This is a list of unmade and unreleased projects byDC Comics. Some of these productions were, or still are, in "development hell" in other mediums.
Following the success of theFleischerSuperman cartoons,Fleischer Studios communicated withDC Comics over the possibility of adaptingBatman. The communication got to the point of budget discussions as illustrated in a letter dated January 25, 1942, and reproduced in longtime Batman executive producer,Michael E. Uslan's 2011 memoir,The Boy Who Loved Batman. It is, however, unknown how far the production of this project went before being abandoned.[1]
Prior to the 1966 juggernaut that was theAdam West/Burt WardBatman series,CBS attempted to launch a live-action children's program based on the character. FormerRamslinebacker andTarzan actorMike Henry was soon approached to appear as the character and even took publicity stills. The project went into limbo, and after a long stagnation, producers attempted to sell it toNBC: they passed on the project in 1965.[2]
The original idea for this seemingly mismatched crossover between Batman andGodzilla comes from the hand of series writerShinichi Sekizawa, who submitted a manuscript of the proposal in November 1965. Sekizawa's concept featured several characters from the Batman universe, including Robin andCommissioner James Gordon. To battle Godzilla, Batman and his sidekicks would have utilized several vehicles to engage in combat, including theBatmobile, theBatcopter, and theBatcycle. The concept also featured the introduction of a weather control apparatus, an idea which would later be used forSon of Godzilla (1967). It was also going to have another device to control Godzilla himself, which would possibly indicate another antagonist pitting the two characters against each other. In terms of Sekizawa's motivation, his reasoning seems clear in these drafts: to try and repeat the mammoth international success that the crossover filmKing Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) enjoyed. This is made apparent in allusions to the earlier 1962 film, as even this extremely early take at the concept included mention of Godzilla's battle withKing Kong, which was noted as being included with stock footage of the two titans fighting. The concept never got far enough for a full-fledged script to have been created. There are many questions related to the proposal still unknown as well, such as if DC Comics was ever actually approached with the idea or not. It is also not known to what degree the then-recentBatman TV series, which debuted two months after Sekizawa proposed this idea, might have played, if any. Also, references to "Batgirl" are made in the concept, which would predate theBarbara Gordon version of the character that would later become synonymous with the name in 1966.[3][4]
During the early development of the canceledCatwoman spin-off,Tim Burton expressed his interest in directing the third installment of theBatman film series that began withBatman in 1989.[5]Micky Dolenz was attached to star as theRiddler, the film's main antagonist.[6] Also, Harvey Dent's transformation intoTwo-Face was supposed to occur in the film, withBilly Dee Williams reprising his role as Dent from the first film,[7] after turning down the offer to appear inBatman Returns.[8] Along with these,Michelle Pfeiffer was attached to return asCatwoman,[9]Marlon Wayans was attached to star asRobin,[10] andRene Russo was attached to star as Chase Meridian.[11] WhenWarner Bros. observed that the script was just as gloomy as the previous film, they decided to putJoel Schumacher as the director of the third installment, leading to the release ofBatman Forever, in which Burton served as producer,[12] without being able to contribute ideas.
In a 2016 interview,Jay Oliva mentioned that he had plans to make a sequel toBatman: Assault on Arkham,[13] but following his departure fromWarner Bros. Animation,[14] the project was pulled off.
In 2002, Burton,Jim Steinman, andDavid Ives had worked on a theater production calledBatman: The Musical. Steinman has revealed five songs from the musical. The first is the opening theme for "Gotham City" and the entry of Batman with his tortured solo "The Graveyard Shift"; followed by "The Joker's Song (Where Does He Get All Those Wonderful Toys?)", "The Catwoman's Song (I Need All The Love I Can Get)", "We're Still the Children We Once Were" (the climactic sequence) and "In the Land of the Pig, the Butcher is King", sung by the corrupt bloodsuckers ruling Gotham; the last song mentioned here was covered on theMeat Loaf albumBat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose. After production was canceled, these songs were released on theBatman: The Musical memorial site.[15]
An animated series that reimagines Batman characters as high school students was in development in the late 2000s and early 2010s.[16][17] A similar idea was used for theDC Super Hero Girls shorts andanimated series.
Both in the mid and late 2000s, an animated TV show based on the "No Man's Land" storyline was put in development by producerJames Tucker. Character designer Coran Stone worked on the project and made designs for the first version, but the project was ultimately scrapped for being "too dark", which led to Warner Bros. Animation andCartoon Network focusing onBatman: The Brave and the Bold instead. Another attempt was made and some artwork was made as well, but the project was also canceled like the first attempt.[18][19]
After the success ofBatman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero, Warner Bros. greenlit a third installment, entitledBatman: Arkham.Boyd Kirkland, the director of this film, was attached to write and direct. The film would have Batman and Robin facing off against a collection ofArkham Asylum escapees, in addition to Batman finding himself falling in love with a new love interest, planned to be voiced byAngie Harmon. The main cast ofBatman: The Animated Series was attached to reprise their roles.Steven E. Gordon also drew some art concept for the film. The film was ultimately canceled in favor ofBatman Beyond: Return of the Joker,[16] whileBatman: Arkham eventually became a successfulvideo game series.
A second film ofThe Batman titledThe Batman vs. Hush that featuredHush as the main villain along with the Joker, thePenguin, the Riddler, Catwoman andClayface was planned for a long time. The film ended up being scrapped.[20] Before its cancellation, producerAlan Burnett had hopes of making one or two more DTV films based onThe Batman.[21]A similar film based onBatman: Hush ultimately came out in 2019 as part of theDC Animated Movie Universe.
In 2015,Bruce Timm expressed interest in an animated adaptation of theBatman R.I.P. storyline.[22]
WriterJ. M. DeMatteis was interested in adaptation of his Batman story arcGoing Sane set in the DC Animated Movie Universe.[23]
In 2015, director Jay Oliva expressed an interest in making an animated film adaptation ofArkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth,[24] but Oliva departed from Warner Bros. Animation in 2017 before such adaptation could be made.[25]
A secondBatman Beyond film was planned for release but was finally scrapped due to the dark tones and controversies ofBatman Beyond: Return of the Joker in 2001.[26]
Timm has mentioned that aBatman Beyond film is a possibility,[27] and in August 2017, Tucker said that discussions about a possibleBatman Beyond film occurred several times at the studio.[28]
Ben Affleck, who was cast asBruce Wayne / Batman and appeared in severalDCEU projects, was in negotiations to direct, produce, star in, and co-write (withGeoff Johns) a Batman film in 2015 and was subsequently confirmed to direct it. His film would have been set after the events ofJustice League and would have featuredSlade Wilson / Deathstroke as a primary antagonist. Affleck stepped down as director in January 2017, andMatt Reeves was hired to direct and co-produce the film the next month. Under Reeves, the film shifted focus towards a younger, more inexperienced iteration of the character while drawing more from the comics' roots in noir and detective fiction. Affleck eventually left the project altogether and was replaced byRobert Pattinson as Batman, allowing thefilm to drop its connections to the DCEU, establishing it in a new standalone universe.[29][30][31][32][33]
A spin-off of the 1966Batman show was noted in 1967 but did not go past a seven-minute presentation.
Batman: Year One's executive producer Bruce Timm and co-directorLauren Montgomery expressed interest in producing an animated film based onBatgirl: Year One,[34][35] but DC canceled all plans for an adaptation.[36]
A spin-off toBatman & Robin based on Robin was in the works but was canceled due to the critical and box office failure of the 1997 film.[37]
By November 2008, a television prequel series centered aroundDick Grayson, with Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson writing and executive producing along withMcG and Phil Johnson, was nixed by Jeff Robinov, who decided to develop other projects instead.[38]
An animated series featuringNightwing was in development from Ki Hyun Ryu ofThe Boondocks andThe Legend of Korra fame,[39] but was rejected in favor forYoung Justice.[16]
By February 2017, a film centered aroundDick Grayson / Nightwing was in development, withChris McKay andBill Dubuque signed on as director and screenwriter, respectively. Although the script was nearing its final draft, McKay said in 2021 that the project was delayed due to DC having "other priorities", but also reaffirmed his intentions to still make the film. He also said that the film could possibly be reworked to remove its connections to the DCEU continuity.[40][41][42] The project was ultimately canceled in August 2023.[43]
Following the success ofBatman: The Animated Series,Fox Kids approached Bruce Timm on making a spin-off based onCatwoman, but it was scrapped in favor ofSuperman: The Animated Series.[16]
"After the traumas ofBatman Returns she has amnesia, and she doesn't really remember why she has all these bullet holes in her body, so she goes to relax in Oasisburg. WhatGotham City is toNew York City, Oasisburg is toLas Vegas-Los Angeles-Palm Springs. [It's a] resort area in the middle of the desert. It's run by superheroes, and the movie has great fun at making fun at the whole male superhero mythos. Then they end up being not very good at all deep down, and she's got to go back to that whole Catwoman thing".
Batman Returns would be the last film in the Warner Bros.Batman film series that featured Burton andMichael Keaton as director and leading actor. WithBatman Forever, Warner Bros. decided to go in a "lighter" direction to be more mainstream in the process of afamily film. Burton had no interest in returning to direct a sequel but was credited as producer.[45] With Warner Bros. moving on development forBatman Forever in June 1993, aCatwomanspin-off was announced. Michelle Pfeiffer was to reprise her role, with the character not to appear inForever because of her own spin-off.[46]
Burton became attached as director, while producerDenise Di Novi and writerDaniel Waters also returned.[47] In January 1994, Burton was unsure of his plans to directCatwoman or an adaptation of "The Fall of the House of Usher".[48] On June 6, 1995, Waters turned in hisCatwoman script to Warner Bros., the same dayBatman Forever was released. Burton was still being courted to direct. Waters joked: "Turning it in the dayBatman Forever opened may not have been my best logistical move, in that it's the celebration of the fun-for-the-whole-family Batman.Catwoman is definitely not a fun-for-the-whole-family script".[44] In an August 1995 interview, Pfeiffer reiterated her interest in the spin-off, but explained her priorities would be challenged as a mother and commitments to other projects.[49] In January 1999, writerJohn August pitched his script, where Selina Kyle leaves Gotham and goes to her home town of Lake City.[50] The film labored indevelopment hell for years, with Pfeiffer replaced byAshley Judd. The film ended up becomingCatwoman (2004), starringHalle Berry.[51][52]
Around 2003, during the production ofBatman: Mystery of the Batwoman, Warner Bros. approached Boyd Kirkland to write a Catwomandirect-to-video feature film as a tie-in with the2004 live-action film. Although the script was written, the project was scrapped after the poor reception of the live-action film.[53]
In 2016,Batman: The Killing Joke screenwriter and comic book writerBrian Azzarello said that he would like to adapt his novelJoker into an animated film.[54]
In 2018, a film featuring the Joker entered development.Jared Leto was attached as an executive producer in addition to reprising his role as theJoker, as well as being involved with hiring the film's production crew.[55] By February 2019, the film had been canceled, anda Joker film unrelated to the DCEU was released later that year.[56]
During the initial run of the Cartoon Network seriesThe Powerpuff Girls, series creatorCraig McCracken wanted to do a crossover episode featuring theJoker.[57] OnTumblr, he said:
When we did the original series I really wanted to do an episode where the Joker came to town and started committing crimes. The idea was that The Mayor was so excited to have a celebrity villain in town that he actually tried to thwart The Girls from stopping him because The Joker was finally putting Townsville on the map! We wanted to use Bruce Timm's designs fromBatman: The Animated Series and getMark Hamill to do the voice. Unfortunately Warner Bros. said no.
ProducerIlya Salkind originally wrote a treatment for the third installment from theSuperman film series starringChristopher Reeve that expanded the film's scope to a cosmic scale, introducing the villainsBrainiac andMister Mxyzptlk, as well asSupergirl.[58] The original outline featured a father–daughter relationship between Brainiac and Supergirl and a romance betweenSuperman and Supergirl, even though the two are cousins in the comics.[59]Warner Bros. rejected the outline and made their ownSuperman III film, while Supergirl later appeared in herown film, portrayed byHelen Slater.
A Black Superman movie was a project in development at Warner Bros. before the Warner Bros. Discovery merger, led by J.J. Abrams and Ta-Nehisi Coates. It was intended to feature a Black version of Superman, separate from the mainline Clark Kent character. As of July 2025, it appears to be scrapped.
Before the failure ofSuperman IV: The Quest for Peace,Cannon Films considered producing a fifth film withAlbert Pyun as director. Cannon's bankruptcy in 1989 resulted in the film rights reverting to Ilya andAlexander Salkind.[60] The story had Superman dying and resurrecting in the bottled city ofKandor. The premise of Superman's death and rebirth coincidentally predated 1992's "The Death of Superman" comic book storyline. In 1993 Warner Bros. acquired the film rights entirely from the Salkinds.
In June 2006, during an interview aboutSuperman: Brainiac Attacks, writerDuane Capizzi mentioned aSuperman series set in the same universe ofThe Batman, a possibility supported by Superman's revealed existence during the show's fifth season.[61] Despite this, the expansion was never realized, and Capizzi never again mentioned the spin-off.
During an early development of new Superman film in late 2000s,Mark Millar and directorMatthew Vaughn planned to make an epic eight-hourSuperman trilogy, with each installment released a year apart, similar toThe Lord of the Rings.[62][63] The proposal would have chronicled the entire life of Superman, from the early days of Krypton, where Kal-El witnesses his father's tireless struggle to save the planet, to the finale where Superman loses his powers as the Sun starts to gosupernova.[64] According to Millar, Vaughn suggested hisStardust actorCharlie Cox as a Golden-Age inspired Superman "when he was a bit more of a regular person".[65] Vaughn later said that his pitch for a trilogy film would have been similar in tone toRichard Donner's1978 film, and would have included villains such asZod, Brainiac, andLex Luthor.[66]
At one point, an untitled Superman animated project was in conceptual stage, with designs byJames Tucker.[16]
AnimatorGenndy Tartakovsky, the creator ofSamurai Jack andStar Wars: Clone Wars, was developing a Superman short forDC Nation back in 2013, butCartoon Network's cancellation of the block in the following year resulted in this animated project getting cut. Early design work on the short was completed.[16]
In 2017,Jordan Vogt-Roberts pitched aRed Son adaptation to Warner Brothers, as an "offshoot" of theDC Extended Universe with different actors for Superman and Batman, but "was told no".[67] Ananimated film ultimately came out in 2020 as part of theDC Universe Animated Original Movies line. Another filmmaker Matthew Vaughn expressed interest to direct a film adaptation of the comic starringHenry Cavill, who previously portrayedSuperman in the DC Extended Universe.[68]
In 2021,Tom Welling andSmallville co-starMichael Rosenbaum were developing an animated series revival to the series and wanted to "use as many of the original cast members as possible".[69] He and Rosenbaum prepared a pitch of the series for Warner Bros.,[70] and they delivered to them in January 2022.[71]John Glover,Sam Jones III,Kristin Kreuk,Erica Durance, and original series showrunnersAlfred Gough andMiles Millar were said to return,[72] with the exception ofAllison Mack due to sex trafficking charges made against her for which she was convicted and imprisoned.[73][74] No production updates were provided following the initial announcements.
In July 2009,Galaxy Quest teamDean Parisot andRobert Gordon were set to make a film aboutBizarro, but it never materialized.[75]
In January 2018,Gotham producersJohn Stephens andDanny Cannon andWarner Bros. Television were reportedly given a 13-episode straight-to-series order for theDC Universe seriesMetropolis, which followsLois Lane andLex Luthor as they investigate the world of fringe science and expose the city's dark and bizarre secrets.[76] Later in May, the series was redeveloped,[77] but no further news came of project's status.
In May 2018, Vinton Heuck and Sean Galloway pitched an idea for aSuperman Family animated series toWarner Bros. Animation but the pitch was rejected in favor ofHarley Quinn. The characters would have includedKong Kenan,Jon Kent,Damian Wayne,Mister Mxyzptlk, andNatasha Irons/Steel, among others.[16][78]
In 2018, a film centered aroundKara Zor-El / Supergirl was in development withOren Uziel penning the script.[79][80][81] Three years later,Sasha Calle was cast in the role, with the character debuting inThe Flash.[82]
By July 2021, alimited series centered aroundVal-Zod was in development forHBO Max and was to be set in DC Extended Universe.Michael B. Jordan was set to produce the series and also potentially star, while Darnell Metayer and Josh Peters were attached to write.[83][84] Jordan previously pitched a feature film centered around an African-American Superman, only to place development on hold due to his busy production schedule.[85]
A television series aboutWonder Woman was proposed in 1967, resulting only in the production of a short pilot.[86] The success of theBatman television series ledBatman producerWilliam Dozier to commission a pilot script byStan Hart andLarry Siegel.Batman writerStanley Ralph Ross was then asked to perform a re-write, after Hart and Siegel's script was deemed unsuitable.[87] A portion of the pilot, under five minutes in length, was filmed by Greenway Productions, the company behind theBatman show under the titleWho's Afraid of Diana Prince?[88] The piece starred Ellie Walker (Robert Walker Jr.'s wife) as Diana Prince,Linda Harrison as Wonder Woman, andMaudie Prickett as Diana's mother. In the proposed series Diana Prince (not Wonder Woman) would have been the focus of the comedy. Diana, an awkward and rather plain young woman, lives with her mother close to aUnited States Air Force base. Much of the film consists of her mother berating Diana about not having a boyfriend. When her mother leaves the room, Diana changes into her Wonder Woman costume and admires her reflection in a mirror. What she sees is not Diana Prince, but rather a sexy super-heroic figure (played by Linda Harrison) who proceeds to preen and pose as the song "Oh, You Beautiful Doll" plays on the soundtrack. The pilot ends with Diana climbing out a window and flying away, indicating that, despite her apparent delusions regarding her alter ego, she does have some superpowers.[89] This pilot episode was never broadcast, and the project was abandoned.
Animation studioFilmation considered making an animated series based on Wonder Woman in 1968 following the then-massive success of the TV seriesBatman, but nothing came out of it.[90][91]
DirectorBoyd Kirkland approachedFox Kids about a Wonder Woman animated series in 1994, following the success ofBatman: The Animated Series on the same channel, and would subsequently approachKids' WB for his concept. Although an artwork for his pitch exists, the networks passed on the proposal.[16]
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman producerDeborah Joy LeVine attempted to do a Wonder Woman TV series in 1999 forNBC. The character was stated to be "a Greek history professor, a young and very bright woman having a hard time juggling her personal life with her work".[92]
There were plans to make a sequel to the 2009 direct-to-video filmWonder Woman, but was canceled due to poor DVD sales.[93]
A TV series based on Wonder Woman was in the works in 2010 that would have aired on NBC in 2011.[94]
In 2012,The CW,Warner Bros. Television andDC Comics were developing a new origin story for Wonder Woman calledAmazon.[95] A year later, the network pushed the pilot back until the 2014/15 season.[96] The same year in May, the show was still in development, with a new script byAron Eli Coleite, replacingAllan Heinberg, who wrote the previous script for the planned pilot,[97] but in July,The Flash, byGreg Berlanti andAndrew Kreisberg was fast-tracked instead.Mark Pedowitz said thatAmazon was delayed because they wanted a right script and interpretation for Wonder Woman.[98] The project was canceled in early 2014, as Pedowitz confirmed toThe Hollywood Reporter: "We did not go forward with it [...] it all depends on the script. We were very careful withArrow, and we're being very careful withFlash [...] these are iconic characters, so we're going to be very careful with Wonder Woman. You only get one shot before you get bit".[99] Pedowitz later said in August 2017 that the success of the feature film has killed any current attempts to bring the Amazonian warrior to the small screen on their channel.[100]
After the success ofBatman: Return of the Caped Crusaders,Warner Bros. stated that they considered to make an animated film based on the 1970sWonder Woman series, withLynda Carter reprising her role as Wonder Woman.[101][needs update]
Producer Butch Lukic brought a proposal to Warner Bros. for Wonder Woman animated series set in theWorld War II, but was rejected due to the development of the live-action filmWonder Woman, which is set in theWorld War I. Some of the concepts for the story and setting were later incorporated in the animated filmJustice Society: World War II, which was produced by Lukic.[102]
After principal photography onWonder Woman 1984 was completed, director and co-writerPatty Jenkins said that the plot for a thirdWonder Woman film was written. The story arc for Wonder Woman was planned over three films, with the third taking place in the present. Two days after1984 was released, a third film was officially greenlit by Warner Bros. Pictures. Jenkins was set to return as director, with a script she wrote, whileGal Gadot was planned to reprise her role as the titular heroine. The script for the film was completed in the fall of 2022.[103][104][105][106][107][108][109][110] Filming was expected to begin in mid-2023, but in December the third film was revealed to be no longer moving forward because the script conflicted with the current plans for theDC Universe (DCU) franchise formulated byGunn andSafran.[111]
In addition toWW1984 sequel, aWonder Woman spin-offThe Amazons was also in development in 2019. The film would have been set between the second and third film and Jenkins was attached as an executive producer.[112][113][114][115][116] The project was also cancelled along withWW1984 sequel. A similar project is currently in development for DCU franchise, a television series namedParadise Lost, a political drama about the scheming and power struggles on the island ofThemyscira before the birth of Wonder Woman.[117]
In 2024,Zack Snyder revealed that initially there had been plans to have the character of Wonder Woman in a project with the title ofWonder Woman 1854. Snyder explained that the photograph whichBruce Wayne discovers during the events ofJustice League was the story that was intended to be explored first, depicting the character's continued search for her villainous uncleAres throughout various time periods of history, and the romantic relationships she had while living as an immortal who does not age. The filmmaker stated that the image was intended to give the audience of glimpse of her time fighting in theCrimean War, while crediting Stephen Berkman with arranging the behind-the-scenes layout of the image. Further elaborating, Snyder stated that Wonder Woman's story in theDCEU would have shown her traveling to anywhere in history where there was conflict with the intent of ending Ares' influence on mankind. After the success of the 2017titular film however, the decision was made to create a sequel instead of another prequel.[118]
In 1990, Magnum Pictures developed a script for aJustice League TV show starringBooster Gold,Blue Beetle,Fire andIce plus other members from the comic'sJustice League International run.[citation needed]
In 2007,Warner Bros. hired husband and wife duo Michele andKieran Mulroney to write a script for aJustice League film.[119] TitledJustice League: Mortal,[120] they submitted their script to Warner Bros. in June, receiving positive feedback,[121] which prompted the studio to immediately fast track production in the hopes of filming to begin before the2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike.[122] Warner Bros. intended forJustice League: Mortal to be the start of a new film franchise, and to branch out into separate sequels and spin-offs.[123]Jason Reitman was the original choice to directJustice League, but he turned it down.[124]George Miller signed to direct that September,[122] withBarrie Osbourne producing[125] on a projected $220 million budget.[126]
Over 40 actors and actresses were auditioning for the ensemble superhero roles. Miller intended to cast younger actors as he wanted them to "grow" into their roles over the course of several films.[127]D. J. Cotrona was cast asSuperman,[123] along withArmie Hammer asBatman.[128]Megan Gale was cast asWonder Woman,[129] although other actresses were considered for the role such asJessica Biel (who declined the role after being in negotiations),[130]Teresa Palmer,Shannyn Sossamon, andMary Elizabeth Winstead, the latter who auditioned for the role.[131] Palmer was cast asTalia al Ghul, whom Miller had in mind to act with a Russian accent.[132] Hip hop musicianCommon was cast asJohn Stewart /Green Lantern (a role originally offered toColumbus Short),[133][134] whileAdam Brody was cast as theFlash.[135]Jay Baruchel was cast as the lead villain,Maxwell Lord.[136] Longtime Miller collaboratorHugh Keays-Byrne was cast asMartian Manhunter, whileAquaman's casting was not determined.[126]
Although the Writers Strike delayed the project,[137] the development was fast tracked once more in February 2008 when the strike ended. Warner Bros. and Miller wanted to start filming immediately,[138] but production was pushed back three months.[123] Originally, the majority ofJustice League: Mortal was to be shot atFox Studios Australia in Sydney,[126] with other locations scouted nearby at local colleges,[125] andSydney Heads doubling forHappy Harbor.[120] The production crew was composed entirely of Australians, but the Australian government denied Warner Bros. a 40 percent tax rebate as they felt they had not hired enough Australian actors.[126][139] Production offices were then moved toVancouver Film Studios in Canada. Filming was pushed back to July, and the film was planned to be released in summer 2009.[140][141]
With production delays continuing, and the success ofThe Dark Knight in 2008,[142] Warner Bros. decided to cancel to project. Cotrona's and Hammer's options expired and the studio allowed directorChristopher Nolan to separately complete hisBatman trilogy withThe Dark Knight Rises in 2012.
An early attempt at a Justice League television series was to feature lesser-known superheroes, like theQuestion andDoctor Fate, that would have been part of theDC Animated Universe. The series was canceled in favor ofBatman Beyond.[16]
Circa 2004,Bruce Timm announced adirect-to-video feature film based onJustice League animated series. The film was intended to make a bridge between the second season ofJustice League to the first season ofJustice League Unlimited. The film was planned to reveal how Wonder Woman acquired herinvisible jet, and also planned to feature theCrime Syndicate as the main antagonists, an idea that was originally conceived for the two-part episode "A Better World", until the Syndicate was replaced by theJustice Lords.[143]Dwayne McDuffie wrote the script andAndrea Romano assembled the cast, but Warner Bros. finally scrapped the project.[144] In 2010, the scrapped film was adapted intoJustice League: Crisis on Two Earths, a standalone film that is unconnected to theDC Animated Universe.
After the show's debut of Justice League in theSmallville episode "Justice", there was a consideration for the Justice League spin-off, but it never came to fruition.Smallville writerSteven S. DeKnight revealed that a spin-off Justice League series was expected to happen after the episode "Justice" and would have continued the story ofOliver Queen and his new team.[145]
In 2009, Bruce Timm has expressed interest in an animated film based on theJLA/Avengers crossover limited series. As of 2024, no updates have appeared since.[146]
In 2009, Bruce Timm mentioned the possibility of an animated film ofCrisis on Infinite Earths.[147]A similar project was released in 2024 as the final installment of theDC Animated Movie Universe franchise.
In August 2022, whenWarner Bros. Discovery merger was completed andWalter Hamada began preparations to leave his role as President ofDC Films, it was revealed that prior to these events Warner Bros. had been developing a project based onCrisis on Infinite Earths.[148] The plot would have similarly incorporated the multiverse and iterations of the main characters from alternate realities. Following Hamada's departure from the studios, the project's future realization is dependent onGunn andSafran's plans for the franchise.[149][150][151]
An untitledJustice League direct-to-DVD film was in the works in 2008, with a design byJames Tucker.[152]
In 2013, producer James Tucker has spoken about wanting a Wonder Woman-centeredJustice League film.[153]
A second season of theseries was planned to be released in 2016 and would have featured ten episodes.[154]
A sequel toJustice League (2017) was in development, withZack Snyder attached to direct. By 2019, Warner Bros. had prioritized standalone films over the project.[155] A sequel was once again under consideration while De Luca and Abdy were in charge of DC Films, before Gunn and Safran took over.[156] Due to the Gunn and Safran's plans for the new franchise calledDC Universe, none of the actors fromJustice League were expected to reprise the roles in the new projects.[157]
In 2023, the creative team forJustice League: Warworld planned to develop a film adaptation of theKingdom Come comic book miniseries, but the idea was discarded by James Gunn and Peter Safran after they were named CEOs ofDC Studios.[158]
There were plans to make an animated series featuringSuperman andBatman, and would have been an origin story.[159]
In the 1980s,Hanna-Barbera planned to make aTeen Titans series set in the same universe as theSuper Friends. The show would have featuredWonder Girl as the leader, along withCyborg,Kid Flash,Changeling,Raven, andStarfire.
An early plan for theTeen Titans TV series was to include it into theDC Animated Universe. This idea was later abandoned in favor of being its own stand-alone series.[16] This roster would have includedRobin,Kid Flash, Wonder Girl,Speedy,Aqualad, theFlash, andAquaman.
Around the time of the cancellation ofTeen Titans (2003–06),Warner Bros. was thinking of a live action film version of the Teen Titans with different looks, but later on it got scrapped and left behind a well-hidden Easter egg in 2007'sI Am Legend, whereWill Smith's character enters a local video store and in the background is a 2009Teen Titans movie poster saying that the film is coming soon to DVD. This was turned intoTeen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo. The live action film was in development by May 2007 andRobin was the only confirmed member.Akiva Goldsman andMark Verheiden were attached to write.[160]
In September 2014,TNT announced a live-action Teen Titans television series originally titledTitans before it was renamed asBlackbirds. Akiva Goldsman and Marc Haimes wrote the script for the pilot. Filming was scheduled to begin in mid-2015 but was postponed to October. The project was ultimately canceled in January 2016. The roster would have includedNightwing, Starfire, Raven,Hawk and Dove, andOracle.[161][162][163][164][165][166][167][168][169] A similar project was later released forDC Universe andHBO Max networks, titledTitans in 2018.
In 2021,Cartoon Network announced aTeen Titans Go!spin-off series based on the song "The Night Begins to Shine" that appeared in several episodes.[170] No production updates were released following the initial announcement.
Animation studioFilmation considered makingThe Flash animated series following the success ofThe Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, but nothing came out of it.[90][91]
In 2003,The WB was planning aFlash TV series withTodd Komarnicki signed on to write and executive produce it. Inspired by the 1960s science fiction dramaThe Time Tunnel, the series would have been a loose adaptation of theFlash, depicting him as a fresh-out-of-collegeGotham City resident who uses his powers to travel backwards and forwards in time, going on missions. As withSmallville, the series would have eschewed superhero costumes altogether.[171]Steven S. DeKnight, who was the writer forSmallville, said that there were creative differences over how a Flash television series should be handled, given theprevious attempt at translating the character to the small screen in 1990, and that the studio wanted to create a Flash who was a "time-traveling college student from Gotham City". As a result, the series never materialized, and the character was ultimately brought toSmallville. At one point, there was a consideration forSmallville spin-off starringBart Allen, but it never came to fruition.[172]
Before the release of the film, a script for a sequel toThe Flash was written byDavid Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who wrote theAquaman films, in the eventThe Flash performed well.[173] The script reportedly includedMichael Keaton'sBatman andSasha Calle'sSupergirl.[174]Warner Bros. was not expected to retainEzra Miller for future films because of the actor's controversies and legal issues,[175] although some Warner Bros. executives were open to continuing with Miller by January 2023, since they began treatment.[176]DC Studios co-CEOsJames Gunn andPeter Safran said there was potential for Miller to reprise their role in the new franchise, theDC Universe (DCU), but a decision on the character had not been made. Gunn said thatThe Flash resets thecontinuity of the DCEU and, alongsideAquaman and the Lost Kingdom, leads into the DCU's first film,Superman (2025).[177]Andy andBarbara Muschietti wanted to make a sequel, have Miller return in his role,[178] and wanted to featureEobard Thawne / Reverse-Flash as an antagonist for a sequel, while also confirming that the character was responsible forNora Allen's death in this film.[179]The Flash was released in June 2023 and performed below expectations at the box-office, which led many commentators to question and doubt the prospects of a sequel being made,[180][181][182] and in October 2023,Variety reported that no actors fromZack Snyder's DCEU films, including Miller, would reprise their roles in the DCU.[157]
In 2008,Brash Entertainment began developing a The Flash game for multiple platforms (Playstation 3 andXbox 360), the game's story would be written byMarv Wolfman with around 15 chapters each consisting of a member of the Rogue Gallery (Captain Boomerang,Weather Wizard,Murmur,Pied Piper,Captain Cold,Tar Pit,Mirror Master, theTop, andAbra Kadabra). At the end, it would be revealed that a mysterious character who would be helping the player throughout the game was secretly theReverse Flash who would joinGorilla Grodd and fight the Flash inside theSpeed Force. It would be open world and would originally be set in fictional cities across the United States such asGotham City, but due to project limitations it was reduced to justCentral City andKeystone City.Wally West would be The Flash and would have a multiplayer system of up to four players with several other characters, including: (Jay Garrick,Max Mercury, John Fox,Bart Allen,Jesse Quick,Kid Flash,The Rival,Reverse-Flash andSuperman). The game would also have a morality system in secondary missions that would make the population start building statues to the Flash in his honor that would culminate in the creation of theFlash Museum and would also have a system of unlocking combos and abilities for being a Flash at the beginning of his career. The game was canceled due to the bankruptcy of Brash Entertainment, which could no longer continue the project.[183]
In 2023, after the release ofGotham Knights,Warner Bros. Games Montréal began looking for ideas for other DC-based games, and one of their favorites was a pitch for a Flash game. However, due to the negative reception ofThe Flash film, the concept was canceled.[184]
A live action feature film featuringPlastic Man was in the works in 1992. It would have been produced byAmblin Entertainment,Warner Bros., andDreamWorks SKG, written byThe Wachowskis, and to be directed byBrian Spicer, following the success of 1989'sBatman.[185] Nothing was made official until 14 years later, following the box-office disaster of The Wachowskis'sSpeed Racer, they decided to resurrect the old script and make the film with a release date set for December 2009. BothJim Carrey andBruce Campbell were considered for the role, untilKeanu Reeves was announced to play Plastic Man. Nothing came out of this proposed 2009 film either. In 2013, rumors began to spread thatDavid Tennant would play Plastic Man in the 2017Justice League film as a comical character, something thatThe Flash's role in the film is.[186] Later in December 2018, a new development of a Plastic Man film was put as part ofDC Extended Universe, with Amanda Idoko instead writing the screenplay andRobert Shaye executive producing.[187] Cat Vasko was later hired to do rewrite of her screenplay, now reworked as a female-centered film.[188]
Filmmaker and comic book writerKevin Smith mentioned atCalgary Comic and Entertainment Expo that he met withGeoff Johns and pitched an animated Plastic Man film that he wrote for DC.[189] There have been no further developments since.Jim Parsons was set to voice the character before the film got scrapped.[190]
Before the release ofThe Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show byRuby-Spears Productions in 1979, several attempts to make a TV series based on Plastic Man were in development, one being in 1967 atHal Seeger Productions,[191] and another atFilmation.[91]
Another Plastic Man series was attempted in 2006 whenWarner Bros. Animation andCartoon Network commissioned an animated pilot titled "Puddle Trouble".[192][193] They ultimately decided not to pick it up as a series, but the pilot can be seen on thePlastic Man: The Complete Collection DVD set.
An animated film based onAquaman was first mentioned byBruce Timm in 2010, but was canceled due to marketing concerns.[93][194] FilmmakerAdam Green even wrote a screenplay toAquaman.[195]
In 2003, Sunrise Entertainment made plans to produce anAquaman film withWarner Bros., with first time writer Ben Grant set to write the screenplay.[196] Nothing came out of this. Until a year,Leonardo DiCaprio signed on to the project that would have been produced by his production company,Appian Way Productions, but nothing came out of this either.[197]
In 2019, Warner Bros. announced ahorror-themed spin-off fromAquaman focusing on the villainousTrench kingdom.Peter Safran andJames Wan were set to produce, with Noah Gardner and Aidan Fitzgerald writing the script. The film was planned to have a lower production budget than otherDCEU films and was expected to be released beforeAquaman and the Lost Kingdom. In April 2021, the project was canceled, though Warner Bros. said that it could be revived in the future. In October, Wan revealed that the initially announced name ofThe Trench was a working title, to misdirect the audience that the film was secretly centered onBlack Manta.[198][199][200][201]
AnAqualad live-action series forHBO Max starring Jake Hyde was in development since 2022, withCharlize Theron, A.J. Dix, Beth Kono and Andrew Haas of Denver & Delilah Films attached as an executive producers.[202] No production updates were provided following an announcement.
There were plans to make a sequel toGreen Lantern: First Flight, but nothing came of it due to poor DVD sales.[93]
Green Lantern, directed byMartin Campbell and released in 2011, was initially planned to be the first part of the trilogy, in addition being the first entry of a new DC film series.Warner Bros. commissioned a script for a sequel fromGreg Berlanti,Michael Green, andMarc Guggenheim while filming for the first film was underway.[203]Michael Goldenberg was also attached to write the screenplay, based on the sequel treatment.[204] The scene in the film's end credits showing Sinestro becoming aYellow Lantern teased the planned sequel.[205] The plans were cancelled due to the film's negative reviews and disappointing box office run.[206]
Following the release ofMan of Steel in 2013, which became the first film in theDC Extended Universe, a new version of theGreen Lantern was expected to be featured in that franchise.[207] Warner Bros. planned to release a solo Green Lantern film titledGreen Lantern Corps, with an original release date of June 19, 2020, and withHal Jordan andJohn Stewart as Green Lanterns in the film.[208][209] In 2017,David S. Goyer and Justin Rhodes were attached to write the film's script and to produce the film, withGeoff Johns and Jon Berg as executive producers.[210][211][85] In March 2021, after the release ofZack Snyder's Justice League, thedirector's cut ofJustice League,Zack Snyder revealed that a scrapped idea for the film hadBatman meeting up with theGreen Lantern Corps, withRyan Reynolds appearing as an "additional lantern... to fill out the corps a bit", but he never spoke with Reynolds about this.[212] The project was later repurposed forDC Universe franchise in the form of television series, titledLanterns.[213][214][215]
A 10 one-hour episodic Green Lantern television series separate from the film was in development forHBO Max from Marc Guggenheim andSeth Grahame-Smith with Berlanti Productions producing the series. The series was to focus on theGuy Gardner,Jessica Cruz,Simon Baz, andAlan Scott versions of Green Lantern alongside Sinestro andKilowog.[216] The version with Berlanti was later cancelled, with this new series focusing on Hal Jordan and John Stewart as part ofDC Studios' new shared universe.[217]
DC's executive editorDan DiDio has expressed interest in seeingSinestro Corps War comic storyline adapted into an animated film.[218]
In the 1960s, studioFilmation considered making aGreen Arrow animated series following the success ofThe Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, but it did not come to fruition.[90][91]
In 1990, according toTV Guide magazine at the time, a Green Arrow live-action series was in development, but nothing came of it.
David S. Goyer andJustin Marks penned a script for a film starring Green Arrow originally calledSuper Max; the film was retitledGreen Arrow: Escape from Super Max by June 2008. The reported storyline stated that the hero, who was framed for a crime he did not commit, must escape a high-security prison filled with villains and rogue superheroes.Black Canary was not in the script, and film would have included cameos from theRiddler,Lex Luthor, and theJoker.[219]
Elements of the script were adapted for theseventh season ofArrow, whereOliver Queen is locked in theSlabside Maximum Security Prison after being outed as the Green Arrow.
Bruce Timm has said that he would like to do a Green Arrow film.[220]
During the sixth season ofSmallville there was talk of spinning off the Green Arrow into his own series, butJustin Hartley refused to talk about the possibility of it because of his role onSmallville. The actor felt it was his duty to respect what the show had accomplished in five seasons, and not "steal the spotlight" because there was "talk" of a spin-off after his two appearances. According to Hartley, "talking" was as far as the spin-off idea ever got.[221]Alfred Gough said that the Green Arrow spin-off would have introduced the idea of Oliver acting in more of a "Professor X" role, where he takes in people with superpowers who have no place to go and trains them.[222] The show's writerSteven S. DeKnight clarified that the series would have featured the introduction of new characters—such asTeen Titans and others from theDC Comics universe—as well as going into more depth for the background story of its primary characters, likeBart,Victor, andArthur. As with the other potential series, this one never came to fruition.[172]
In 2019, a spin-off ofArrow was in development.[223] It was to be a female-led spin-off series, withKatherine McNamara,Katie Cassidy, andJuliana Harkavy as the leads, reprising their roles fromArrow. An episode ofArrow'sfinal season was to serve as a backdoor pilot for the potential series.[224] Filming for the backdoor pilot began on October 21,[225] with its title, along with the series, being namedGreen Arrow and the Canaries.[226] No progress on the proposal was made[227][228] and in January 2021,The CW officially passed on the spin-off;[229]Marc Guggenheim said this decision was made at the beginning of theCOVID-19 pandemic, and that it was the "deciding factor" in not moving forward with the series.[230] Having the series move toHBO Max was also reportedly "thoroughly explored", which was another contributing factor to the length of time it took to officially announce its cancellation.[231]
A plannedCyborg series was in development withDrake as the character.[232]
A soloCyborg film in theDC Extended Universe was announced in October 2014, withRay Fisher set to reprise hisrole from the then upcomingBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.[233]Joe Morton was also set to reprise his role asSilas Stone.[234] Though the film was consistently stated to be in production until 2020,[235] by 2021, amidst a dispute between Ray Fisher andWarner Bros. Pictures regarding an investigation in thereshoot process onJustice League, Fisher said that he would not play the role in any film that has then President ofDC FilmsWalter Hamada's involvement. DC Films responded that they will not recast the role.[236]Variety later reported that Fisher will not reprise the role, along with otherJustice League cast members in the DC Universe franchise.[157]
Guillermo del Toro has taken interest in producing a film based onDeadman, supposedly from the only source.Nikolaj Arcel was set to direct the film.[237] Since then, no updates have emerged for the project.
Following the success ofX-Men in 2000,Warner Bros. Television began to develop a Deadman television film forTNT, also acting as a pilot for a potential television series.[238] The project was still in development by 2003, but was later shelved.[239] In 2011, WBTV hiredSupernatural creatorEric Kripke to helm a Deadman television series forThe CW, as the network was looking to commission a new superhero series.[240] The following year,another superhero series debuted on the network. A Deadman series never materialized, and Kripke has since moved on to other projects.
In 1998,Darren Aronofsky signed a deal withNew Line Cinema for a film adaptation of the graphic novelRōnin.[241] In 2007,Gianni Nunnari, producer of300, was attached to produce andSylvain White, director ofStomp the Yard, was hired to direct theRōnin film adaptation.[242] No further news came after its announcement.
In April 2014, theSyfy channel revealed their intention to adaptRōnin into a miniseries.[243] No further news came after its announcement.
In October 2014,Warner Bros. intended to launch a live-actionStatic Shock program fromReginald Hudlin as part of the company's newBlue Ribbon Content digital division, and were eyeingJaden Smith for the role ofVirgil Hawkins/Static.[244][245][246] ActorTyler James Williams said in the following year that Smith was cast as Static, but was not confirmed by Blue Ribbon Content or Warner Bros.[247] Hudlin,DC ComicsChief Creative OfficerGeoff Johns, and Static co-creatorDenys Cowan were collaborating on the live-action project.[248] Since then, there have been no new announcements.
In 2017, when asked if the character could have a feature film set in theDC Animated Universe as part of theDC Universe Animated Original Movies line, producerJames Tucker responded that there was interest in Static on the studio.[249] There have been no further discussions for such a project.
A live-action film centered around Static was in development since August 2020, withMichael B. Jordan joining the production team as a producer alongside Reginald Hudlin in October. Several months later, Randy McKinnon was hired as screenwriter.[250][251][252][253]
An animated film featuring characters from theMilestone Media imprint was announced in October 2021. The film was set to be written by Brandon Thomas and feature "more than one character" according to Milestone co-founderDenys Cowan. The announcement included promotional concept art ofStatic,Hardware,Icon, andRocket.[254] No production updates were provided since then.
In the late 1990s, writer Jerrold E. Brown was writing a comedy film aboutLobo withJoel Silver attached as producer.[255][256]
Following his appearance onSuperman: The Animated Series, a children's television show based on Lobo was in development atKids WB. Due to executive issues, the series was converted into an adult-orientedFlash animated web series that was released in 2000.[16]
Syfy announced aLobo spin-off series from season 2 ofKrypton in June 2019, withKrypton executive producerCameron Welsh serving as executive producer/writer.[257] Two months later, Syfy canceled theLobo spin-off along withKrypton.[258]
Olan Rogers pitched an adult animated series based on Lobo and his daughterCrush toWB in 2020 before it was scrapped year later in September.[259]
In September 2009, a film centered around Lobo was in development.Guy Ritchie andBrad Peyton were attached to direct at different times, whileDwayne Johnson was originally intended to star. After various iterations, in 2016,Jason Fuchs was hired as screenwriter. By February 2018,Michael Bay was attached to direct. Fuchs rewrote the script at Bay's request so the budget could be considerably lowered. In the autumn of 2022,Jason Momoa revealed that under the direction ofJames Gunn andPeter Safran, a project that he categorized as a "dream come true" was in development, which included his favorite comic book character. The project was later reported to beLobo.[260][261][262][263][264][265][266][267][268][269] Gunn and Safran later addressed Momoa's involvement with future adaptations of the character, stating that the actor would not portray two characters in the franchise.[270] Momoa was later confirmed to portray Lobo in theDC Universe (DCU) franchise, starting with the filmSupergirl (2026).[271]
In November 2013, a live-actionHourman series was in development atThe CW. Michael Caleo was writing the script, to executive produce the series alongsideDan Lin, and Jennifer Gwartz. The premise of the series "centers on a brilliant-yet-troubled pharmaceutical analyst who discovers that the visions that have plagued him since childhood are actually glimpses of tragic events occurring one hour in the future. Determined to win back his ex-wife and son, he heroically prevents these tragedies from unfolding, finding both purpose and redemption along the way". Since then, no progress on the series was made after its announcement.[272]
In March 2021, a film focused on the character of Hourman, written by Gavin James and Neil Widener was in development.[273]
WriterJ. M. DeMatteis was interested in scripting aNew Gods film set in theDC Animated Movie Universe.[274]
In March 2018,Ava DuVernay signed on to direct a film centered around the New Gods. Initially with a script written byKario Salem,Tom King was later brought to co-write the film with DuVernay.Darkseid was planned to be the main antagonist of the film, and theFemale Furies were set to appear.New Gods was canceled in April 2021, despite Warner Bros. stating that it could be revived in the future. The project faced difficulties due to Darkseid's role inZack Snyder's Justice League, and Warner Bros. wanted time to pass before the character appeared again. DuVernay later revealed thatMister Miracle,Big Barda,Granny Goodness, andHighfather would have appeared in the film.[275][276][277][278][279][280][281][282]
In 2014, following the squad's debut episode in the second season ofArrow, Diggle's actorDavid Ramsey revealed that there was a talk of a spin-off focusing onArrow's version of theSuicide Squad.[283]Arrow co-producer and comic book writerKeto Shimizu later commented that it did not seem as a possibility due toDavid Ayer'sSuicide Squad film in development at the time.[284] Series producerGreg Berlanti later confirmed that the team's inclusion withinArrow was used in order to test the audience's reception and interest prior to Ayer's film being put into production.[285]
SeveralSuicide Squad spin-offs set in theDC Extended Universe were in various stages of development before they were canceled or delayed:
In 2021,James Gunn said he had ideas for a sequel toThe Suicide Squad and would have gone in a different direction by featuring a new Suicide Squad team.[302] He considered to make this feature film after finishing on the first season of television seriesPeacemaker,[303] but later canned the project following the new plans forDC Universe (DCU) franchise by him andPeter Safran.[304] Additionally, Gunn planned several television spin-offs following the release of the film andPeacemaker, with Safran commenting that some members of the Squad could appear in own spin-offs likeBloodsport orRatcatcher.[305][306][307] One of the projects that Gunn worked on was separate fromAmanda Waller series, featuring some characters fromPeacemaker.[308][309][310][303] The project was later revealed to beCreature Commandos, an animated show which was repurposed as the first entry of DC Universe franchise and was released in December 2024.[311]
A television series based onJack Knight's adventures was planned by the creators ofSmallville andBirds of Prey. It would have featured both Jack andhis father, been set inOpal City, and attempted to follow the comics as closely as possible. In 2003, after the failure ofBirds of Prey, it was last referred to as being "indefinitely on hold". There has since been no sign that it will ever be produced.[312][313]
Machinima Inc. andDC Entertainment were producing a live-action web series based on an updated version of the original concept ofStarman titledDC's Hero Project.[314] No production updates were provided after its initial announcement.
During the 1960s, due to the success of the showThe Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, studioFilmation planned to makeDoom Patrol animated series, but the plans were canceled due toCBS having animation rights toBatman and other DC characters.[90][91]
In 2006,Warner Bros. hired Adam Turner to pen a Doom Patrol screenplay.[315] No director, cast, or release date were announced and the project was later canceled.
Due to the success ofThe Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure from the 1960s,Filmation planned to produce pilots for multiple DC heroes, with one of the concept drawings featuring theMetal Men. Those plans were canceled whenCBS secured the animation rights toBatman in the wake ofABC's recent success with theBatman live-action television series at the time.[90][91]
A film adaptation of Metal Men entered development in 2007. Later in June 2012,Barry Sonnenfeld was in talks to direct the film.[316][317] The project was in limbo until October 2021, when it was initially positioned as part of theDC Extended Universe.[318]
A 1968 "presentation drawing" fromFilmation depicts a red-shirted interpretation ofBlackhawk and a member of the squadron fighting a group of aliens. Created during the height ofThe Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure's popularity, the artwork is believed to have been part of an attempt to convinceCBS of the animation viability of otherDC Comics properties.[319]
In the early 1980s,Steven Spielberg planned to direct a film adaptation of the Blackhawk comic book series, withDan Aykroyd attached to play the title character,[320] but the project was canceled and Spielberg chose to directRaiders of the Lost Ark instead. In April 2018,Warner Bros. revived theBlackhawk project, with Spielberg returning to direct and produce andDavid Koepp writing the screenplay. Additionally, Spielberg was to co-produce the film withKristie Macosko Krieger and Sue Kroll and was initially expected to begin after the completion ofWest Side Story.[321][322]
Since 2009,Joel Silver planned to produce a reboot ofWes Craven'sSwamp Thing film from a story written byAkiva Goldsman.[323] In April 2010,Vincenzo Natali was confirmed to direct,[324] but in May, he decided to delay theSwamp Thing reboot to pursue other projects.[325] Since then, nothing has been said about the project. Another reboot ofSwamp Thing is currently in development as part of theDC Universe (DCU) franchise.[326]
Before the cancellation of the 2019Swamp Thing series, there were plans to introduceJustice League Dark and create a spin-off series based on the team.[327]
Artist and writerAlex Ross pitched aCaptain Marvel/Shazam animated series circa 1999 withPaul Dini. The proposal was brought toCartoon Network, but was shelved for unknown reasons. The designs for the show would have been a mixture of theBruce Timm style and the aesthetic ofThe Powerpuff Girls. Another proposal was a design work for an untitled Shazam project by Jake Castorena.[16]
After the release ofShazam! spin-offBlack Adam in October 2022,Dwayne Johnson confirmed future plans forBlack Adam to fightSuperman in theDC Extended Universe, and reaffirmed plans for the character to crossover with Shazam.[328][329] Producers Hiram Garcia andBeau Flynn planned a fast-track production on the project.[330] Due to the critical and commercial failure of the film, the plans for the sequel were cancelled due to the plans for the new DC film universe underJames Gunn andPeter Safran. Johnson said that bothDC Studios and his production companySeven Bucks Productions will continue to collaborate on future plans for Black Adam.[331]
Kat Hudson, lead designer onDC Super Hero Girls and other projects, developed a pitch for animated series based on the Wonder Twins. Despite the full pitch, the project ultimately did not come to fruition.[16]
In February 2022, a film centered aroundZan and Jayne / the Wonder Twins entered development forHBO Max.Adam Sztykiel was slated to make his directorial debut and write the screenplay, with Marty Bowen andWyck Godfrey serving as producers. By April,KJ Apa andIsabel May were cast in the lead roles of Zan and Jayna, respectively. Principal photography was scheduled to commence inAtlanta, Georgia in July, but the project was canceled in May followingWarnerMedia's merge withDiscovery Inc. and the creation ofWarner Bros. Discovery. The CEO of the newly formed conglomerate,David Zaslav, felt that the film's estimated $75 million-plus budget would not bolster enough of a return as a straight-to-streaming release. Additionally, his directive mandate is thatDC Films will first focus on theatrical releases, with internal criticism being that the project was conceived in a style deemed "too niche".[332][333][334][335]
Marv Wolfman had pitched aDial "H" for Hero TV show toHanna-Barbera alongside theTeen Titans back in the 1980s.[336]
Machinima Inc. andDC Entertainment were producing a live-action web series based on an updated version ofDial H for Hero. Titled#4Hero, the VFX-heavy comedy would have been about a young woman named Nellie Tribble who discovers a smartphone app that allows her to temporarily gain semi-useful superpowers dictated by whatever is trending at the moment.[337] Since then, no production updates were announced.
In 2011,Syfy ordered a live-action Booster Gold series, developed byGreg Berlanti andAndrew Kreisberg. Two years later, a pilot script was turned in but nothing came of it.[338][339][340]
In 2015, abuddy cop film centered aroundBooster Gold andBlue Beetle was in development with Greg Berlanti attached as producer, with interest in directing it.[341]Zack Stentz was hired to write the script,[342] which was completed in March 2018.[343][344] The project was later repurposed for the DC Universe franchise, in the form of atitular television series.[345]
Debra Winger, who portrayedWonder Girl inWonder Woman, was approached by producers to appear in more episodes of the series, including a lead role in a potentialWonder Girl series, but she declined the offer as she wanted to pursue more serious roles in her acting career.[346]
In the late 2020,The CW,Greg Berlanti, and Dailyn Rodriguez intended to develop a Wonder Girl TV series set inArrowverse, focusing on theYara Flor incarnation of Wonder Girl.[347] The CW ultimately decided not to move forward with the series.[348][349]
In 1989,Danny Bilson andPaul De Meo worked on a live-action seriesUnlimited Powers, starringFlash,Doctor Occult,Blok, and the daughter ofGreen Arrow. The premise was set in a dystopian future where superheroes had been outlawed, taking cues from comics such asWatchmen andThe Dark Knight Returns. It did not make it past the script phase.[350]
In 2005,Ice Princess screenwriter Hadley Davis was hired to write an action-comedy film about a teenage version ofZatanna.[351]Warner Bros. later put Zatanna solo film as part of theDC Extended Universe in 2018.[352]Zatanna was initially in development as anHBO Max-exclusive film, andEmerald Fennell was hired as screenwriter. The film was to be produced byJ. J. Abrams.[353][354] By 2022, the film was initially scrapped at HBO Max, but later began being shopped around to other streaming services.[355]
Geoff Johns announced alive action TV series featuring theJamie Reyes incarnation ofBlue Beetle.[356][357] A test trailer was released with stuntman and actor Garrett Plotkin as Jaime Reyes. Scenes of this trailer were shown as part of theDC Nation block of programming in 2012 onCartoon Network during the premiere ofGreen Lantern: The Animated Series. Since then, nothing has been announced about the project.
Fox announced in 2011 plans to develop a television series featuring theSpectre.[358] There have been no further developments since.
The original version ofHuman Target was created byWarner Bros. Television and Pet Fly Productions, producers ofThe Flash and laterThe Sentinel forParamount Pictures.[359][360] The original pilot for the series was filmed in 1990[361] butABC declined to pick up the series for the 1990-91television season and this pilot never aired.[362] In the original unaired pilot, musicianClarence Clemons, who was trying to establish himself as an actor, played Chance's pilot.[361][362][363]
Harvey Shephard, then the president of Warner Bros. Television, toldThe New York Times in December 1991 thatHuman Target was intended for both American audiences and the international television market.[364] A different pilot was filmed, resulting in the 1992 short-lived TV seriesHuman Target.[365]
In 2000,20th Century Fox developed a one-hour adaptation based on the characterJonah Hex to television with producersAkiva Goldsman and Robert Zappia involved, but the project never made it into production.[366]
A 1974 animated television pilot based on theMad magazine that used selected material from the magazine was commissioned by ABC, but the network decided to not broadcast it.Dick DeBartolo noted that "nobody wanted to sponsor a show that made fun of products that were advertised on TV, like car manufacturers". The program was instead created into a TV special and is available for online viewing.[367]
In the mid-1980s,Hanna-Barbera developed another potentialMad animated television series which was never broadcast.[368]
In the late 1980s and early 1990s,Arnold Schwarzenegger was attached to the title role of aSgt. Rock film, despite the seeming incongruity of an Austrian actor playing an American G.I. in World War II. Screenplays were written byDavid Webb Peoples in 1987,Steven E. de Souza in 1988,John Milius in 1993, andBrian Helgeland in 1996, depicting Rock as having a German-American father and being able to speak German (a skill he uses to ambush the enemy). ProducerJoel Silver still attempted to make a Sgt. Rock film. John Cox has written the latest screenplay, which is not based on any of the previous screenplay drafts.[369] Cox said that Schwarzenegger was no longer attached to star in the project. In April 2007, David Gambino, VP atSilver Pictures said: "The good news is we have a fantastic screenplay and everybody's really happy with it. It's really just about trying to attach cast right now and really decide what the movie is going to be, how we're going to make it".Bruce Willis was reportedly under consideration for the role.[370] In December 2008,Guy Ritchie revealed that the film was shelved due to his work onSherlock Holmes but confirmed that theSgt. Rock film will be set during World War II and include the members of Easy Company.[371] The setting was later changed from World War II to another battle in the near future.[372] Since then, there have been no further announcements.
In October 2017,The CW was developing a one-hour drama series based onTraci Thirteen and her father Dr. Terrance Thirteen, titledProject 13, withElizabeth Banks attached as an executive producer.[373] The project never came to fruition.
In October 2018,Suits's Rick Muirragui was hired to write and produce aSecret Six TV series withBill Lawrence's Doozer Productions for CBS.[374] No production updates were provided and the project was later canceled.
An adaptation ofMonolith byLionsgate was in development since August 2016, with visual effects director Dave Wilson attached as director.[375][376]
In June 2011, Paramount Pictures acquired the rights toThe Mighty.[377][378] There have been no further developments since.
In the late 1970s, an animatedKamandi television series was optioned, but was canceled before entering the production phase.[379]
By November 2012,Guillermo del Toro signed a deal to write and direct aJustice League Dark film centered aroundDC Comics' supernatural characters, including John Constantine and Madame Xanadu. He was attached to the project until his exit in June 2015.Doug Liman was later attached to the project, but also later left due to scheduling conflicts. By 2020, the project was redeveloped as a series for HBO Max, with J. J. Abrams attached as an executive producer.Justice League Dark was intended to premiere after the individual team members were introduced in their own series, with the studios involved inspired to a similar approach asMarvel Television'sNetflix series individually premiering before crossing over inThe Defenders (2017). By 2023, the series was no longer moving forward.[380][381][382][383][384][385][386][387][388]
In 2021, two series focusing onJohn Constantine andMadame Xanadu entered development at HBO Max. For Constantine, the series was to feature a younger version of the character in contemporary London and was planned to behorror-oriented. Guy Bolton was hired to write the pilot, while J. J. Abrams was attached as an executive producer. They were looking to the non-white actors for the lead role. For Madame X,Angela Robinson was attached to write and executive produce the series along with J. J. Abrams. Both shows were planned to tie in withJustice League Dark. The following year, both shows were no longer moving forward at HBO Max in favor of developing of a sequel to the filmConstantine (2005), while the shows were shopped around to other streaming services.[389][390][391][392][393][394][395][396]
In 2017, a film centered aroundSlade Wilson / Deathstroke was in development withGareth Evans attached as screenwriter and director from a story byJoe Manganiello, who was also set to reprise his role fromJustice League. The project was greenlit after Evans impressed executives with his pitch. By April 2020, Evans was no longer in negotiations to work on the project, stating that he had never been contractually involved with its development. He described the story as a "dark" and "unforgiving" origin story, similar to Korean noir films. In March 2021, after numerous delays,Deathstroke was canceled because Warner Bros. did not consider it a priority. The project was brought back in discussions to revive it as part ofGunn andSafran's plans forDC Universe franchise. The project was canceled in February 2024, when Manganiello revealed that Gunn convinced him to let the project and role go, but the comic book artistJim Lee approached Manganiello to create a graphic novel series based on his unproduced screenplay once it was decided to "dismantle" the DCEU.[397][398][399][400][401][402][403]
By August 2021, an HBO Max-exclusive film centered aroundDinah Lance / Black Canary entered development withJurnee Smollett reprising her role fromBirds of Prey,Misha Green writing the script, and Sue Kroll producing. Although it continued to be developed, the fate of the project is uncertain due to the plans for the new DCU franchise by Gunn and Safran.[404][405][406]
In November 2020,The CW reportedly began to develop a backdoor pilot for a spin-off ofPainkiller withJordan Calloway reprising his role fromBlack Lightning.[407] Three months later,Sibongile Mlambo,Alexander Hodge, andJames Roch joined the cast.[408] Later in May, The CW passed on the project.[409]
In 2019,WarnerMedia andGreg Berlanti, the producer of The CW'sArrowverse, wanted to produce a "super hero anthology" series under the titleStrange Adventures forHBO Max. The series had reportedly been in development previously for theDC Universe streaming service.[410] In August 2022,Kevin Smith, who was writing the script with Eric Carrasco, said that the series was canceled.[411]
After the seriesStargirl was canceled in 2022, it was revealed that a spin-off revolving aroundInfinity Inc. was planned and that it would have followed theShade,Jennie, andTodd searching for the other offspring of the originalJustice Society of America (JSA) members and help them with their potential abilities.[412]
An Arrowverse series titledJustice U that would have starredDavid Ramsey was in development by January 2022, developed by Michael Narducci andZoanne Clack. The premise of the proposed show would have shownJohn Diggle recruiting five young meta humans to live undercover as freshmen at a prestigious university, with Diggle overseeing their education and training. Ramsey was attached to direct the pilot if ordered, with Greg Berlanti,Sarah Schechter,David Madden, and Geoff Johns executive producing alongside Narducci and Clack.[413] The CW passed on the proposal one year later in May.[414]
In the 1960s, due to the success of the showThe Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure,Filmation considered to make aMetamorpho andB'wana Beast animated shows, which also included a concept drawings, but the plans were canceled when CBS secured the animation rights toBatman in the wake of ABC's recent success with theBatmanlive action television series.[90]
AHawkman film was in development by Warner Bros. in the early 2010s, but nothing came of it.[415]
An animated series starringHarley Quinn andPoison Ivy was in development in 2001, but never made it past early pre-production. Character designs for the series were done by Shane Glines.[16]
Jeremy Adams, who worked on theMortal Kombat Legends animated films, pitched aMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe animated film based on thevideogame of the same name to Warner but it was rejected.[416]
While developing theKite Man: Hell Yeah! series, Dean Lorey (who was a big fan ofGarth Ennis'sHitman comics) pitched an animated series of the character to theSyfy network, but was turned down. Because of this, many Hitman characters appeared inKite Man, such as: Moe e Joe Double, for example.[417]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)An animated series based on the acclaimed Batman comic storyline "No Man's Land" has been a popular premise, with multiple attempted made. The piece of artwork above, by character designer Coran Stone, is one of the more notable attempts. Stone said he was selected by producer James Tucker to do the character designs for a "No Man's Land"-based cartoon, but the project was ultimate scrapped since it was considered "too dark".
A second attempt to create an animated series based on the "No Man's Land" comics was attempted, this time with a CG-animation bent to it. Also stalled for the dark premise, James Tucker would have been producer for this mid/late 2000s series. The design artwork above does not have an artist listed.
After all, Warner Brothers animation director (Wonder Woman, Justice League) Lauren Montgomery had cited interest in doing a Batgirl animated film based on theBatgirl: Year One graphic novel in the past.
When asked about continuing the "Year One" line with Batgirl, Timm was a little more optimistic: "I suppose we could sneak it in there. I'd love to do it, personally."
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)TNT president Kevin Reilly revealed that production on the long in-development drama series based on DC'sTeen Titans property has been stopped.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)Proyas said he first took note of Brown after reading the latter's screenplay "Lobo", a humorous sci-fi adventure set up at Warner Bros. and Silver Pictures.
In April 2020,Duster was one of three Bad Robot projects announced for the yet-to-launch HBO Max, along withThe Shining offshootOverlook and a Justice League Dark project. The latter two have since been scrapped...
| Key People |
| | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publications | |||||||||||
| Universe | |||||||||||
| Lines and imprints |
| ||||||||||
| Adaptations | |||||||||||
| Related | |||||||||||
