Summary
- DCU architect James Gunn confirms video games will be set in the cinematic universe, but fans must wait a few more years.
- DC Studios is working with Warner Bros. developers for upcoming projects with input from Gunn and co-chief Peter Safran.
- DC games have struggled in recent years, but there is hope the planned DCU titles can turn things around for WB Games.
DCU architect James Gunn has reiterated that there will be video games set in his new cinematic universe, but not for a few more years. Fans got their first taste of the DCU with the first season of Creature Commandos late last year, and this summer will see the franchise’s first live-action installment with the highly-anticipated Superman reboot on July 11.
Even before he made his mark in the world of comic book adaptations with the highly successful Guardians of the Galaxy movies, James Gunn had a history with video games. He co-wrote 2012’s Lollipop Chainsaw for Suda 51 and Grasshopper Manufacture and played a role in LocoCycle a year later. When it was announced that Gunn would become head of the newly-created DC Films in 2022, he hinted that there would be tie-in video games for his new superhero franchise, leaving fans to guess which iconic characters would be the focus of these supposed titles.
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DC Studios co-chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran once again confirmed that the fledgling DCU will have connected video games at a recent DC Studios presentation (via IGN). Safran said that he and Gunn are working closely with JB Perrette, the CEO and President of Global Streaming and Games at Warner Bros., along with a host of WB-owned developers like NetherRealm and Rocksteady. As a result, both Safran and Gunn get to see designs for upcoming projects in their earliest stages and give input on story direction.
DCU Video Games Could Come in a Few More Years
Fans shouldn’t get too excited to see any DCU video games soon though, as Gunn added that it might still be a “couple of years” before anything is ready to be shown. In the meantime, WB Games has seen challenging times in recent years. Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was met with a poor reception and saw its support ended after only a year, while Monolith’s Wonder Woman game was reportedly rebooted from the ground up, possibly setting it back years from release. Gotham Knights developer WB Games Montreal was reportedly planning titles based on The Flash and John Constantine, but both were scrapped or never approved.
Just like the heroes the franchise is centered around, James Gunn and Peter Safran’s planned DCU video games just might save the day for WB Games, but fans will probably still have to wait a few years to see what materializes. In the meantime, rumor has it that Rocksteady is working on a new Batman title, this time drawing influence from the classic Batman Beyond animated series of the late 90s.
