It’s no secret that DC Studios has a plan to tell a decade-long story set in the DCU. The first chapter of the next major superhero saga is called Gods and Monsters, and now that Peacemaker Season 2 has revealed the metahuman prison, Salvation, will play a role in the universe’s future, there’s a much clearer idea of where the franchise is headed. Salvation Run was a seven-issue limited series published by DC Comics from 2007 to 2008. The concept of a prison full of DC villains came from Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin and evolved into something else years later. The published DC Comics storyline featured Lex Luthor, The Joker, the Rogues, and other notable villains.
Salvation Run also led into Final Crisis, a crossover event in which Darkseid attempted to rewrite reality. DCU mastermind James Gunn has already confirmed the DC Studios franchise will not directly adapt the Salvation Run from the comics, and will instead focus on Martin’s original concept and take it in a new direction. With Salvation now at the center of the DCU, there will be significant ramifications and the potential for many stories to play out.
Superman’s Future in Man of Tomorrow
SupermanCredit: Warner Bros. /Courtesy Everett Collection
Peacemaker Season 2 notably featured a key appearance from Luthor in Belle Reeve prison, and Gunn has already teased it occurred as a way to set up his next DCU film, Man of Tomorrow.
So far, it’s been revealed that Man of Tomorrow will feature an unlikely team-up between Lex and Superman, as seen in the comic book art shared alongside the announcement. With Lex also behind Salvation and working with Rick Flag Sr., there’s also a high chance Superman will end up in the metahuman prison or attempt to free the prisoners in Man of Tomorrow.
Creature Commandos Season 2
Another DCU story on the horizon is the animated Creature Commandos series’ next season. Flag Sr. played a key role in the first season, leading Task Force M into Pokolistan. At the end of the first season, the Bride discovered Princess Ilana was a threat all along, a character Flag Sr. had a relationship with, and killed her.
Furthermore, Amanda Waller formed a new team the Bride will lead, which unites Weasel, Doctor Phosphorus, G.I. Robot, King Shark, Nosferata, and Khalis. Despite working with Flag. Sr during the first season, he and A.R.G.U.S. may turn against the monsters in the next, and send them to Salvation, perhaps after a mission goes wrong or to deal with the political fallout of Princess Ilana’s death.
Checkmate’s Search For Peacemaker
Salvation wasn’t the only significant piece of set-up at the end of Peacemaker Season 2. The DCU series finale also featured the formation of Checkmate, a notable team in DC lore. So far, the DCU version of the team consists of Peacemaker, Emilia Harcourt, Vigilante, John Economos, Sasha Bordeaux, Langston Fleury, and Judomaster.
However, Checkmate is already missing Peacemaker after A.R.G.U.S. captured and sent him to the Salvation prison. Since there won’t be another Peacemaker season, according to Gunn, another story will likely follow Checkmate as they search for Chris and try to bring him back to their universe.
A Deathstroke and Bane Team-Up
In addition to the already announced DCU projects, there have been others previously reported but unconfirmed, and one of the most surprising at the time was a film centered on Deathstroke and Bane.
Last year, The Hollywood Reporter shared that DC Studios had hired Matthew Orton to write a script, but there have been no updates on the potential film ever since. With Salvation playing an instrumental role in the DCU moving forward, it makes perfect sense how a Deathstroke and Bane film could fit in, with the two Batman villains potentially sent to prison and forced to work together against the threats in the other dimension.
The Origin of the Secret Six
There has also been intense speculation that the reported Deathstroke and Bane team-up could actually be a Secret Six project, or lead into one. Gunn previously confirmed he has no plans for a follow-up to his Suicide Squad film, but that could be due to plans to introduce a new supervillain team to the universe.
In the past, the Secret Six team has featured members like Bane, Deadshot, Catman, and other metahumans who could easily end up on Salvation. A Secret Six project would also give Gunn the chance to bring back The Suicide Squad characters like Bloodsport and Ratcatcher II, and introduce more villains to the universe.
A Jimmy Olsen Spin-Off Series
Warner Bros. /Courtesy Everett Collection
Following the success of Superman, there have also been rumors that DC Studios is developing a Jimmy Olsen series. On the surface, an entire series centered on Skyler Gisondo’s Jimmy may not sound exciting, but Superman’s pal has an outlandish comic book history that could easily play into the Salvation storyline.
In the comics, Jimmy goes on some wild adventures, and a series could see him investigating the disappearance of the metahumans sent to Salvation. Moreover, rumors surrounding the Jimmy Olsen spin-off suggest it may feature the debut of Gorilla Grodd, a villain Gunn has already confirmed plans for in the DCU
The Rumored Jurassic League Animated Film
Another wild project DC Studios may release is Jurassic League, based on the comic book in which a prehistoric version of the Justice League appears. Jurassic League is also rumored to be an animated film with Brian Lynch penning the script.
It may be hard to imagine how a Jurassic League could fit into the DCU, but the end of Peacemaker Season 2 teased creatures in Salvation, and since the prison exists in another dimension, that opens the door for the Jurassic League to exist. The possibilities are endless for the DCU, and a Jurassic League film could fit inside the Salvation narrative if it occurs in the main continuity.
The Flash vs. The Rogues
To live up to the Salvation concept, the prison will need to house many villains, and The Flash has some of the best in DC Comics. At the same time, another Flash film could be years away after the disappointing box office return of the 2023 film.
There are many ways DC Studios can approach the inevitable Flash reboot, and one could pit the speedster against an entire team of villains on Salvation in a story similar to the scrapped Green Arrow Super Max film. While the DCU won’t follow the story verbatim, The Flash’s Rogues played a prominent role, and the same could occur on the screen.
The Formation of the Legion of Doom
DC Comics has some of the best villains in all of comic books, which is why the Salvation concept and the idea of seeing them stranded in another universe are so enticing. Like the Salvation Run comic book issues, alliances will likely form in the prison. In addition to teams like the Secret Six and the Rogues, the DCU could also bring together a collection of more infamous villains.
The Legion of Doom is a concept that the DC Extended Universe attempted to set up, but never came to fruition. Furthermore, the ramifications of Salvation could bring together villains such as Luthor, Gorilla Grodd, Sinestro, and Brainiac, among others, to seek revenge on A.R.G.U.S. and the United States government after being sent to prison. The Salvation concept not only sets up interesting dynamics but also allows for a natural way for teams to form, and the Legion of Doom would be a terrifying threat to emerge from Salvation.
The Long-Awaited Justice League Reboot
Image via Warner Bros.
Unlike the DCEU, DC Studios is taking its time before introducing one of the most iconic superhero teams ever assembled. While the DCU is a fully established universe full of heroes running around, and teams like the Justice Gang, Gunn has confirmed the Justice League does not exist yet. Therefore, there will need to be a threat big enough in the DCU’s future to require the unification of heroes, and it seems that will come from Salvation, with the potential formation of the Legion of Doom, Secret Six, or Rogues.
A Legion of Doom vs. Justice League film would be a dream come true for many longtime DC fans, and the ramifications of Salvation could make that a reality. The Justice League heroes teaming up to take down a team of supervillains would also be far different from what the Marvel Cinematic Universe has done; something Gunn is well aware of, since Darkseid won’t be the DCU’s big bad. The first Justice League film was a misstep that the DCEU never recovered from, so the new DCU must be cautious not to repeat those mistakes with its reboot. By establishing that dangerous metahumans are seeking revenge after being stranded on Salvation, the Justice League may be the only ones who can save Earth.
- Cast
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David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Milly Alcock, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Anthony Carrigan, Viola Davis, John Cena, Xolo Mariduena