The DC Comics' Extended Universe

The DC Comics' Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and shared universe that is centered on a series of superhero films, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, based on characters that appear in publications by DC Comics. The shared universe, much like the original DC Universe in comic books, was established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast and characters. The films have been in production since 2011, and in that time Warner Bros. has distributed three films, with more than ten in various stages of production. The series has grossed over $2.3 billion at the global box office.

The films are written and directed by a variety of individuals and feature large, often ensemble, casts. Following the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, DC Comics' chief creative officer Geoff Johns and Warner Bros. executive vice president Jon Berg were appointed to co-run the DCEU, with Ben Affleck as an executive producer of the films, all signed on to oversee creative decisions, production and story-arcs in order to create a cohesive overarching plot within the films.

The first film released in the DCEU was Man of Steel (2013), a reboot of the Superman film series, which was followed by Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad (both 2016). The next film to be released will be Wonder Woman, followed by Justice League (both 2017). Other future films in development include The Flash (2018), Aquaman (2018), The Batman (2018) Shazam (2019), Cyborg (2020), and Green Lantern Corps (2020). It has also been announced that Doug Liman is set to direct a movie based around the Justice League Dark called Dark Universe with Scott Rudin producing and Michael Gilio writing; Margot Robbie will produce and star in Gotham City Sirens; a Booster Gold movie is being developed by Greg Berlanti with Zack Stentz writing; and both a Justice League and Man of Steel sequel is in development.

Development
Upon announcement, the universe was commonly called the "DC Cinematic Universe" by fans and the media, in keeping with the naming convention of the already established "Marvel Cinematic Universe". In November 2014, Newsarama referred to the universe as the "DC Cinematic Multiverse", while the DC Comics website informally referred to it as the "DC Cinematic Universe" in December 2014. In July 2015, in an announcement for their San Diego Comic-Con International preview issue online, Entertainment Weekly referred to the films as existing in the "DC Comics' Extended Universe". However, in the issue, Entertainment Weekly did not use the term, instead called the October 2014 reveal of 10 films over the next five years "a blueprint for an extended universe." At the end of July, the release of the September 2015 issue of Empire confirmed the universe name as the "DC Comics' Extended Universe". While the Marvel Cinematic Universe includes television productions, the DC Extended Universe is a shared continuity for films. Several television series featuring DC characters and storylines have their own shared continuity, frequently referred to as the Arrowverse.

The first attempt at a cinematic universe began in 1998 for Superman Lives. The film was supposed to be written by Kevin Smith and directed by Tim Burton. The film was set to feature Nicolas Cage as Superman. The script had Brainiac sending Doomsday to kill Superman, as well as blocking out the sun to make Superman powerless, as Superman is fueled by sunlight. Brainiac teams up with Lex Luthor, but Superman is resurrected by a Kryptonian robot, the Eradicator. Brainiac wishes to possess the Eradicator and its technology. Powerless, the resurrected Superman is sheathed in armor formed from the Eradicator itself until his powers return, courtesy of sunbeams, and defeats Brainiac. Michael Keaton was originally set to reprise his role as Batman from Burton's Batman films, making the attempt at a shared universe.The film was later cancelled.

Akiva Goldsman's draft for the unproduced Batman vs. Superman featured Bruce Wayne coming out of a five-year retirement as Batman and coming into conflict with Superman. Christian Bale, who was being considered for the lead in Darren Aronofsky's Batman: Year One adaptation at the time, was simultaneously approached by Wolfgang Petersen for the Superman role. Petersen confirmed in a 2010 interview the only other actor he approached for the characther was Josh Hartnett. Warner Bros. canceled development to focus on individual Superman and Batman projects after J. J. Abrams submitted another draft for Superman: Flyby. Christopher Nolan would later cast Bale as Batman the following year in Batman Begins.

In February 2007, it was announced that Warner Bros hired husband and wife duo Michele and Kieran Mulroney to write a script for a Justice League film. The news came around the same that Joss Whedon's long-developed Wonder Woman film had been canceled, as well as The Flash, written and directed by David S. Goyer. Reportedly titled Justice League: Mortal, Michele and Kiernan Mulroney submitted their script to Warner Bros. in June 2007, receiving positive feedback, which prompted the studio to immediately fast track production in the hopes of filming to begin before the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. Warner Bros. was less willing to proceed on development with a sequel to Superman Returns, having been disappointed with the box office return. Brandon Routh was not approached to reprise the role of Superman in Justice League Mortal, nor was Christian Bale. Warner Bros. intended for Justice League: Mortal to be the start of a new film franchise, and to branch out into separate sequels and spin-offs.

On January 1, 2014, it was revealed that Warner Bros. intended to launch another attempt at a cinematic universe a few years earlier, which would have started with the 2011 film Green Lantern. The script for The Flash was being written in 2011 by Green Lantern writers Michael Green and Marc Guggenheim, with the post-credits scene featuring Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) meeting The Flash. The film was then cancelled due to the critical and box office disappointment of Green Lantern.

After the 2011 Green Lantern film underperformed, a reboot of Superman was greenlit, which resulted in 2013's Man of Steel. Plans were made to have the film contain references to other characters in the DC Universe, so if the film was a success, it could launch a shared universe, similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In June 2013, it was announced that director Zack Snyder and screenwriter David S. Goyer would be returning for a Man of Steel sequel, fast tracked by Warner Bros. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was released in March 2016. Goyer had previously signed a three-film deal, which includes Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and a Justice League film featuring Superman.

In October 2014, Warner Bros. announced the titles and release dates for nine films, along with some casting information. Also in the month, DC Comics' chief creative officer Geoff Johns explained DC's difference in approach to Marvel Studios and their cinematic universe, saying, "We look at it as the multiverse. We have our TV universe and our film universe, but they all co-exist. For us, creatively, it’s about allowing everyone to make the best possible product, to tell the best story, to do the best world. Everyone has a vision and you really want to let the visions shine through ... It's just a different approach." In June 2015, Greg Silverman expanded on DC's approach to their cinematic universe, saying, "We have a great strategy for the DC films, which is to take these beloved characters and put them in the hands of master filmmakers and make sure they all coordinate with each other. You'll see the difference when you see Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, Justice League and all the things that we are working on." Additionally, Silverman explained DC's method of hiring multiple writers for upcoming projects by stating, "Every project is different. On some projects, we have multiple writers working together. In some cases, we put writers together who have never been a team together. And sometimes, there is only one writer whose voice is right."

DC Films, the cinematic division of DC Entertainment, led by Geoff Johns and Jon Berg

In May 2016, Warner Bros. established a DC Films unit in May 2016 with Geoff Johns and Warner Bros. executive vice president Jon Berg as its heads. The DC Films production unit will serve to oversee production and form a cohesive creative direction for the DC Extended Universe. As so, Johns and Berg will serve as producers on future films. DC Films will not be fully autonomous with Johns reporting to DC president Diane Nelson and Jon Berg reporting to Warner Bros. president of creative development Greg Silverman. Later in May 2016, it was announced Charles Roven would no longer serve as producer of DC-based films at Warner Bros., a role he had served since 2005's Batman Begins, but would be moved to an administrative executive producer role.

Other projects
Aside from the announced film slate, Warner Bros. has revealed that there are other films based on characters from DC Comics in various stages of development.[155]

Dark Universe
In January 2013, Guillermo del Toro confirmed that he was working on a film with the working title Dark Universe, based on the DC Comics superhero team Justice League Dark. Del Toro was then searching for a screenwriter for the film. He revealed Dr. Alec Holland / Swamp Thing, John Constantine / Hellblazer, Jim Corrigan / The Spectre, Boston Brand / Deadman, Zatanna Zatara, and her father Giovanni Zatara would be characters in the story, which would center around Constantine recruiting several of these characters. The film would not be an origin story, with each character already established and elements of their backstory coming into play throughout the film. In May 2013, del Toro revealed that his script features Constantine, Swamp Thing, Nimue Inwudu / Madame Xanadu, Deadman, and Zatanna as the team, with others "in the mix." He also revealed that he was still waiting for the go-ahead from Warner Bros. Del Toro revealed in an interview that he hopes the DC Extended Universe will become as cohesive as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and he added that if there was any correlation to that universe and this film, he would honor it. In November 2014, del Toro confirmed that the script was complete and that he had handed it in to Warner Bros. to be reviewed. In December 2014, del Toro revealed that the film would be a part of the DC Extended Universe.[180] In June 2015, del Toro left the project. Though many of the characters of the Justice League Dark team began under DC's Vertigo imprint and Vertigo characters have been moved to Warner's New Line Cinema division (such as The Sandman), the Justice League Dark characters remain under Warner Bros. and the studio hopes to include them in future DC Extended Universe titles despite del Toro's exit. Test footage for Swamp Thing was released online in July 2016. In August 2016, it was reported that Doug Liman had been hired to direct Dark Universe.

Untitled Deadshot film
In December 2016, it was announced that Warner Bros. is developing a Deadshot solo film as a spin-off of Suicide Squad.

Gotham City Sirens
In May 2016, it was reported that a Harley Quinn-focused spin-off film, which will feature other DC Comics female characters, was in development. Margot Robbie will reprise her role as Quinn and serve as a producer as well. As of September 2016, Robbie's newly created studio LuckyChap Entertainment will help develop the upcoming film. In November 2016, it was confirmed that Christina Hodson will serve as the screenwriter the film. In December 2016, it was announced that David Ayer will direct the spin-off film, entitled Gotham City Sirens, from a screenplay by Geneva Robertson-Dworet. It is unknown what other characters will appear in the movie, though it is likely to feature the female villains Poison Ivy and Catwoman if it takes inspiration from the comics run. No casting has been announced other than Robbie as Harley Quinn.

Untitled Lobo film
On September 2, 2009, Warner Bros. announced that Guy Ritchie would direct a live-action feature film of Lobo. Variety described the premise: "Lobo is a seven-foot tall, blue-skinned, indestructible, and heavily-muscled anti-hero who drives a pimped out motorcycle, and lands on Earth in search of four fugitives who are bent on wreaking havoc. Lobo teams with a small town teenage girl to stop the creatures." Ritchie was scheduled to begin production of Lobo in early 2010. In January 2010, it was reported that Ritchie had left the project in order to pursue working on a sequel to his hit film Sherlock Holmes instead. In 2012, Deadline.com reported that Brad Peyton would write and direct the film. In July 2012, Dwayne Johnson announced via Twitter that he was in talks with Joel Silver and Brad Peyton to portray Lobo. As of February 18, 2013, Johnson had left the project. Johnson has since signed on to play the DC Comics villain Black Adam in the upcoming film Shazam. In March 2016, Jason Fuchs was reported to be signed on as screenwriter for a film featuring Lobo. Fuchs later appeared to confirm the appearance of Lobo in the movie as inspired by the original comics rather than the New 52 run.

Untitled Suicide Squad sequel
In March 2016, it was reported that a Suicide Squad sequel is in development. Ayer has expressed interest in making it R-rated. In December 2016, it was reported that development of the sequel was ongoing.