DC Comics (and parent Warner Bros.) would like you to know that it, too, is 100 percent serious about creating an expansive, interconnected superhero film series. Today, the company mapped out eight films due out between now and 2019. While some of this has been known, the full scope and scheduling is a clear sign of DC wanting to take Marvel's Cinematic Universe head on.
- 2016: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (which will introduce Ben Affleck as Batman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman) and Suicide Squad (aka Task Force X), which will be DC's closest film equivalent to Guardians of the Galaxy
- 2017: Wonder Woman and Justice League Part One (directed by Zack Snyder)
- 2018: The Flash (starring Ezra Miller from Perks of Being a Wallflower) and Aquaman (starring Game of Thrones star Jason Momoa)
- 2019: Shazam (starring The Rock as Black Adam) and Justice League Part Two (also directed by Zack Snyder)
- 2020: Cyborg (starring Ray Fisher) and Green Lantern
Other movies in the works, via The Wall Street Journal's Ben Fritz, include new stand-alone Superman and Batman movies.
For sake of comparison, here's Marvel's upcoming slate, which includes four confirmed titles and six other, yet-to-be-announced films with pre-established release dates:
- 2015: Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1st) and Ant-Man (July 17th)
- 2016: Captain America 3 (May 6th — co-starring Iron Man) and Doctor Strange (July 8th, with no one confirmed for the title role)
- 2017: Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (July 28th) and two untitled films for May 5th and November 3rd
- 2018: three untitled films for May 4th, July 6th, and November 2nd
- 2019: one untitled film for May 3rd
