This Max Show Will Be James Gunn’s “First Expression” of New DC Universe

The Big Picture

• Creature Commandos
  will be the “first expression” of James Gunn’s DC Universe.
• The show features a group of monsters assembled by Amanda Waller and includes a star-studded cast.
• Creature Commandos
  will stream on Max in December 2024.

When starting a new canon, there’s always anticipation for what will make its mark as the first. In an interview with The Wrap, Creature Commandos Executive Producer Dean Lorey says the upcoming Max show will be just that for the soft reboot of the DC Universe. James Gunn is at the helm. Gunn has already started putting his mark on both Marvel and DC with projects like Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad (2021).

Lorey says, however, that Creature Commandos is “going to be the first expression of James Gunn’s DC Universe. We’re considering that canon, and I think it expresses his perspective, tonally, on where he wants the universe to go.” With the basic premise being Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) bringing together a special task force, the concept will not be unfamiliar to fans of The Suicide Squad.

“It’s ‘Suicide Squad.’ He’s done it. People aren’t going to be surprised by what it is, but I think they’ll be really encouraged to see how completely it’s going to inform this new version of the DCU, which I’m very excited about.”

Animated DC Shows are Old Hat to Dean Lorey

Creature Commandos is Gunn’s first TV installment in the DC Universe, but not Lorey’s. He’s a cocreator of the Max animated series Harley Quinn and its upcoming spinoff series Kite-Man: Hell Yeah! Lorey says he stepped away from Harley Quinn for a few seasons, but is back for season 5. “I haven’t had anything to do with last couple of seasons, but it’s really fun. Now all those things are very deep in post, so I’m really pretty much done with having to do anything there.”

The new Max show will consist of a group of monsters, rather than anti-heroes this time around, that Amanda Waller assembles. The cast so far includes: Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), Weasel (Sean Gunn, yes that is Kirk from Gilmore girls, and James’s brother), Dr. Phosphorus (Alan Tudyk), the Bride of Frankenstein (Indira Varma) and Eric Frankenstein (David Harbour), and more.

Creature Commandos will stream on Max in December

Stream on Max in December