The hierarchy of power in the DC Universe is about to change…as are the release dates. Today, Dwayne Johnson posted on Instagram to share the news about some key DCEU dates shifting and tried to put a positive spin on things. For one, the “DC League of Super-Pets” animated movie is moving from May 20 to July 29, 2022. Wait, that’s the “Black Adam” date, and well, yes, that DC anti-hero film starring Dwayne Johnson is now moving to October 21. Johnson is also the lead voice of Krypto in “DC League Of Super-Pets,” along with voice actors like Keanu Reeves and Kevin Hart.
While that makes it a good year for Johnson, it’s not so much for a recent DC teaser promo about the now obsolete “year of heroes.” What does that mean for all the very close dates in the DCEU slate intended for 2022? They are moving, including “The Flash” and “Aquaman 2,” which were both set for the fall of 2022.
Warner Bros. has announced a major release date reshuffle, but the silver lining for DC fans in all of this is “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” once set for Spring 2023, is moving up to 2022.
The Jason Momoa-starring “Aquaman” sequel is now set for a March 17, 2023 release, while Ezra Miller’s debut solo outing as “The Flash” has been moved from June 23, 2023. This is quite the move as “The Flash” was originally coming first in November, followed by “Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom” in December.
“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is essentially taking the December “Aquaman 2” slow and has been moved up from mid-2023 to Dec. 12, 2022, which bodes well for the film that is said to be testing well.
Another wrench in things is the HBO Max, “Batgirl” film, said to feature an appearance by Michael Keaton as Batman may be delayed too. That film was originally going to be tied to the “Flash.” “The Flash” would have hit in December with “Batgirl” following in December (rumored, of course), connected by the appearance of Keaton. That’s a bit of a wrench in the (supposed) plan and may mean we have to wait much longer for “Batgirl.”
That said, a Flash movie in November, an Aquaman movie in December, and then a Batgirl movie on HBO Max: that schedule was always overcrowded as in, and while it might be a disappointment for fans, it’s probably what’s best for the box office health and success of all these films.
So, to recap, the new DC release date schedule for 2022/2023 is:
- “DC League of Super-Pets” July 29, 2022.
- “Black Adam,” October 21, 2022.
- “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” December 12, 2022.
- “Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom,” March 17, 2023.
- “The Flash,” June 23, 2023.
HBO Max films like “Batgirl” and “Blue Beetle” are still TBD on dates but presumably would work in between those dates.
In related Warner Bros. news, Timothee Chalamet’s “Willy Wonka” movie has been back several months to Dec. 15, 2023, and the shark disaster movie “Meg 2: The Trench” hits theaters on Aug. 4, 2023.
