With DC Comics being the fertile soil that it is, there’s a lot of potential for great movies. With that said, not everything will be produced.
Luckily, the studio’s animated releases have been generally solid. Here are a few of the top ones to look forward to next year.
Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Knightfall
This animated adaptation of the massive Batman crossover arc from Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon, Alan Grant, Dennis O’Neil, Peter David, Jo Duffy, and Jim Aparo will be helmed by director Jeff Wamester and written by Jeremy Adams. It’s expected to release in 2026.
In the story, master criminal Bane enacts a plan to wear down Batman by freeing all of the maximum security prisoners at Arkham Asylum. They include high profile villains like the Joker, Catwoman, Scarecrow, Firefly, and Victor Zsasz, as well as lesser known ones like Mad Hatter, Ventriloquist, and Cavalier.
As he hunts down the escaped villains, Batman reaches the end of his strength and starts to suffer burnout. In one of the most iconic moments in comic book history, Bane defeats him in brutal hand-to-hand combat and breaks his back.
The Knightfall story arc also caused a rift between Bruce and Robin, with Tim Drake asking whether the Dark Knight needs a sidekick. Elements of the arc would later make it into 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises from Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale, as well as Batman: The Animated Series (in which Kevin Conroy’s version of Bruce Wayne is crippled by Bane) and numerous video games.
Clayface
Director Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep, Midnight Mass) is bringing his talents to the DC Universe with a movie focused on the villainous Clayface. The film will center on the imposing character who has the ability to shapeshift and manipulate his body like clay.
The film will be a self-titled feature from DC Studios. It’s set for a 2026 release.
Flanagan has hinted that the story will be influenced by the two Clayface episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, “Feat of Clay” and “Cruel Intentions.” The first installment is an incredibly entertaining arc that combines elements of body horror and corporate villainy.
The second story is a more tragic tale of the Cassius Payne incarnation of Clayface, a sculptor who gains his powers from a formula created by a crooked scientist. This version of the villain is one of the most popular because of his twisted backstory, which includes a murderous rampage to take revenge on Catwoman’s killer. He also infects Alfred Pennyworth with a virus that allows him to control his actions, and frames Batman and Mystery Inc. for crimes they didn’t commit.
Swampy
A psychopathic redneck who owns a dilapidated hotel in the backwater swamps of Louisiana kills people who anger him and feeds them to his large crocodile, which he keeps as a pet. The sheriff investigates and uncovers a Seminole legend that comes to life.
Swampy is an anthropomorphic short green alligator with light green spots on his skin, a curvy tail, round light-green eyes and yellow claws on his hands and feet. He is a very clean alligator who loves cleanliness and bathes daily in plain water. He also carries his Rubber Duck around like a close companion. He is a very good friend of Allie, much to Cranky’s (the tough guy bully of the sewer) displeasure since Allie used to be his girlfriend.
In the first premium update to Disney and Walaber’s hydro-centric puzzler, Cranky has worked up an appetite for the disgusting junk food he finds in the sewer. Your job is to get him clean, fresh water by completing a series of challenges. If you fail, Swampy will mope in disappointment.
Blue Beetle
The first DC superhero film to star a Latino hero, Blue Beetle lands in theaters this August and is a movie that fans hope will snap DC out of its slump and catapult it into a future beyond the dying DC Cinematic Universe. The movie stars Cobra Kai standout Xolo Mariduena as Jaime Reyes, who gets a boost of power after an encounter with an alien scarab. Directed by Charm City Kings director Angel Manuel Soto, the film also stars Antonio de la Torre (Breaking Through), Susan Sarandon, and Adriana Barraza.
The comics character originated with archaeologist Dan Garrett, who found an ancient scarab in a pyramid and used its powers to fight crime. He was followed by Ted Kord, a genius inventor with no powers who carried on the Blue Beetle legacy with his wits and a ton of gadgets. After Charlton Comics went bankrupt, DC bought the heroes and brought them into the main DC universe, where they became part of the Crisis on Infinite Earths story and later ties to Watchmen.
DC Super Powers
The DC Universe is home to heroes and villains that possess powers fans can’t find in the Marvel Universe. Whether it’s super strength or super speed, there are some powers that DC fans won’t be able to get enough of.
This series will focus on a group of metahumans with unique abilities that are unlike anything else. It’s up to the Challengers of the Unknown to explore these unique powers and use them to fight off a mysterious foe lurking in the dark.
Following the events of DC All In Special, an asteroid showers Earth with Kryptonite. This causes a shift in the balance of power between criminal empires and superheroes.
The DC Universe is in chaos after a super-sized meteor crashes into New Metro City. Can Batman and Robin save Gotham City from Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy?