It’s almost here Supa-Fans! Back in February last year, freshly minted DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn revealed that the DC cinematic universe would be receiving a fresh overhaul. Tasked with providing the beloved comic book label with a cohesive 10-year vision spanning film, animation and gaming, Gunn revealed that the new DC Universe would launch with a new chapter dubbed Gods and Monsters.
While all eyes are currently on Gunn’s forthcoming Superman reboot (planned for release in July 2025), DC Studio’s new head honcho also has plans to introduce his revamped franchise later this year via the new animated series Creature Commandos. While an official Australian release date is yet to be announced, the series is currently scheduled for its US debut on December 5 and hopefully we won’t be forced to wait too long to get it here in Australia.
With Creature Commandos and the official start of the new DCU just around the corner, we thought we would take a look at what to expect from the franchise’s first animated steps.
Not Everything From The DCEU Is Being Swept Aside
Is it a reboot or a continuation? This is the question that has plagued most fans since Gunn’s original announcement on the new DCU’s future, and the answer is… it’s both.
Moreover, this somewhat unusual approach of both rebooting key elements while also paying homage to the events of the old DCEU will underpin the very start of the DCU’s first animated show. Picking up after (some) of the events depicted in Peacemaker season 1, Amanda Waller has now been prevented from using the human inmates of Belle Reve prison for the suicide missions enacted by Task Force X. However, not one to be so easily thwarted by the members of Congress, Waller simply goes looking for a suitable collection of non-human subjects for her new Suicide Squad replacement.
Led by the father of Joel Kinnaman’s original Suicide Squad commander, Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. is tasked with heading up a new ragtag team of misfits, albeit one with a monstrous touch. Despite swapping out the likes of Harley Quinn and Polka-Dot Man for the Bride of Frankenstein and a World War II-era military robot, the same daunting stakes remain.
Get Used To Seeing More Of The Creature Commandos
Fans of DC comic adaptations are no strangers to seeing their favourite characters brought to life in animated form, and for years the old DC Animated Universe repeatedly set the benchmark for cartoon adaptations. However, Creature Commandos represents a very different approach, and Gunn has made it clear that the voice actors who play roles in animated shows will also go on to play the same character in live-action.
At this stage, Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. has already been confirmed to appear in both 2025’s Superman and Peacemaker season 2. Meanwhile, previous DCEU stars Viola Davis and Steve Agee are both making the leap between animation and live-action as Amanda Waller and John Economos.
What we’d really love to see though, is Stranger Things’ David Harbour making his own live-action debut somewhere down the line as Eric Frankenstein.
Did Someone Say Batman?
It’s hard to separate the DC brand from Gotham’s infamous Dark Knight, and while it’s not clear who will be playing Gunn’s version of Batman in the new DCU, the franchise is already laying the groundwork for his eventual introduction. Not only has Gunn revealed that Batman will make his way into the DCU’s first chapter in a Brave and the Bold movie, but he’s also planning a hybrid CGI animation and puppetry-based Dynamic Duo movie focused on Dick Grayson and Jason Todd.
However, Creature Commandos will be the first to hint at the character’s presence, with the chronically underused Batman villain Clayface confirmed to make an appearance in the series (voiced by Supa-Star alum Alan Tudyk). Briefly shown battling Rick Flag Sr. in the Creature Commandos trailer, Clayface’s official introduction into the DCU will likely come as good news for Batman fans still waiting to see the character appear in live action.
This Ain’t No Kid’s Cartoon
While 2025’s Superman is gearing up to be a family-friendly affair befitting DC’s big blue boy scout, let’s not forget exactly who James Gunn is and the kind of movies he’s notorious for making. First emerging from the cult, B-grade schlock studio known as Troma Entertainment, Gunn’s offbeat sense of humour and penchant for gratuitous violence has never really gone completely by the wayside.
As such, the DCU is set to get off to a far more adult-themed start than many might expect. Younger audiences may fall in love with next year’s big-screen Krypto, but Creature Commandos is definitely geared to a more mature viewership. The trailer alone is enough to give you a taste of the level of violence one should expect, and the same comedic bent infused through 2021’s The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker is all too evident in this new show.
With all of this in mind, we can’t wait to see what other surprises Creature Commandos will have in store for us as the first official entry in the new DC Universe.
