As much as we talk about James Gunn steering the DCU ship, it could actually be Grant Morrison who has the biggest impact on the future of DC cinema. That should have you keeping a close watch on several titles that could be in store for major payoffs. 

James Gunn has made no qualms about his appreciation for Grant Morrison. Before he confirmed that Morrison’s Batman run would be the basis for The Brave and the Bold, he teased Batman RIP and mentioned that he’d read it multiple times. After the major Chapter One: Gods and Monsters announcement, Gunn gave Morrison a huge endorsement and added that they are friends.

Certainly, Brave and the Bold will pull heavily from Morrison’s Batman and Robin run, but Gunn also has teased Morrison’s All-Star Superman as the source material for Superman: Legacy. Don’t forget that Creature Commandos will likely pull from Morrison’s Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein, and I wouldn’t be surprised if both Lanterns and The Authority come from the writer’s work on those titles. 

There could be much more to come. After all, Morrison is one of the most prolific creators of the past 30 years, and there is a wealth of stories at Gunn’s fingertips. What could we expect from future DCU chapters? Here are a few possibilities.

ANIMAL MAN

Morrison didn’t create Animal Man, but he certainly made him one of the most complex and interesting characters in DC Comics. Buddy Baker made his debut in 1965’s Strange Adventures #180. Afterward, he was hardly taken seriously.

Then Morrison turned things around beginning with 1988’s Animal Man #1. Since then, Baker has been tied to the horror world of Swamp Thing, and that could be where he fits into the DCU.

DOOM PATROL

Sure, Doom Patrol has already been featured in the DCU with a hit live-action series on HBO Max. As that show draws to its finale, Gunn may have his eye on a larger-scale (and bigger budget) Doom Patrol for a future DCU Chapter.

Wouldn’t you know that Morrison had a stellar run on the title beginning with Doom Patrol #19.

THE INVISIBLES

When it comes to writing high-concept sci-fi stories, Morrison can hang with the best of them, and his Vertigo creation, The Invisibles, would be right up Gunn’s alley. Ripe with social commentary and covert satire, it is such a sci-fi tale that it is hard to explain.

The recurring theme is that The Invisibles are a team from a secret, interdimensional society known as the Invisible College. They battle against aliens hiding amongst the population known as the Outer Church, who are secretly enslaving mankind. Tell me that doesn’t sound like a future James Gunn project?

FINAL CRISIS

This is where I see the opening chapters of the DCU headed. One way or another, I predict that a Crisis event will be adapted for the silver screen. Besides being one of Morrison’s most popular works, what points me toward Final Crisis is its evil protagonist, Darkseid. Yes, Zack Snyder's Justice League revealed his vision for the character, but there's no reason to leave him on the shelf. For that matter, Morrison's pseudo-detective story of time bullets and Darkseid inhabiting a human body as he creates Apokolips on Earth with the Anti-Life Equation would be remarkable on the screen.

It also could make way for what would be a sure-fire hit with fans, the Supermen of the Multiverse. That team would give Henry Cavill an opening to return, not to mention open the door for Calvin Ellis, the much-speculated Superman based on Barack Obama. 

THE POWER BEHIND THE THRONE

Not every concept in Chapter One will spring from Morrison’s writing, but his influence is likely to be felt everywhere. As Gunn reveals more of his overarching DCU plans, the odds are good that we’ll continue to see Morrion’s comics in some capacity. That being said, it could pay dividends to invest in his key issues now rather than later.

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.