In fall 2022, it was announced that writer-director James Gunn would be the new co-CEO of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran. Gunn's work in superhero movies has been extensive, from the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy to his work in DC with 2021's The Suicide Squad and its HBO Max follow-up series Peacemaker.
In January 2023, Gunn revealed his and Safran's plans for the first wave of projects in a new-and-improved DC Cinematic Universe. These include new takes on Superman and Batman, as well as additional projects focusing on Swamp Thing and Booster Gold. However, these stories from DC Comics making it to live-action films or TV would definitely delight fans.
8 Crisis On Infinite Earths
Previously, the DC Universe's TV-based Arrowverse adapted "Crisis on Infinite Earths," featuring a crossover between their shows like Supergirl, The Flash, and Batwoman. However, the original comic the TV crossover was based on is much more expansive, similar to what Marvel Studios is planning to achieve with Avengers: Secret Wars.
With that in mind, a feature film based on "Crisis of Infinite Earths" could be a potential goal for James Gunn and Peter Safran. This new interpretation would incorporate their new castings of characters like Superman, Batman, and Supergirl. It would also fit nicely into a recent trend of multiverse-based films and TV shows, both inside and outside the world of comic books.
7 Kingdom Come
Another massive event in the DC comic book universe is "Kingdom Come," a mini-series in the non-canon Elseworlds series. James Gunn recently confirmed that Elseworlds would be used to describe projects like Matt Reeves' upcoming The Batman projects. However, it could also be used to adapt stories like this iconic comic story.
In "Kingdom Come," DC's new generation of heroes break bad, forcing the older generation of classic DC characters to come out of retirement to save the day. Perhaps, with concepts like "Crisis on Infinite Earths" floating around, this could be a way to pay tribute to the DC casts who have been sidelined by the new DCU, such as Henry Cavill or Gal Gadot.
6 Batman R.I.P.
The DCU take on Batman will be titled The Brave and the Bold, centering on the relationship between Bruce Wayne and his son, Damian Wayne. Gunn insisted that the film would be the official live-action introduction of the Batfamily, based on Grant Morrison's take on the character. Morrison could be the key to Batman's future in the DCU after this film.
Another storyline of Grant Morrison's was "Batman: R.I.P.," which finds Bruce Wayne taking on an organization called the Black Glove. The story arc is the prelude to Wayne's death in Morrison's "Final Crisis" storyline. However, the events of "Batman R.I.P." are essential in setting up Wayne's supposed demise and establishing more of the Batfamily.
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This DC comic storyline was notable for being one of the best interpretations of Superman to come out of the early 2000s, thanks to writer Joe Kelly. The series finds Superman facing the organization known as The Elite, led by the villainous Manchester Black. Many fans hail the story arc as one of Superman's best stories, mainly due to its more adult themes.
Given that the series was inspired by the success of comics like The Authority, who are already confirmed to be in the DCU, this Superman Action Comics story could be in the DCU's future. It would be a great way to test the philosophy of Superman following his younger debut in James Gunn's upcoming film, Superman: Legacy.
4 Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia
Wonder Woman's official return to DC is on hold, though James Gunn confirmed that the island of Themyscira would be the subject of an HBO Max series titled Paradise Lost. With this focus on Wonder Woman's cultural origins, a storyline line "Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia" would be a good choice for a future Wonder Woman story in the DCU.
The story follows Wonder Woman bound by a sacred Themysciran code to protect a young fugitive girl named Danielle Wellys. However, she finds herself at odds with none other than Bruce Wayne, who is hunting Danielle. Not only would this examine Wonder Woman's own past, but it would also merge her with other established characters in the DCU.
3 Hawkworld
Hawkman is an incredibly popular DC hero who recently made his live-action debut in Black Adam, though the character is worthy of an origin story. An adaptation of the Tim Truman storyline "Hawkworld" would be a great intro to the character of Katar Hol, a police officer on the planet Thanagar who rebels against his country's mission of conquering other planets.
The series also heavily features the collaboration between Hawkman and Hawkwoman, another police officer who joins his revolution. It would be a unique and isolated story to acquaint movie-going audiences with the characters of Hawkman and Hawkwoman before they collide with the rest of the DC Cinematic Universe's characters.
2 Nightwing: Year One
Sadly, Leslie Grace's debut as Batgirl in the HBO Max movie has been canceled, but perhaps there's still hope for the character. Members of the Batfamily could receive their own film or TV series, such as an adaptation of the "Nightwing: Year One" comic. This storyline, which centers on Dick Grayson's origin as Nightwing, also heavily features Barbara Gordon.
Dick Grayson is notable for being the first iteration of Robin in the Batman canon, though the DCU has confirmed that their Robin will be the Damian Wayne version. Nonetheless, keeping Dick Grayson canon in the universe and featuring him as Nightwing may delight longtime fans of the character. It could also set up Grayson to someday take up the Batman mantle.
1 Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War
Green Lantern had a rough start in the film world, with the notorious Ryan Reynolds-led 2011 film. The character is set for a revival in James Gunn's DCU, with the HBO Max series Lanterns, which will feature both the John Stewart and Hal Jordan versions of Green Lantern. This series could set up a pretty epic adaptation of a DC Comics story arc.
That story arc would be "The Sinestro Corps War," which features the Earth-based Green Lantern Corps in conflict with the rogue Sinestro's own army. Like the MCU, the Lanterns series could set up all they need about the characters of Stewart and Jordan before pitting them against an iconic villain like Sinestro in what would be a battle-filled film.