James Gunn Reveals New Details on ‘Creature Commandos’ TV Series
James Gunn has shared the first story details for DC Studios’ upcoming animated series Creature Commandos, revealing it to be a direct continuation of Peacemaker. Gunn discussed the series during the Annecy Animation Festival panel via a video message from the set of Superman, highlighting the connections between Peacemaker Season 1 and Creature Commandos.
The Plot and Connection to Peacemaker
Gunn revealed that Creature Commandos picks up right after the finale of Peacemaker Season 1, a twist that ties Amanda Waller’s hands operationally. No longer able to risk human lives for her secretive missions, Waller turns to a new team of misfits. Gunn stated, “The new series picks up directly after our Peacemaker season one finale, which leaves Waller with her hands tied operationally, meaning that she’s no longer able to get away with putting human lives on the line to carry out her clandestine morally questionable missions. Instead, she recruits a ragtag band of misfits, not unlike the Suicide Squad and Peacemaker.”
A Monster Lineup
The Creature Commandos roster includes a human, a werewolf, a vampire, Frankenstein’s monster, and a gorgon. Gunn expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “The team consists of actual literal monsters, and I can’t wait for you to meet them. Creating this series has been one of the absolute joys of my life.” He also described the series as some of the best writing he’s ever done.
Animation vs. Live-Action
The expansive story of Creature Commandos is so large that it necessitated an animated format, as it would be prohibitively expensive to produce as a live-action series. However, Gunn hinted that many of the characters will transition to live-action roles in the broader DC Universe (DCU) and confirmed that some of these characters will appear in Superman.
Star-Studded Voice Cast
The voice cast for Creature Commandos includes:
- David Harbour as Eric Frankenstein
- Sean Gunn as Weasel and GI Robot
- Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.
- Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana Rostovic
- Indira Varma as The Bride
- Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky
- Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus
- Steve Agee reprising his role as John Economos from Peacemaker
About the Show
Creature Commandos is an upcoming American adult animated television series based on DC Comics’ team of the same name. Produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation, it will be the first television series in the DC Universe (DCU) and marks the first installment overall. The series centers on a black ops team of monsters assembled by Amanda Waller. James Gunn, who wrote all seven episodes, serves as showrunner, with Balak Yves as the supervising director.
Production and Release
After James Gunn and Peter Safran became co-CEOs of DC Studios in October 2022, Gunn began writing Creature Commandos, which was officially revealed in January 2023. Production and casting for the series were already underway by then, and the cast was announced in April. Animation for the series is provided by Bobbypills.
Creature Commandos is scheduled to debut on the streaming service Max in December 2024 as part of DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
Premise and Legacy
Following the events of Peacemaker Season 1, Amanda Waller can no longer endanger human lives for her covert operations. She assembles a new team of monstrous operatives known as the Creature Commandos.
The Creature Commandos were originally introduced in DC Comics in 1980, set during World War II, featuring a team composed of a human leader, a werewolf, a vampire, Frankenstein’s monster, and a gorgon. The modern version of the team first appeared in a miniseries from 2000.
With James Gunn at the helm, Creature Commandos is set to bring a thrilling and unique addition to the DC Universe, blending Gunn’s distinctive style with a classic yet fresh roster of characters. Fans eagerly await this next chapter in the DCU, premiering on Max in December 2024.
