The rebooted DC Universe plans to use the same actors for games, films and TV
DC wants to feature the same canon and storylines across all mediums
DC has unveiled its newest attempt at a connected media universe, and this time it’ll include video games that feature the same canon, storylines, and actors from the film and television world.
That’s the goal according to James Gunn, the DC Studios co-chairman who outlined his plan during a presentation about the future of the company.
“The DCU is connected in film, television, gaming, and animation,” Gunn explained. “Characters are consistent, played by the same actors, and it works in one story.”
Gunn did leave himself room to disregard this, however, with the DC Elseworlds branding. This alternate universe will house the content that doesn’t make sense in the wider DC Universe, such as projects like Joker and its upcoming sequel Joker: Folie a Deux.
This latest attempt to recreate the massive success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes after DC’s slate of huge movie franchises failed to replicate Marvel’s box office dominance.
Now Gunn, who previously helmed The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker, and Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, will oversee the entire project, in a role similar to that of Marvel’s Kevin Feige.
No gaming projects were formally announced as part of this lineup, and as there was no reference to projects currently in production – such as Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League – it’s likely they’d fall into the DC Elseworlds bracket.
Games based on DC properties, such as the Batman: Arkham series, led the way in the superhero gaming genre during the Xbox 360 era.
This caused Marvel to form its own Marvel Games division, which has produced titles such as Insomniac‘s Spider-Man, Crystal Dynamic’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and the ill-fated Marvel’s Avengers. It’s unclear if DC will license properties to studios outside of the WB Games umbrella.