie, I’d do a JSA one, about maybe a character like Kendra unearthing the secrets of the first generation of heroes. Or maybe have the whole movie be a period piece with multiple hints to the present.
Legion should also be at the forefront of DC’s plans. I want the whole DCU to be building up to their future. Darkseid could debut as their enemy first.
Wonder Woman should get a new movie very early on too. I want to see her take on Circe. She could open the door for many mystical elements that are still unexplored.
Ditto for Green Lantern Corps better exploring DC’s cosmic side.
The more I think about it, the more I think DC should take their time before a new Justice League. Just explore the universe first and get the League together for something really epic and special.
About the Bat side, as much as I’m tired of Batman movies, I think the smart choice would be to finally expand on the Batfamily. They could milk a lot of movies out of them, especially if they introduce Dick at a relatively young age and let the family grow naturally from there. It would be unique to have the audience follow his journey from young sidekick Robin to Titans leader Nightwing in “real time”.

[warzon]

Jsa
wonder woman
superman
batman
aquaman
jla
the titans
the legion of super heroes

[mace11]

For me in my head.
The dceu

Phase 1
Man of steel
Batman v Superman
Suicide squad
Wonder woman
Justice league

Phase 2
Aquaman
Shazam
Birds of prey
Wonder Woman 1984
Zack Snyder's Justice League
The Suicide Squad

Series
Peacemaker season 1

Phase 3
Black Adam
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
The Flash
Blue Beetle
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Series
Peacemaker season 2

[InfamousBG]

Its a mess...its all just a mess. I thought Gunn taking over would solve things but he seems to know whats best for all of us? Like Snyder did? Come on...

[bat39]

No idea what Gunn and Safran will want to do, much less what they'll be allowed to do since they don't have full control and still have to answer to Zaslav. But I'm assuming they'll want to do their own thing and not play with someone else's toys so I'm expecting a (mostly?) scorched earth policy. Now, setting up the plan for a new 'verse, finding the people to put all that together, and getting it to theaters...that takes time, so maybe we'll see an Aquaman 3 or a Black Adam 2, fast tracked and given smaller budgets, to fill the gap. Maybe, maybe not?

I think Pattison's Batman will get its sequel. And because it's Batman I wouldn't even rule out a third, if the stars align just right.

Not mad at Jenkins for walking out on WW3, I'm sure whatever notes WB gave her were awful. Only reason the first film was any good was because WB ignored it and stayed out of the way. Given how Gunn pulled all the teeth out of Gamora's character and miscast with Zoe (who I don't mind but wasn't quite right for the role) I'm not sure how well Diana will fare, honestly.

From there? No idea. But I think the DCEU's reputation is in tatters and actually presents a branding problem that could affect the box office. Maybe Gunn's name and the promise of a fresh start will be enough to compensate, maybe not. So I think they need to do more than just start over, I think they need to think outside the box and not just launch the expected names in expected ways. Quality is a necessity but originality is nearly as important, I suspect.

One great way to start, I think, might be Booster Gold and Geoff Johns' first arc, 52 Pickup. We haven't really seen the "influencer/celebrity" superhero yet despite it being obviously relevant, and the "secret time master" hook is damn good. Booster's got the kind of comedic vibe that Gunn understands so we know he'll correctly translate the character's tone. It shouldn't be terribly expensive to produce by superhero movie standards (I'd think?), so a profit shouldn't be hard to earn.

And 52 Pickup is a perfect story for a film. You revisit Booster's origin and his usual status quo before hitting him with the time master stuff, and you can use the time travel elements to tease out future plans for the larger DCU in a way that adds to Booster's story instead of distracting from it. Add Ted Kord as part of Booster's supporting cast and you can't ask for better!

Green Lantern seems like an obvious way to go too. Not a ton of larger media focus in the ten-ish years since Reynolds' failed movie, but still a Big Name who's been used just enough to stay in the public awareness. Gunn probably wouldn't write or direct many/any DCU films but his success with the GotG probably means audiences would trust him with the Corps, and show up on opening night.

And Superman seems to still be important to Zaslav, so whether they honor Cavill's return or recast, I kinda expect Clark to be among the first of the new era.

But what worries me is this talk about everything being connected across platforms. Are they thinking a single continuity across film, tv, even video games? WB hasn't been able to maintain a continuity just in film, there's gonna be zero brand trust in them trying to enforce a single continuity across everything. But I suspect that's just click bait marketing hype BS; the "everything co-exists...somewhere in the multiverse!" crap, yknow?

Some great ideas here...especially Booster Gold. Not sure if they'll allow Ted Kord to co-exist with Jamie Reyes, but one can hope

While Gunn's strength is clearly taking B and C-listers and turning them into stars, I can't see his slate being exclusively this. Sooner or later, they're gonna have to start delivering films with the big names. A new GL film is way overdue. As is a new Superman film, Cavill or no Cavill. And eventually, WB is going to want to do Justice League again, and this time make Avengers-level money.

If I was Gunn, my focus the next few years would be putting all the pieces in place for a new Justice League, one that's distinct from the Snyder/Whedon version. Finally do what Marvel did over a decade ago, though this time he does have a headstart. Aquaman is already around. Wonder Woman could be too if Gal stays (and if she doesn't, then a recast would be inevitable I suppose). Batman...well, folding in Pattison's version is the easiest answer but admittedly a tricky one on multiple levels. Superman is around if they keep Cavill and if they don't...well, that's another recast/reboot. For better or worse, they have a Flash (though I think they can work on getting a new one). Snyder gave us a Martian Manhunter already but they can replace him without much difficulty if they want. GL is one big missing piece of the puzzle that Gunn really needs to focus on getting on board.

So, to recap, I think before the next big Justice League movie, Gunn and Safran need to deliver, at bare minimum, another WW movie (either Gal threequel if she stays, or a reboot with a new actress), the next Reeve/Pattison Batman movie (and incorporate it into the DCEU), possibly another Superman movie (definitely another one if its not Cavill but a recast/reboot), a GL movie (for sure!), and maybe another Flash movie (well...if they want to replace Ezra Miller's Barry Allen with someone else...potentially a Wally West?) That's about 3-5 movies. I'd get started on it if I was them!

[Ascended]

Some great ideas here...especially Booster Gold. Not sure if they'll allow Ted Kord to co-exist with Jamie Reyes, but one can hope

I'll believe Beetle makes it to theaters when it happens. It doesn't look like any other movies are being killed off but things also seem real chaotic right now so....we'll see. Beetle is like, the only DC movie right now I'm even vaguely interested in seeing and I don't dare get my hopes up about it.

And even if Beetle makes it to theaters we shouldn't assume it'll be part of the new plan. But if it is, I'm sure there'd be ways to use Ted. Time travel if he's dead, a simple introduction if he's not, whatever. If Ted were part of Booster's supporting cast I don't think WB would consider that competition with Jaime, so that particular issue shouldn't present much of a hurdle.

You're right about the Big Names too. DC can't get away with ignoring them for too long, though most of them have some stink still on them from the previous regimes. I think Gunn and Safran could probably get away with using the C-list for a few years, especially if they only release a couple films a year to start. And guys like Mamoa and Levi might even have the time to finish their trilogies, depending on how fast Gunn moves.

Real question in my mind is, as you pointed out, whether Gunn will be able to successfully translate guys like Clark, Diana, and Bruce? He's great with the D-list, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Peacemaker, etc., but the big names have massive public profiles and audience expectations. Bruce should be easy, WB gets how he works. The others are more worrying. WB has failed to understand Clark and Diana for decades, and even if Gunn truly does understand their appeal and how to spin the IP, he still has to answer to Zaslav, and while Zaslav has said Clark's a priority for the studio, others have said the same and still f*cked it up.

[bat39]

I'll believe Beetle makes it to theaters when it happens. It doesn't look like any other movies are being killed off but things also seem real chaotic right now so....we'll see. Beetle is like, the only DC movie right now I'm even vaguely interested in seeing and I don't dare get my hopes up about it.

And even if Beetle makes it to theaters we shouldn't assume it'll be part of the new plan. But if it is, I'm sure there'd be ways to use Ted. Time travel if he's dead, a simple introduction if he's not, whatever. If Ted were part of Booster's supporting cast I don't think WB would consider that competition with Jaime, so that particular issue shouldn't present much of a hurdle.

You're right about the Big Names too. DC can't get away with ignoring them for too long, though most of them have some stink still on them from the previous regimes. I think Gunn and Safran could probably get away with using the C-list for a few years, especially if they only release a couple films a year to start. And guys like Mamoa and Levi might even have the time to finish their trilogies, depending on how fast Gunn moves.

Real question in my mind is, as you pointed out, whether Gunn will be able to successfully translate guys like Clark, Diana, and Bruce? He's great with the D-list, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Peacemaker, etc., but the big names have massive public profiles and audience expectations. Bruce should be easy, WB gets how he works. The others are more worrying. WB has failed to understand Clark and Diana for decades, and even if Gunn truly does understand their appeal and how to spin the IP, he still has to answer to Zaslav, and while Zaslav has said Clark's a priority for the studio, others have said the same and still f*cked it up.

I wouldn't worry too much about Batman, especially if they're using the Reeves/Pattison version moving forward. Reeves and Pattison have a pretty solid understanding of the character and they're unlikely to play ball unless their vision is respected.

But you're right about the rest. In many ways, audience expectations of what Superman (and the DCU in general) should be like is what killed the Snyderverse. I'm not happy about it and, for what it's worth, I'd have loved to have been able to see Snyder complete his vision, but it is what it is. So Gunn can't do a radical revamp of Superman, Wonder Woman and the rest of the Big Guns (any more than he'd have been allowed to do the same at Marvel with Cap or Iron Man). Then again, his job is now to be DC's Kevin Feige rather than literally direct every single DC film. So i think if he takes a hands-off approach, letting directors who understand the characters work their magic as long as they stay within certain boundaries, things might work.

[Ascended]

Then again, his job is now to be DC's Kevin Feige rather than literally direct every single DC film. So i think if he takes a hands-off approach, letting directors who understand the characters work their magic as long as they stay within certain boundaries, things might work.

That's been the rub with the previous regimes; hiring the right people.

I don't expect an executive to understand what makes a DC property appealing. They don't have to personally love Superman or Diana as long as they can apply some basic literary analysis and do some research to figure out what makes these IP work, then hire folks who get it. But that's not what WB has done. WB understands Batman, so they've tried to turn everything into Batman and have hired filmmakers happy to do the same, with disastrous results. Then they blame the IP for being broken, instead of acknowledging that they made bad movies.

I expect Gunn will be far better at this kind of thing than the previous guys at WB were, and I don't expect him to write or direct many DCU films at all. But will he be able to see the appeal of characters even when he personally doesn't care for them and then hire people who do and can successfully translate them to film?

No way to know until we see what Gunn/Safran are gonna do. And even then, Zaslav still has the final say on everything so his ego is still a consideration too.

[Factor]

So now that we have a little bit more info of what the future holds (i.e. main Leaguers probably being recast and no chance of integrating Reeves’ Batman) I gave a little bit more thought about what I would with the first few years of the new DCU.
So my Phase 1 would be all about introducing the major players (and some not so major) before the inevitable League formation.
I would avoid introducing the DCU’s Batman too early on. I’d give it enough time for Reeves to finish a trilogy and introduce the new Batman after that. There’s no reason to have to versions competing against each other and there are tons of concepts DC could introduce in the meantime.

Superman 1: It doesn’t need to be an origin story per se, but this movie should be Superman’s first big break. The event that truly introduces him to the world and marks the beginning of the Age of Heroes. I’d also have it revealed early on to the public that Superman is an alien. My Phase 1 would be about the world reacting to these alien and fantastical elements after a long period of heroes being little more than old tales and legends.

JSA: Secret Files: When History major Kendra Saunders discovers her great-aunt’s Golden Age Hawkgirl attire, she starts a journey to uncover whatever happened to the world’s first super-heroes. The story of the rise and fall of the JSA, setting up the current whereabouts of surviving members Alan Scott, Jay Garrick and Kent Nelson, plus the introduction of the team’s legacy in the present day.

Wonder Woman: Diana, born from clay alongside her sister Nubia. For ages the Amazons have lived in peace in their own paradise. But when the divine Olympians return to Earth seeking their long lost power and influence, it’s up to Diana and the Amazons to protect the world of mortals and men. Introducing Circe.

Green Lantern: John Stewart gets recruited by the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps by a man named Thaal Sinestro. But something seems suspicious when he learns he isn’t the first lantern from Earth. Whatever happened to the legendary Hal Jordan and what is Sinestro’s link to the disappearance?

Stormwatch: The increasing number of extraordinary events on Earth has left world leaders in a state of panic. Their response? Stormwatch, a covert organisation lead by genius Henry Bendix to monitor alien and metahuman activity on Earth. Little do they know, there’s a Martian manhunter among them. Cast: Bendix, Jackson King, Martian Manhunter, Hawksmoor, Swift, Manchester Black, Flint etc.

The Flash: When Barry Allen is caught in the middle a Speed Force explosion that threatens the whole timeline, he must race across several eras and team-up with his own inspiration Jay Garrick to get everything back in place. Introducing also teenage Wally West, the 40s JSA, the 31st century and more.

I’d also leave space for some sequels or for Blue Beetle and Shazam vs Black Adam if they carry over until finally, Batman and Justice League happen.
For Batman, I’d establish he’s been around for a while (after Superman’s debut), but doing his own thing in Gotham. His first DCU movie would be his first truly bombastic mission that gets him out of the urban legend status, possibly also introducing Dick Grayson.
Justice League would come right after that and would unite threads from all previous projects, including Kendra becoming Hawkwoman, Martian Manhunter finally stepping out of the shadows, Flash and Kendra deciding to honor the JSA by naming the team Justice League etc. Their first threat would be the White Martians ala Morrison’s first arc, closing Phase 1’s theme about alien presence on Earth. The new Aquaman would be debuting here for the first time, but would get his own movie right after that.

The next phase would introduce the Titans, Milestone characters, Green Arrow and Black Canary and would expand on DC’s underworld.

[bat39]

So now that we have a little bit more info of what the future holds (i.e. main Leaguers probably being recast and no chance of integrating Reeves’ Batman) I gave a little bit more thought about what I would with the first few years of the new DCU.
So my Phase 1 would be all about introducing the major players (and some not so major) before the inevitable League formation.
I would avoid introducing the DCU’s Batman too early on. I’d give it enough time for Reeves to finish a trilogy and introduce the new Batman after that. There’s no reason to have to versions competing against each other and there are tons of concepts DC could introduce in the meantime.

Superman 1: It doesn’t need to be an origin story per se, but this movie should be Superman’s first big break. The event that truly introduces him to the world and marks the beginning of the Age of Heroes. I’d also have it revealed early on to the public that Superman is an alien. My Phase 1 would be about the world reacting to these alien and fantastical elements after a long period of heroes being little more than old tales and legends.

JSA: Secret Files: When History major Kendra Saunders discovers her great-aunt’s Golden Age Hawkgirl attire, she starts a journey to uncover whatever happened to the world’s first super-heroes. The story of the rise and fall of the JSA, setting up the current whereabouts of surviving members Alan Scott, Jay Garrick and Kent Nelson, plus the introduction of the team’s legacy in the present day.

Wonder Woman: Diana, born from clay alongside her sister Nubia. For ages the Amazons have lived in peace in their own paradise. But when the divine Olympians return to Earth seeking their long lost power and influence, it’s up to Diana and the Amazons to protect the world of mortals and men. Introducing Circe.

Green Lantern: John Stewart gets recruited by the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps by a man named Thaal Sinestro. But something seems suspicious when he learns he isn’t the first lantern from Earth. Whatever happened to the legendary Hal Jordan and what is Sinestro’s link to the disappearance?

Stormwatch: The increasing number of extraordinary events on Earth has left world leaders in a state of panic. Their response? Stormwatch, a covert organisation lead by genius Henry Bendix to monitor alien and metahuman activity on Earth. Little do they know, there’s a Martian manhunter among them. Cast: Bendix, Jackson King, Martian Manhunter, Hawksmoor, Swift, Manchester Black, Flint etc.

The Flash: When Barry Allen is caught in the middle a Speed Force explosion that threatens the whole timeline, he must race across several eras and team-up with his own inspiration Jay Garrick to get everything back in place. Introducing also teenage Wally West, the 40s JSA, the 31st century and more.

I’d also leave space for some sequels or for Blue Beetle and Shazam vs Black Adam if they carry over until finally, Batman and Justice League happen.
For Batman, I’d establish he’s been around for a while (after Superman’s debut), but doing his own thing in Gotham. His first DCU movie would be his first truly bombastic mission that gets him out of the urban legend status, possibly also introducing Dick Grayson.
Justice League would come right after that and would unite threads from all previous projects, including Kendra becoming Hawkwoman, Martian Manhunter finally stepping out of the shadows, Flash and Kendra deciding to honor the JSA by naming the team Justice League etc. Their first threat would be the White Martians ala Morrison’s first arc, closing Phase 1’s theme about alien presence on Earth. The new Aquaman would be debuting here for the first time, but would get his own movie right after that.

The next phase would introduce the Titans, Milestone characters, Green Arrow and Black Canary and would expand on DC’s underworld.

Not a bad slate

Here's mine (not counting the Joker and Reevesverse Batman in this):

Superman: Man of Tomorrow

A reboot film inspired by stories like Morrison's Action Comics run, American Alien and Superman Smashes the Klan. Starts with a 20-something Clark Kent in his first year as Superman, a 'Champion of the Oppressed'. He's used to being a street-level crusader with limited powers. But a government task-force, which includes renowned astrophysicist Lex Luthor, has been secretly studying his powers and alien nature and developing a counter-measure against him - Metallo. And then Brainiac comes calling. The movie is basically about Clark being forced to reckon with his alien heritage, unlock his full potential, save the earth and earn the world's trust and support. J'onn J'onnz would cameo briefly, and there would be easter eggs hinting that Batman is already out there.

Green Lantern Corps

Focuses on retired US Marine John Stewart and his induction into the Green Lantern Corps after the mysterious disappearance of the previous Green Lantern, Hal Jordan. Will introduce the full Corps, including Kilowog, Katma Tui, Mogo, Tomar Re and other iconic alien GL's. Sinestro would be the primary antagonist. This would be a strong introduction to the cosmic side of the DCU, with characters like Lobo, Adam Strange, Shayera Hol etc. showing up.

Green Arrow & Black Canary

Inspired (at least tonally) by Mike Grell's work and Green Arrow Year One. Oliver Queen AKA Green Arrows meets Dinah Lance AKA Black Canary. Sparks fly, as do arrows and canary cries! The two overcome their initial friction to team up and take down a drugs-trafficking operation involving China White, a woman with whom Oliver tangled during his time stranded on an island. CIA operative Edward Fyers is also involved. There would be hints that Dinah is not the first Black Canary, and that she has previously teamed up with the mysterious Batman, who Oliver thinks is an urban legend.

Hawkgirl

Shayera Hol comes to earth on a mission to track down the fugitive Thanagarian terrorist Byth. She assumes the cover identity of St. Roch university student Kendra Saunders, and meets Carter Hall, an archeologist and government contractor who specializes in investigating alien artifacts left behind on earth in the distant past. Carter has recently uncovered the remains of a Thanagarian ship that had crashed in Ancient Egypt and Byth is intent on using some of that ancient technology, including a device called the Absorbascon, to conquer earth. During her hunt for Byth, Hawkgirl encounters another shapeshifter, J'onn J'onnz, who also aids her. The film ends with Carter getting visions of meeting Thanagarians in Ancient Egypt after being exposed to the Absorbascon, and looking at the armor of one of the Ancient Thanagarians...

The Flash: Fastest Man Alive

College student Wally West's origin story as the Flash, in a world where his recently missing presumed dead uncle, Barry Allen, seemingly never was the Flash. As Wally explores being the Fastest Man Alive, he soon finds himself plagued by a mysterious yellow speedster, whom he eventually discovers is Eobard Thawne - the arch-nemesis of Barry Allen's Flash who managed to alter the timeline to erase Barry's career as the Flash from history and made him disappear. But the Speed Force ended up filling the vacuum by choosing Wally as the Flash anyway (several years earlier than it originally would have) and Wally must now fight a threat that even Barry wasn't able to defeat. There are hints at the end that Barry is still alive but trapped somewhere. Superman makes a cameo appearance.

Justice League: New World Order

Inspired by Morrison's New World Order and Cooke's New Frontier. J'onn J'onzz is the de-facto protagonist and we learn about the decades he's spent on earth, as the sole surviving Green Martian who escaped the massacre of his race by the White Martians on Mars. J'onn has uncovered evidence of a government conspiracy against the newly-emerging superheroes and realizes that the White Martians are on earth as sleeper agents, attempting to neutralize earth's best defence against them. J'onn must now bring together some of earth's superheroes, including Superman, Flash, Green Arrow, Black Canary and Hawkgirl, in order to fight this threat. Wonder Woman shows up midway through the film, having come to Man's World to help stop the alien invasion (with hints that she's been here before). There's a cameo at one point late in the film of a batarang hitting a white martian and a bat-shaped shadow in an alleyway...potentially cameos of other superheroes as well, as the age of heroes is now fully underway.

There ends my Phase 1.

[bat39]

Not a bad slate

Here's mine (not counting the Joker and Reevesverse Batman in this):

Superman: Man of Tomorrow

A reboot film inspired by stories like Morrison's Action Comics run, American Alien and Superman Smashes the Klan. Starts with a 20-something Clark Kent in his first year as Superman, a 'Champion of the Oppressed'. He's used to being a street-level crusader with limited powers. But a government task-force, which includes renowned astrophysicist Lex Luthor, has been secretly studying his powers and alien nature and developing a counter-measure against him - Metallo. And then Brainiac comes calling. The movie is basically about Clark being forced to reckon with his alien heritage, unlock his full potential, save the earth and earn the world's trust and support. J'onn J'onnz would cameo briefly, and there would be easter eggs hinting that Batman is already out there.

Green Lantern Corps

Focuses on retired US Marine John Stewart and his induction into the Green Lantern Corps after the mysterious disappearance of the previous Green Lantern, Hal Jordan. Will introduce the full Corps, including Kilowog, Katma Tui, Mogo, Tomar Re and other iconic alien GL's. Sinestro would be the primary antagonist. This would be a strong introduction to the cosmic side of the DCU, with characters like Lobo, Adam Strange, Shayera Hol etc. showing up.

Green Arrow & Black Canary

Inspired (at least tonally) by Mike Grell's work and Green Arrow Year One. Oliver Queen AKA Green Arrows meets Dinah Lance AKA Black Canary. Sparks fly, as do arrows and canary cries! The two overcome their initial friction to team up and take down a drugs-trafficking operation involving China White, a woman with whom Oliver tangled during his time stranded on an island. CIA operative Edward Fyers is also involved. There would be hints that Dinah is not the first Black Canary, and that she has previously teamed up with the mysterious Batman, who Oliver thinks is an urban legend.

Hawkgirl

Shayera Hol comes to earth on a mission to track down the fugitive Thanagarian terrorist Byth. She assumes the cover identity of St. Roch university student Kendra Saunders, and meets Carter Hall, an archeologist and government contractor who specializes in investigating alien artifacts left behind on earth in the distant past. Carter has recently uncovered the remains of a Thanagarian ship that had crashed in Ancient Egypt and Byth is intent on using some of that ancient technology, including a device called the Absorbascon, to conquer earth. During her hunt for Byth, Hawkgirl encounters another shapeshifter, J'onn J'onnz, who also aids her. The film ends with Carter getting visions of meeting Thanagarians in Ancient Egypt after being exposed to the Absorbascon, and looking at the armor of one of the Ancient Thanagarians...

The Flash: Fastest Man Alive

College student Wally West's origin story as the Flash, in a world where his recently missing presumed dead uncle, Barry Allen, seemingly never was the Flash. As Wally explores being the Fastest Man Alive, he soon finds himself plagued by a mysterious yellow speedster, whom he eventually discovers is Eobard Thawne - the arch-nemesis of Barry Allen's Flash who managed to alter the timeline to erase Barry's career as the Flash from history and made him disappear. But the Speed Force ended up filling the vacuum by choosing Wally as the Flash anyway (several years earlier than it originally would have) and Wally must now fight a threat that even Barry wasn't able to defeat. There are hints at the end that Barry is still alive but trapped somewhere. Superman makes a cameo appearance.

Justice League: New World Order

Inspired by Morrison's New World Order and Cooke's New Frontier. J'onn J'onzz is the de-facto protagonist and we learn about the decades he's spent on earth, as the sole surviving Green Martian who escaped the massacre of his race by the White Martians on Mars. J'onn has uncovered evidence of a government conspiracy against the newly-emerging superheroes and realizes that the White Martians are on earth as sleeper agents, attempting to neutralize earth's best defence against them. J'onn must now bring together some of earth's superheroes, including Superman, Flash, Green Arrow, Black Canary and Hawkgirl, in order to fight this threat. Wonder Woman shows up midway through the film, having come to Man's World to help stop the alien invasion (with hints that she's been here before). There's a cameo at one point late in the film of a batarang hitting a white martian and a bat-shaped shadow in an alleyway...potentially cameos of other superheroes as well, as the age of heroes is now fully underway.

There ends my Phase 1.

Was a bit bored, so thought I'd expand on this post with my Phase 2 ideas...

Wonder Woman: Down to Earth

An adaptation of the story-arc of the same title by Greg Rucka, set in the present-day (post JL: New World Order). Diana has just established herself as the Themyscerian Ambassador to Man's World, when she's targeted by Veronica Cale. Diana's history on Man's World will be hinted at, including her past involvement with a certain superhero team...

Superman: The Supergirl from Krypton

Based largely on the 2000's Supergirl origin story, with Darkseid as the main villain.

The Flash: Rebirth

Wally West journeys across multiple timelines/realities in a bid to find Barry Allen, and in the process encounters friends and foes from multiple realities (including past continuities). Cameos will abound, from Grant Gustin (and possibly Ezra Miller) as Barry, JWS as Jay, and other actors/characters from legacy properties. At one point, he travels forward in time and encounters...Batman Beyond. At another point, he travels back in time to the 40's and meets the classic JSA (lineup will include Hawkman, Jay Garrick Flash, Atom, Dr. Fate, Green Lantern Alan Scott and Wonder Woman. The film will end with the return of Barry Allen (a new rebooted version, not the one played by Ezra), though Wally will reman the Flash.

Green Lantern: Emerald Twilight

An adaptation of the epynomous storyline, with Hal Jordan becoming Parallax and the GLC having to make a last stand against him. The film will end with the Corps decimated, and John just about defeating Parallax with help from the new GL, Kyle Rayner. In the aftermath, Kyle becomes the GL of earth, while John travels the universe to rebuild the Corps.

Teen Titans

When the Justice League are incapacitated by Trigon, the Teen Titans are formed (the characters are all in their late teens, played by actors in their early 20's). Members include Dick Grayson as Robin (who only vaguely refers to his mentor), Cyborg (having gained his armor from a Mother Box and other Apokolips technology leftover from Darkseid's invasion in the Superman/Supergirl movie), Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Speedy (Roy Harper's backstory of recovering from drug addiction will be retained, with the Titans being his second chance after his breakaway from Oliver) and Wonder Girl (Donna Troy, who was rescued by Diana and taken to Themyscera back in the 50's - time moves differently there). Wally West as the Flash will have a significant cameo as well.

Justice League: Earth 2

Based on Morrison's graphic novel, with the League going up against the Crime Syndicate of America. Batman (well, the present-day Bruce Wayne version at any rate) enters the fold here for the first time - since Alex Luthor insists on recruiting the Dark Knight given that his Earth 2 counterpart, Owlman, is such a formidable force on the CSA side. This is a veteran Batman who's been around over a decade and has mostly operated as an urban myth (though the League is well aware of his existence, not least through Robin). The other major League members include Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, GL (Kyle) and Martian Manhunter, though Green Arrow, Black Canary, Hawkgirl also have a substantial role.

[Refrax5]

I'll believe Beetle makes it to theaters when it happens. It doesn't look like any other movies are being killed off but things also seem real chaotic right now so....we'll see. Beetle is like, the only DC movie right now I'm even vaguely interested in seeing and I don't dare get my hopes up about it.

And even if Beetle makes it to theaters we shouldn't assume it'll be part of the new plan. But if it is, I'm sure there'd be ways to use Ted. Time travel if he's dead, a simple introduction if he's not, whatever. If Ted were part of Booster's supporting cast I don't think WB would consider that competition with Jaime, so that particular issue shouldn't present much of a hurdle.

You're right about the Big Names too. DC can't get away with ignoring them for too long, though most of them have some stink still on them from the previous regimes. I think Gunn and Safran could probably get away with using the C-list for a few years, especially if they only release a couple films a year to start. And guys like Mamoa and Levi might even have the time to finish their trilogies, depending on how fast Gunn moves.

Real question in my mind is, as you pointed out, whether Gunn will be able to successfully translate guys like Clark, Diana, and Bruce? He's great with the D-list, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Peacemaker, etc., but the big names have massive public profiles and audience expectations. Bruce should be easy, WB gets how he works. The others are more worrying. WB has failed to understand Clark and Diana for decades, and even if Gunn truly does understand their appeal and how to spin the IP, he still has to answer to Zaslav, and while Zaslav has said Clark's a priority for the studio, others have said the same and still f*cked it up.

I'm not even sure he's great with the C list. His takes on those characters have virtually nothing to do with the source material. They're just so niche that there's not enough people to complain about it so nobody notices. And I say this as somebody that's liked some of his movies, the dude does not care much about being true to the source material and even said that he can't take superhero characters seriously because as much as he loves comics, they're the "dumbest" things. I'm not exactly thrilled at this guy being put in charge of everything.