Here’s Everything We Know So Far About the New Streaming Channel From DC Comics

The site for the new DC streaming channel “DC Universe” just launched. While there are still questions to be answered — like when it’s going to debut, how much it will cost — we’ve compiled everything that we currently know about the new service.

Everything we know about the new DC streaming channel

The company hasn’t yet revealed too much about DC Universe. It announced the name yesterday, though we’ve known a DC streaming channel was coming since last fall. The company also announced a few titles of new shows that will be coming to the network, but more on that later.

What we don’t know — when DC Universe will launch and how much it’ll cost. We can estimate the latter, however. Larger streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu cost between $8-14 per month, depending on the plan, and many streaming platforms that serve a niche audience are much cheaper. For example, Crunchyroll, for anime fans, costs $7 per month, while the counter-culture channel Night Flight costs $5 per month. Filmstruck, for film buffs, costs $7, though if you include access to the Criterion Collection, it’s $11 per month, making it one of the more expensive streaming channels available.

Given these, we estimate DC Universe will cost around $7 per month. But the company is also billing DC Universe as “a first-of-its kind, immersive digital experience designed just for DC fans.” Depending on what other perks DC Universe offers, we’d still be surprised if it’s more than $12 per month. And while new series are the only thing mentioned on the just-launched site, there’s language implying that programming will just be a part of the entire package.

Shows that are coming to DC Universe

Five shows have been announced so far, with three expected to debut with DC Universe’s launch. Those three are Titans, Harley Quinn and Young Justice: Outsiders. The fifth is Metropolis, a pre-Superman look at the ‘City of Tomorrow.’ Metropolis follows Lois Lane and Lex Luthor before Clark Kent goes to work at the Daily Planet. The show is still in pre-production, will start shooting this June and is expected to debut after DC Universe launches.

Harley Quinn is one of two animated series for the new channel. The new series will be made for an adult audience and be run by Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker and Dean Lorey. (The three men also executive-produced NBC’s Powerless, a short-lived sitcom about scientists working for Wayne Enterprises.) In Harley Quinn, Harley’s dumped the Joker and is striking out on her own to take over Gotham. While Harley’s not been given a voice yet, it’s expected that Margot Robbie will at least be approached about reprising her role.

Titans is a live-action take on Teen Titans. It’s produced by Greg Berlanti, Akiva Goldsman, Geoff Johns and Sarah Schechter. (Berlanti also produces a number of CW shows, including Arrow, Supergirl and Riverdale; he also directed Love, Simon.) Unlike Harley Quinn and Metropolis, we do have a cast list for this one. Brenton Thwaites will portray Robin (the Dick Grayson version), Anna Diop is Starfire, Teagan Croft is Raven, Ryan Potter is Beast Boy and Alan Ritchson and Minka Kelly are Hawk and Dove, respectively.

Young Justice: Outsiders is the other animated series on DC Universe. This is actually a third season of the Cartoon Network hit, starring Khary Payton, Danica McKellar and Nolan North. If you’ve been a fan of the previous two seasons, you should know what to expect. We’d be shocked if they mess with success.

Finally, Swamp Thing was just announced and is expected to debut in 2019. The series was given a script-to-series order, meaning if the pilot script is approved the entire series will be picked up. James Wan will be the executive producer, and Mark Verheiden and Gary Dauberman will be writing the script and be showrunners. Verheiden previously worked on Battlestar Galactica, Daredevil and the DC series Constantine and Smallville. Dauberman wrote the hit It adaptation. Wan’s famous for the Saw and Insidious horror franchises, as well as co-writing and directing the upcoming film Aquaman.

We wouldn’t be surprised if DC Universe pads out its original offerings with past successes, like other shows from the DC Animated Universe, and perhaps even DC’s other superhero shows like Gotham, Arrow or The Flash.

Are you excited to see the DC streaming channel? Do you think you’ll subscribe to DC Universe? Let us know in the comments!

Featured image courtesy of Warner Brothers Television