We now know exactly when James Gunn’s DC Universe starts and it’s sooner than you think

Fans looking forward to James Gunn’s DC Universe can start getting excited, as the upcoming Creature Commandos will release sooner than expected.

The news comes from a Warner Bros. panel at the Annecy International Animation Festival, where it was announced that Creature Commandos will debut in December 2024.

That December release date makes Creature Commandos a surprisingly early component of James Gunn’s new DC Universe. The series is the true start of the new DCU, which technically already includes Peacemaker, Blue Beetle, and The Suicide Squad in some fashion.

Creature Commandos is an animated series based on a DC Comics team of superhumans who resemble classic monsters. The original team consisted of a vampire, a werewolf, a gorgon, and a Frankenstein’s monster, led by a human soldier, Lt. Matthew Shrieve.

First announced in January 2024, the DC Universe Creature Commandos will be led by Rick Flag Sr. (voiced by Frank Grillo), with a team consisting of Princess Ilana Rostovic (Maria Bakalova), Bride of Frankenstein (Indira Varma), Nina Mazursky (Zoe Chao), Doctor Phosphorous (Alan Tudyk), Circe (Anya Calotra), and G.I. Robot (Sean Gunn).

Creature Commandos will also feature the return of Peacemaker’s John Economos and The Suicide Squad’s Weasel. While the plot of Creature Commandos is currently under wraps, Gunn previously hinted the show will reveal more about the bizarre monster Weasel from The Suicide Squad.

Creature Commandos kicks off the DC Universe before the release of the first big-screen entry, Superman, hits screens in July 2025. All seven episodes of Creature Commandos will be available on Max.

While you wait for Creature Commandos and Superman to hit the big screen, you can read up on other upcoming DC movies like Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, The Batman 2, or Joker 2. You can also check out our list of the best superhero movies ever made.