DC Studios Only Bringing One Project to Comic-Con (& Fans May Be Disappointed)

The San Diego Comic-Con in July is an annual tradition bringing many joys to pop culture aficionados. For many years, particularly from the mid-2000s to the late-2010s, it’s also become a glorious home for big movie news and trailer premieres. Within the hallowed space of Hall H (a must-visit room at the convention), Marvel Studios, Warner Bros., Lucasfilm, Legendary Pictures, and countless other entities have launched major Earth-shattering events that gave ordinary people exciting glimpses into the future. This is the event where Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice’s title was revealed, for instance, and the first Iron Man trailer premiered and set the world ablaze.

In recent years, though, movies and TV studios have begun to dial back their commitment to dropping big news exclusively at Comic-Con. Partly this is due to films like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Brigsby Bear bombing despite costly Comic-Con presences. COVID-19’s upending of the entertainment industry is even more impactful in this regard. Plus, the dialing back of quantity in some franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe means there’d be less to show off at Comic-Con panels. Reflecting this trend, DC Studios is only, much to the inevitable chagrin of fans everywhere, bringing one project to 2025’s Comic-Con.

What DC Studios Title Will Appear At Comic-Con?

Given that 2025’s San Diego Comic-Con occurs from July 24-27, 2025, Superman (which opens two weeks earlier on July 11) won’t be part of the event. Instead, DC Studios co-head James Gunn announced on Threads that the outfit will only bring Peacemaker season two to this event. Gunn and Cena will headline a panel dedicated exclusively to this HBO Max program. However, Gunn confirmed he would be open to discussing any project stewing at DC Studios during the panel.

Peacemaker’s sophomore season drops in August 2025, just a few weeks after SDCC 2025. That makes it logical to focus heavily on those upcoming eight new hours of DC Studios programming. Still, fans will inevitably be frustrated that one of the first DC Studios SDCC panels isn’t as jam-packed with projects as a typical Marvel Studios panel. In 2019, for instance, Kevin Feige and company showed up to promote a barrage of Phase Four projects for both the big and small screen, not to mention announce a Blade reboot that still hasn’t materialized.

Gunn’s DC Studios, meanwhile, is keeping things smaller and contained for now in its SDCC 2025 plans. After all, there isn’t much else the outfit could show. June 2026’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow just finished shooting, but it’s also deep into post-production. There isn’t much completed footage they could show off. The only other post-2025 DC Studios movie with a confirmed release date, Clayface, won’t start shooting until October 2025. Meanwhile, highlighting fellow DC Universe TV show Lanterns may distract from Peacemaker’s second season.

Gunn and company seem intent on ensuring this returning HBO Max program doesn’t lose its specialness. Also, announcing too many projects before they’re ready has hampered many other franchises. A more focused SDCC 2025 panel can help DC Studios avoid that problem.

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The DC Universe’s Future Is Still In Flux

Still, the sparse DC Studios SDCC 2025 slate is bound to lead some DC fans to start grumbling simply because, whether intentionally or not, it reflects how uncertain the franchise is until Superman drops. With the proposed Sgt. Rock movie currently shelved, Supergirl is the only post-Superman DC Universe movie that’s actually been shooting before this James Gunn directorial effort hits theaters. Other potential features in this franchise beyond the 2026 title, Clayface, are still a mystery.

This tactic can’t help but feel like Gunn and other DC Studios heads are holding back a bit to see how the public responds to Superman. This blockbuster has been building plenty of hype, but could still backfire financially and critically. If that happens, Warner Bros. would be back in its mid-2010s spot of having a bunch of DC blockbusters on the docket despite audiences expressing disinterest in the characters. Thus, the immediate focus on the future is a follow-up to the beloved 2022 TV show Peacemaker, which can exist separately from Superman.

It’s an understandable move to ensure the DC Universe doesn’t get too ahead of itself. However, it is still likely to irritate long-time followers of these characters. After all, it’s been years since Gunn’s initial announcement of the DC Universe’s Phase One projects, and there’s been minimal movement on productions like The Authority or The Brave and the Bold. An SDCC 2025 panel focused solely on Peacemaker Season 2 is bound to exacerbate those concerns. For now, though, these fans are left to be patient and try to enjoy Gunn and Cena’s amiable rapport at this forthcoming SDCC 20225 panel.

Peacemaker’s second season begins airing on HBO Max on August 21st.