4 DC Comic Book Characters We'd Love To See In The New DCU!

A new DC movie has hit theaters, Superman, marking the start of a brand new DC Cinematic Universe. With the universe off to a fresh start, the possibilities with future projects are endless. There are already a few projects that have been announced, such as a new Supergirl movie starring Milly Alcock, a Clayface film written by Mike Flanagan, a Lanterns TV show starring Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, and many more that are yet to enter production. 

With the vast history of characters at DC’s disposal, there are characters who have yet to get their moment on the silver screen. Here are 4 projects that we think should get made in the new DCU!

1. Nightwing

There have been numerous Batman films, but only a handful of them have included his trusty sidekick Robin. Dick Grayson was the first boy wonder until he matured out of the role and moved to Blüdhaven to become Nightwing. A Nightwing film could explore Dick’s trauma and relationship with other DC characters, all while using Bruce Wayne’s teachings to become better than Batman ever could be. 

2. Justice League Dark

A Justice League Dark project has been trying to get off the ground for decades now. Maybe that means it’s a lost cause, but there is something to the premise about an occult, dark arts superhero film that would make for a fully unique comic book film if they leaned fully into the horror elements. The team goes through a rotating roster of characters, so finding the right team dynamic is just as important as getting the genre right. The ideal crew would include the founders John Constantine, Madame Xanadu, Deadman, as well as demon Etrigan, Swamp Thing, and Zatanna, who could act as the audience’s entry point into the world of magic and demons. Maybe with James Mangold’s Swamp Thing in development, there’s more of a chance than ever for a Justice League Dark film to see the light of day. 

3. Black Canary

Black Canary is maybe one of the best martial artists and most popular female heroines in DC. She has served as a support in a lot of DC projects, both animated and live-action, so it’s time she was given her own movie. A run that they should take heavy inspiration from, if not adapt directly, is writer Brenden Fletcher and artist Annie Wu’s Black Canary: Kicking and Screaming. The story follows Dinah Lance as an ex-black ops agent, martial arts teacher, and now lead singer in a rock band who finds her life in disarray due to her missing mother’s secrets being dug up by a mysterious ninja cult. It’s a great punk rock, martial arts, road trip story that could make for an entertaining, stylish standalone film.

4. The Flash

There recently was The Flash, but it wasn’t really a story about him or his mythos. By far the most interesting aspect of The Flash is the fact it’s a legacy role. The role originated with Jay Garrick in the golden age of comics, who inspired Barry Allen in the Silver Age, who then passed it on to Wally West to become the modern age Flash. A Flash film following Wally West picking up the mantle after Barry has mysteriously disappeared could have a lot of depth. It could have Wally deal with self-confidence issues due to taking up the mantle while fighting his mentor's old rogues led by Captain Cold, as well as Wally’s friend-turned-archnemesis Hunter Zolomon, AKA Zoom or Reverse Flash. There’s also his romance with Linda Park, which is up there with Superman and Lois as the best comic book relationships. Wally and Linda’s romance should be the heart of a Wally-led Flash film. A Flash film should take inspiration from writer Mark Waid’s run on the character, as that contains the perfect characterization of the Flash and his cast of characters. Ideally, a Wally West Flash film could be the modern Sam RaimiSpider-Man with all the melodrama and romance a director could explore with this character.