Creature Commandos | |
---|---|
Genre | |
Created by | James Gunn |
Based on | Characters from DC |
Showrunner | James Gunn |
Written by | James Gunn |
Starring | |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producers |
|
Production companies | |
Original release | |
Network | Max |
Related | |
DCU TV series |
Creature Commandos is an upcoming American adult animated television series based on DC Comics featuring the eponymous team. Produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation, it will be the first television series in the DC Universe (DCU) and the first installment overall. It focuses on a black ops team of monsters assembled by Amanda Waller. All seven episodes were written by James Gunn, who serves as showrunner, while Balak Yves serves as supervising director.
Frank Grillo stars as Rick Flag Sr. in the series, alongside Maria Bakalova, Indira Varma, Zoë Chao, Alan Tudyk, David Harbour, Sean Gunn, and Steve Agee. After Gunn and Peter Safran became co-CEOs of DC Studios in October 2022, Gunn began writing a new DCU television series that was revealed to be Creature Commandos in January 2023. Production on the series had begun by then and casting was underway. The cast was announced that April. Animation for the series is provided by Bobbypills.
Creature Commandos will be released on the streaming service Max in late 2024. It will be part of the DCU's Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
Amanda Waller assembles a black ops team of monsters called the Creature Commandos. [1]
Additionally, Viola Davis reprises her role as Amanda Waller from prior DC media. [1] Anya Chalotra has been cast as Circe. [9] [10]
James Gunn was hired in October 2018 to write and direct The Suicide Squad (2021), [11] [12] a standalone sequel to the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film Suicide Squad (2016) which retained some cast members but otherwise told its own story. [13] He worked with producer Peter Safran, who also produced the DCEU films Aquaman (2018) and Shazam! (2019). [14] They later expanded The Suicide Squad into a spin-off television series, Peacemaker (2022–present), for the streaming service HBO Max. [15] Discovery, Inc. and Warner Bros.' parent company WarnerMedia merged in April 2022 to become Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), led by president and CEO David Zaslav. The new company was expected to restructure DC Entertainment and Zaslav began searching for an equivalent to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige to lead the new subsidiary. [16] Gunn and Safran were announced as the co-chairs and co-CEOs of the newly formed DC Studios at the end of October 2022. [17] A week after starting their new roles, the pair had begun developing an eight-to-ten-year plan for a new DC Universe (DCU) that would be a "soft reboot" of the DCEU. [18] [19] [20] Gunn and Safran said some cast members would return from The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker in the DCU, and a "rough memory" of the events of those projects would remain. [21]
Gunn revealed that he was in the middle of writing a new DCU television series in January 2023. [22] On January 31, Gunn and Safran unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate, which begins with Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. The first project in the slate was Creature Commandos, an animated series for HBO Max's successor, Max, based on a black ops team of the same name featuring various monsters from DC Comics. Gunn had already written the seven episodes and production had begun. It was expected to be released as an "aperitif" for the DCU before the film Superman , which was scheduled for release on July 11, 2025. [3] [1] Warner Bros. Animation co-produces the series. [23] Executive producers of the series include DC Studios' Gunn and Safran, Warner Bros. Animation's Sam Register, and Dean Lorey, [24] while Balak Yves and Rick Morales respectively served as the supervising director and supervising producer. [25]
Created for Weird War Tales #93 (1980) by J. M. DeMatteis and Pat Broderick, the Creature Commandos were originally a team of monsters fighting Nazis during World War II. [3] [26] The series depicts a modern version of the team being assembled by Amanda Waller, and consists of the characters Rick Flag Sr., Nina Mazursky, Doctor Phosphorus, Eric Frankenstein, the Bride of Frankenstein, G.I. Robot, and Weasel. Gunn said the Bride of Frankenstein was the lead character of the series. [1] Waller, Weasel, and Flag's son Rick Flag Jr. previously appeared in The Suicide Squad. [3] Grillo described the series as being "hard R" and said the tone was "funny and filthy". [5]
Gunn and Safran said Viola Davis would reprise her role as Amanda Waller from The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker in the DCU, [21] and she was confirmed to be voicing the character in Creature Commandos with the series' announcement. Further casting was underway by then, with Gunn and Safran intending to hire actors who could voice the characters in the series and also portray them in live-action DCU projects; [1] as such, actors performed on-camera auditions for the series, instead of voice-over as is common in animation. [27] Casting was almost complete by late February 2023. [28] In April, the cast was announced, with Frank Grillo as Flag, [4] Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana Rostovic (an original character created for the series), [2] [29] Zoë Chao as Mazursky, Alan Tudyk as Doctor Phosphorus, David Harbour as Frankenstein, Indira Varma as the Bride of Frankenstein, Sean Gunn as G.I. Robot in addition to returning as Weasel from The Suicide Squad, and Steve Agee reprising his role as John Economos from The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker. [2] [6] James Gunn said Harbour was his first choice for Frankenstein, [30] and that by then, some of the actors were already planned for live-action appearances, with Grillo cast across all DCU media. [29] Voice recording began by May 2023, [8] [31] and was completed by that August. [32] In November 2023, Anya Chalotra was reported to have been cast as Circe, [9] which Gunn confirmed in January 2024. [10] Gunn served as the series' voice director for the main actors. [33]
Production on the series was underway by the end of January 2023. Gunn said animation was a way to "tell stories that are gigantic" without spending $50 million per episode. [3] Animation studio Bobbypills worked on the animation for the series. [34] By February 2024, the initial animatics had been finished and picture locked, while Gunn said "elaborate animated finals" were being worked on. [35]
A making-of session and presentation for the series with Yves and Morales will take place at the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. [25]
Creature Commandos is scheduled to be released in late 2024, [36] on the streaming service Max. [8] It will be part of the DCU's Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. [3]
Sean Gunn is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Kirk Gleason on The WB series Gilmore Girls (2000–2007), and Kraglin Obfonteri in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In this role, he has been in the films Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), as well as the animated series What If...? and television film The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022). He also played Weasel and Calendar Man in the Warner Bros./DCEU film The Suicide Squad (2021). He is the younger brother of director James Gunn and often appears in his films.
Rick Flag is the collective name used for multiple fictional characters featured in American comic books published by DC Comics. Although each character shares the same name, they are portrayed as distinct family members who typically play significant roles in collaborating with the United States government and military within the DC Universe.
James Francis Gunn Jr. is an American filmmaker and studio executive. He began his career as a screenwriter in the mid-1990s, starting at Troma Entertainment with Tromeo and Juliet (1997). He then began working as a director, starting with the horror-comedy film Slither (2006), and moving to the superhero genre with Super (2010), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), The Suicide Squad (2021), and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023). In 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery hired Gunn and Peter Safran to become co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios. Under DC Studios, Gunn will co-produce and executive produce every film and television series under the upcoming DC Universe (DCU) media franchise alongside Safran, which will act as a soft-reboot of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). He will also continue to write and direct various projects set in the DCU, including the upcoming film Superman (2025).
Frankenstein is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is based on the Frankenstein's monster character created by Mary Shelley.
The Creature Commandos are a fictional DC Comics team of military superhumans originally set in World War II. The original team was introduced in Weird War Tales #93, created by J. M. DeMatteis and Pat Broderick. The team was composed of a human team leader, a werewolf, a vampire, a Frankenstein's monster, and a gorgon.
Steven Douglas Agee is an American comedian, actor, writer and musician, known for roles including Steve Myron on the Comedy Central series The Sarah Silverman Program and as John Economos in the DCEU superhero film The Suicide Squad (2021), the streaming television series Peacemaker (2022), and in the film Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023). He also served as the on-set stand-in for Nanaue / King Shark.
Peter Safran is a British-American film producer and manager. He currently serves as the co-chairperson and co-CEO of DC Studios alongside James Gunn.
DC Studios is an American film, television, and animation studio that is a division of Warner Bros., which is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). It is dedicated to the production of films, series, and animations based on characters from DC Comics, among them is their flagship franchise, the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). James Gunn and Peter Safran assumed control of the company, on November 1, 2022. Previously, Walter Hamada was the president of DC Films from 2018 until his departure in October 2022.
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by DC Studios and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on characters that appear in American comic books published by DC Comics. The DCEU also includes comic books, short films, novels, and video games. Like the original DC Universe in comic books, the DCEU is established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters.
The Suicide Squad is a 2021 American superhero film based on the DC Comics team Suicide Squad. Produced by DC Films, Atlas Entertainment, and the Safran Company, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is a standalone sequel to Suicide Squad (2016) and the 10th film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film was written and directed by James Gunn and stars an ensemble cast including Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Sylvester Stallone, Viola Davis, David Dastmalchian, Daniela Melchior, Michael Rooker, Jai Courtney, Peter Capaldi, Alice Braga, and Pete Davidson. In the film, several convicts join a task force known as the "Suicide Squad" in exchange for lighter sentences. They are sent to the South American island nation of Corto Maltese to destroy all traces of the giant alien starfish Starro the Conqueror before it falls into the local government's control.
Superman is an upcoming American superhero film based on DC Comics featuring the character of the same name. Produced by DC Studios and to be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it will be the first film in the DC Universe (DCU) and a reboot of the Superman film series. The film is written and directed by James Gunn and stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent / Superman, alongside Rachel Brosnahan, Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, Anthony Carrigan, María Gabriela de Faría, Sara Sampaio, Skyler Gisondo, Nicholas Hoult, Terence Rosemore, Wendell Pierce, Pruitt Taylor Vince, and Neva Howell. In the film, Superman's journey to reconcile his alien heritage with his human family is explored.
Blue Beetle is a 2023 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle. Produced by DC Studios and the Safran Company, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is the 14th film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Directed by Ángel Manuel Soto and written by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, the film stars Xolo Maridueña as Reyes, a recent college graduate who is bestowed with an armor that grants him superpowers after being accidentally chosen by an ancient alien relic known as the Scarab. Adriana Barraza, Damián Alcázar, Raoul Max Trujillo, Susan Sarandon, and George Lopez also star in the film.
Peacemaker is an American superhero television series created by James Gunn for the streaming service HBO Max, based on the DC Comics character of the same name. The first season is the only DC Extended Universe (DCEU) television series and a spin-off from the 2021 film The Suicide Squad. Set after the events of the film, it further explores jingoistic mercenary Christopher Smith / Peacemaker. It was produced by the Safran Company and Troll Court Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and with Gunn as showrunner. The second season is produced by DC Studios and set in the DC Universe (DCU), a "soft reboot" of the DCEU.
Christopher "Chris" Smith, also known as the Peacemaker, is a fictional antihero in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and DC Universe (DCU) media franchises, based on the Charlton / DC Comics character of the same name. Adapted for film by writer/director James Gunn, he is portrayed by John Cena. Smith operates as a vigilante who aims to achieve peace at any cost, which results in a 30-year prison sentence at Belle Reve Penitentiary. He is approached by the facility's warden and the director of A.R.G.U.S., Amanda Waller, to join a strike team called Task Force X along with other inmates on an infiltration mission to the remote island of Corto Maltese. After being incapacitated during the mission, he is nursed back to health by A.R.G.U.S. and assigned to accompany a group of their agents for "Project Butterfly".
The DC Universe (DCU) is an upcoming American media franchise and shared universe based on characters from DC Comics publications. It was created by James Gunn and Peter Safran, co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios. The franchise is a soft reboot of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), a previous franchise featuring DC characters. The DCU retains certain DCEU cast members while replacing others. In contrast with the previous state of DC Comics adaptations, the DCU features a united continuity and story across live-action films and television, animation, and video games. Concurrent DC adaptations that do not fit within this continuity are labeled "DC Elseworlds".
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) media franchise has experienced a turbulent history since its inception in 2013, characterized by highly publicized clashes between studio executives and talent, constantly changing approaches to worldbuilding, and repeated changes in management. Warner Bros. Pictures originally announced plans for a shared universe of live-action films based on the DC Comics, starting with the release of Man of Steel (2013), with director Zack Snyder set to spearhead the franchise. Following the negative reception to Snyder's follow-up film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Warner Bros. created DC Films, a new division led by Geoff Johns and Jon Berg tasked with overseeing development of the DCEU. DC Films attempted to correct the course of the franchise, culminating in the troubled production and disastrous release of the crossover film Justice League (2017), which significantly deviated from Snyder's original vision.
The first season of the American superhero television series Peacemaker is based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It is the only television series in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and a spin-off from the 2021 film The Suicide Squad. Set after the events of the film, the season further explores jingoistic mercenary Christopher Smith / Peacemaker. It was produced by the Safran Company and Troll Court Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and with James Gunn as showrunner.
The second season of the American superhero television series Peacemaker is based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It is set in the DC Universe (DCU) and serves as a "soft reboot" of the series, which started as a spin-off from the 2021 DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film The Suicide Squad. The season continues the story of jingoistic mercenary Christopher Smith / Peacemaker. It is produced by DC Studios with James Gunn as showrunner.