TheDCUis expanding in 2026 with several projects due to be released throughout the year. It’s been a long time coming, but from the initial announcement of plans to renew and revitilize DC’s film and TV offerings under the watchful eyes of James Gunn and Peter Safran, the DCU has finally landed. In 2024,Creature Commandosserved as the official debut program from the DCU, followed in 2025 by the tentpole film that isSuperman.
Now, looking ahead to thefuture slate of the DCU, 2026 will be the busiest year for the fledgling comic book universe to date, with at least two feature films confirmed, and even a TV series to keep the action going on the small screen. It’s possible that more projects will be added to this lineup in the coming months, but for now, there is alreadyplenty to be excited about when it comes to the DCU’s 2026 lineup.
Kicking things off,Milly Alcock will star as Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, inSupergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. The film is directed by Craig Gillespie, whose previous directing credits includeFright Night,Dumb Money, andI, Tonya. Meanwhile, the story has been written by Ana Nogueira, an actress turned writer who has also been tagged to write the upcomingTeen Titansmovie.
Kara plays an important role in DC Comics, not just as the cousin of Superman, but also a hero in her own right. And the comic book miniseries which the film is adapting, Tom King and Bilquis Evely, is a foundational story that sets her apart as a strong and capable superhero. Thecomic follows Kara on a journey through the cosmos,accompanied by Krypto, where she assists a young woman who is on a journey to avenge her father.
Clayfaceis set to be a very different moviefor the DCU in terms of tone and genre. The film initially had Mike Flanagan attached to direct after his script got Gunn and Safran excited about telling a very different Clayface story. However, due to other commitments, Flanagan has since stepped away from the project with James Watkins taking over as director. Meanwhile, the script has been updated and adjusted by Hossein Amini.
Despite the changes,Clayfaceis still set to be a twisty body horror film about a struggling Hollywood actor who goes to extreme measures to stay attractive. However, the abuse of chemical compounds results in a horrible accident thattransforms him into a malleable clay figure. The film is aiming for a September 2026 release.
DCU TV Shows Releasing In 2026
The DCU Is Also Expanding Its Small Screen Offerings
The DCU is aiming to create a much more united and cohesive approach to multimedia storytelling from the start. As a result,DC Studios is also producing TV showsalongside the theatrical films in their slate. And after the wild andwacky adventures that occurred in the animatedCreature Commandosseries, the DCU moved on to feature a second season ofPeacemaker, a show that exists in a limbo between the DCEU and the DCU in August 2025. But the lineup will continue to expand in 2026.
Lanternsis one of the most exciting prospective projectscoming to the DCU in 2026. Chris Mundy serves as the showrunner on the series, with comic book legends Tom King and Damon Lindelof serving as executive producers on the show. And while the series isn’t set to appear until some time in early 2026, there is likely to be some overlap with theSupermanmovie, due to the inclusion of characters like Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner in both the film and the show.
While Gardner is set to have a prominent position in the show, Lanterns is a series that is more concerned with developing the relationship between Hal Jordan and John Stewart, played by Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre, respectively. These twoDCUheroes are some of the most powerful and popular versions of the Green Lantern from the comics, and their dynamic duo will be explored in great detail throughout the eight-episode run over on HBO.
