TheDCUhas already shown that DC Studios has finally learned an important lesson from one of the biggest DC movie flops in history. Off the bat, the DCU has helped to rectify that past misfortune as its inaugural movie,Superman, has been performing well at the global box office.
Supermanhas already establishedhow the DCU will differfrom preceding DC cinematic franchises. Its bright color palette and hopeful aura feel like it has been taken straight from the comic book page and flies in the face of the more dour and muted tones of such DC movies asMan of Steeland Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.
It also debuted a litany oflesser-known DC characters, a specialty of director and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, such as Mister Terrific and the Engineer, with each earning a warm reception.The DCU’s next movie,Supergirl, will likely continue this trend, especially if the inclusion of Jason Momoa’s Lobo is anything to go by.
What this suggests is that spotlighting more obscure characters is part of a winning formula. This breaks a years-long trend that began after an $82 million flop in 2004.
DC’s Catwoman Movie Appeared To Teach The Franchise The Wrong Lesson For Many Years
The superhero genre was relatively unreliable in the early 2000s.While the likes ofX-MenandSpider-Manwere acclaimed and helped to establish the viability of superhero movies, others helped to tarnish the genre’s reputationbefore it would go on to experience a golden age in the 2010s.
One such movie was the critically lambastedCatwoman, which was released on Jun 03, 2025. The movie was initially conceived as aBatman Returnsspin-off following the success of that movie, for whichMichelle Pfeiffer’s iconic take on Catwomanwas largely to thank.
After several years of development hell,Catwomanwas repurposed, dropping all ties toBatman Returnsand casting Halle Berry in the titular role, instead. Unfortunately,the movie did not land well with critics and flopped at the box office, earning just 8% onRotten Tomatoesand $82 million worldwideaccording toThe Numbers.
Compounding this misfortune was the fact that the wrong lesson was seemingly learned from the experience. Following the flop starring a DC Comics side-character,Warner Bros. would shift focus to bigger names like Batman and Superman, dismissing lesser-known charactersentirely. Thankfully, the DCU is changing course.
The DC Universe’s Different Approach To Its Heroes & Villains Suggests A Different Lesson Has Been Taken On Board
The DCU’s upcoming release slatelooks decidedly unique. Although some projects have been put on the back burner or have yet to receive release dates,James Gunn’s initial announcement of the DCU’s slate telegraphed the franchise’s willingness to spotlight characters who are more obscure than Catwoman, such as Clayface.
The fact that some projects have been sidelined also demonstrates a positive habit of the DCU. Namely,James Gunn has stressed that projects will not be greenlit within the franchise until a script has been finalizedand approved, ensuring that its movies and shows stick to a standard of quality.
Thanks to suchcharacters as Mister Terrificlanding so well with audiences, it is feasible that the relatively obscure character could receive his own spin-off movie or show. Thankfully, Mister Terrific actor Edi Gathegi has hinted that a spin-off is already in the works.
At this juncture, it’s unclear if productions spotlighting lesser-known characters will be as successful as the likes ofSuperman. Then again,if they generally matchSuperman’s quality, they are likely to far surpass the disappointing box office ofCatwoman.
Why The DCU Is Right To Give Other DC Characters Their Own Movies & Shows
It almost goes without saying thatobscure characters are in good hands with James Gunn. The director has a glowing track record of adapting lesser-known characters in critically acclaimed movies and shows, with Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and DC’s Suicide Squad being standout examples. While he won’t direct every project, he will at least have oversight as DC Studios' co-CEO.
Embracing characters that have yet to be adapted into live-action also has the potential to reinvigorate the genre as a whole. While it was wise to launch the franchise with a character as illustrious as Superman,the inclusion of characters like Mister Terrific and Hawkgirl in the flagship movie enhanced it by making it feel decidedly uniquecompared to previous Superman adaptations.
General interest in superhero movies has arguably waned in recent years, anddetractors often point to the genre feeling samey. With the DCU potentially poised to introduce yet another rendition of Batman, which might even run alongside Robert Pattinson’s take in Matt Reeves’The Batmantrilogy, it can be difficult to argue against this point.
Spotlighting unknown characters, therefore, helps to keep the genre fresh. As a nascent franchise, the DCU has the opportunity to take things in a new direction, taking risks with new characters that might even thrive in underutilized genres like horror.
Until futureDCUprojects are fully confirmed, it is still unclear which obscure characters will lead the charge in this manner. Whatever the case,it is at least highly likely that DC Studios will happily greenlight such projectsand that these projects will now be in good hands.
DC Universe
The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
