James Gunn and Peter Safran Detail DC Studios’ Long-Term Plans Under David Ellison

DC Studios is moving into its next phase with James Gunn and Peter Safran remaining at the helm under new Skydance leadership, following discussions with chairman and CEO David Ellison about the studio’s long-term plans. At the Clayface premiere, Safran described the situation as “It’s exciting,” and said, “James and I had this bigger story that we wanted to tell when we started four years ago. We were just getting started telling it, so the fact that we now have the opportunity to do so with even more resources at our fingertips, with an even greater reach is really exciting for us. There’s a lot coming up.”

The immediate focus for the DC Universe is Man of Tomorrow, Gunn’s follow-up to Superman, which is now in post-production and is scheduled for release on July 9, 2027. The film is particularly significant because Gunn indicated that the story has been designed with the larger future of the DCU in mind, rather than as an isolated sequel. The project therefore stands as the next major cinematic chapter in the developing universe and a key transition point toward what comes afterward.

Beyond Man of Tomorrow, the slate already includes a substantial mix of film and television projects. Batman Part II is in production, The People v. Gorilla Grodd is moving forward, and Lanterns has completed its first season, while Clayface represents the next theatrical release. Safran’s comments indicate that these announced projects are only part of a larger plan, with additional DC stories still to be revealed as the studio continues building its interconnected slate.

Gunn also offered an unusually direct glimpse at how far the planning extends beyond the Superman sequel. Asked about Ellison’s knowledge of the DCU’s direction, Gunn said, “David knows everything. We told David long ago. We went through everything that we had. Well, we didn’t go through everything we had planned, but we went through what the basic plan was. And then when we sat down with him, when he first brought us in, you know, and said he wanted to continue with what we were doing, we told him. All he wanted to do is talk about what was happening, what were the secrets, where was the DCU going, what was going to happen from ‘Man of Tomorrow’ on.”

That statement makes Man of Tomorrow more than simply the next Superman adventure: it is also the clearest publicly discussed marker for the DC Studios story that follows. With Gunn and Safran continuing their long-term creative strategy and Ellison now briefed on where the universe is headed, the future slate appears designed to expand substantially beyond the films and series already announced. For DC fans, the July 2027 release could therefore represent both the continuation of Superman’s story and the beginning of the next major phase of the DC Universe.