DC Studios’ Next Wave Puts ‘Lanterns’ and ‘Clayface’ at the Center of Its Franchise Rebuild

With a grounded Green Lantern series, a horror-driven Batman villain film, and another Superman chapter on the horizon, James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe is moving beyond its launch phase.

DC Studios is entering a critical stretch in its franchise rebuild, and the next wave of projects suggests a deliberate shift away from traditional superhero formula. Rather than leaning only on marquee names like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, the studio is placing some of its biggest near-term bets on a darker, stranger mix of characters and genres.

The clearest next step is Lanterns, the HBO Max drama set to debut August 16. Warner Bros. Discovery’s official press release describes the series as a mystery centered on new recruit John Stewart, played by Aaron Pierre, and veteran Lantern Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler, as they investigate a murder in the American heartland. Kelly Macdonald, Laura Linney, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Jason Ritter, Ulrich Thomsen, Nathan Fillion, J. Alphonse Nicholson and Jasmine Cephas Jones are also part of the cast.

‘Lanterns’ Gives DC a Grounded Television Anchor

For DC Studios, Lanterns may become one of the clearest tests of whether the new universe can work outside the theatrical superhero lane. The series is built less like a cosmic spectacle and more like a character-driven crime drama, with HBO naming Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King as co-creators. Mundy serves as showrunner, while James Hawes directed the first two episodes, with Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel and Alik Sakharov also tapped to direct.

That creative lineup matters. Instead of treating television as a side extension of the movies, DC appears to be positioning Lanterns as a prestige drama that can deepen the mythology while remaining accessible to viewers who may not know decades of Green Lantern history. HBO’s earlier first teaser announcement framed the show as an HBO production in association with Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios, reinforcing how closely the project sits inside the broader franchise plan.

‘Clayface’ Signals a Bigger Genre Experiment

The more unexpected swing is Clayface, a theatrical release built around one of Batman’s most visually unsettling villains. Entertainment Weekly’s latest DC slate overview lists the film for October 23, 2026, with James Watkins directing from a script by Mike Flanagan. Tom Rhys Harries is attached to star as Matt Hagen, with Naomi Ackie, Eddie Marsan and Max Minghella also among the cast.

That project is especially revealing because it does not sound like a conventional superhero spinoff. A Clayface story naturally lends itself to body horror, identity, fame, disfigurement and transformation, themes that can push DC into a more adult and genre-specific space. If the film works, it could give the studio a model for using comic-book characters in ways that feel closer to horror, noir, thriller or prestige drama than standard franchise assembly lines.

The Strategy Is Bigger Than One Hero

The broader DC plan is still rooted in the studio’s long-term reset under Gunn and Safran. Warner Bros. Pictures’ pressroom previously described Gunn’s Superman project as the launch of the first phase of a connected DC Universe, with Gunn writing the screenplay and Safran serving as his fellow chairman and CEO of DC Studios through the new structure. That early positioning can still be seen in the way the current slate blends film, television and animation under one creative umbrella.

A release tracker from Rotten Tomatoes similarly frames Gunn and Safran’s mission as an effort to build a more coherent live-action universe after years of corporate change and inconsistent continuity. That may explain why the studio is not simply rushing out familiar titles. Instead, DC is spreading risk across different tones, formats and audience expectations.

Superman Still Looms Over the Slate

Even as DC pushes into less familiar territory, Superman remains the symbolic center of the rebuild. The next major Superman chapter, Man of Tomorrow, is currently listed for July 9, 2027, with David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult expected to return as Superman and Lex Luthor. The developing lineup also includes projects tied to Batman, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Booster Gold, Swamp Thing and other corners of the DC library.

The challenge now is consistency. DC has no shortage of recognizable characters, but the new era will likely be judged by whether each project feels creatively distinct while still belonging to the same world. Lanterns and Clayface are early signals that Gunn and Safran are not trying to rebuild DC with one tone or one template.

That makes the next year especially important. If Lanterns connects with HBO viewers and Clayface successfully expands what a DC movie can feel like, the studio may prove that its future depends not only on bigger heroes, but better-defined stories.