Summary
Creature Commandoshas been the frontman for the new order at DC Studios, and now fans can finally settle in for the wait as the show gets an official premiere date and release timeline for streaming as it paves the way for the birth of the new live-action DC franchise in 2025.
Creature Commandoswas announced as the first project to be released following the dissolution of the Snyderverse and the creation of the newDCUunder James Gunn and Peter Safran. Kicking off the ambitiously titled first chapter,Gods and Monsters, Creature Commandosis set to adapt the team of the same name from DC comics as they set to work for Amanda Waller and the US Government under the leadership of Rick Flag Sr., the older and more grizzled father of theSuicide Squadleader. Witha cast of incredibly strong non-humanssaddled with very human issues, the team has seen a wide range of poignant stories in the comics, and Gunn made the call to bring them to life in animation before 2025’sSupermanlaunches the live-action part of the franchise.
The show entered production a while ago, withits star-studded ensemble voice cast of recognizable namesand a dedicated team of animators managing to meet the 2024 deadline that seemed out of reach amidst the double strikes in 2023, and now fans finally know exactly when they’re going to get it. It was recently announced byMax, the streaming platform that will be home toCreature Commandosand every other DCU project that hits streaming going forward, that the animated show would be premiering its first episode on the 5th of December this year. Subsequent episodes are also set to be similarly released on Thursdays through to the 16th of January when the show will have completed its seven-episode first season.
CREATURE COMMANDOS tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. When all else fails… they’re your last, worst option.
The show will follow a storyline in which Amanda Waller is no longer authorized to risk human life in her infamous Suicide Squad, leading to the Creature Commandos being assembled to serve in that role. As implied by the official logline, these missions will up the ante of what fans have seen before, and should be interesting. More importantly, the show seems to presuppose a lot of worldbuilding for the new DCU, a thought that lines up with Gunn’s assertion that some of these characters could be seen in live-action as well in the coming years. This seems to give an encouraging view on the scope of the universe being reforged at the studio, andCreature Commandoscould evenlead to the DCU going beyond superhero storiesto explore other, similarly intriguing genres down the line.
DC has always had a solid animated universe under its belt, withits late 90s to early 2000s run being the ideal blueprint for the new DCUand even more recent animated projects still seeing massive success even as the live-action franchise collapsed noiselessly amidst the sort of competition that won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. No matter how much Gunn has riding onSupermanin 2025, it would be disingenuous to maintain that the brand and franchise have reached anywhere near old form if Gunn’s plans don’t include a thriving animated universe alongside the more theatrical offerings.Creature Commandosmight not be the most important part of the DCU’s first phase, but it’s sure to be representative of how seriously the new administration will take this medium.
On the whole,Gunn likely set out to recreate hisGuardians of the Galaxysuccess withCreature Commandosat DC. This might not be an easy task, but fans will know one way or the other how successful his attempts at bringing these less well-known heroes to a wider audience in his first test as a DC franchise starter in a matter of months. Fans of comics and weird ensemble super-teams everywhere are certainly in his corner, and things are looking good for the show’s chances of success.
Creature Commandoswill premiere for streaming on Max on Thursday, 23 June 2025.
