James Gunn’s DC Universe Will Officially Introduce 6 More Cosmic Level Beings Before 2028

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The first chapter of James Gunn’s new DC Universe, titled ‘Gods and Monsters,’ is proving to be a fitting name. The reboot is already introducing incredibly powerful, cosmic-level characters. We’ve met Superman (David Corenswet), the last survivor of Krypton, and Supergirl (Milly Alcock), who witnessed the destruction of her home. Plus, Nathan Fillion is playing Guy Gardner, a tough Green Lantern fans may remember from Superman and Peacemaker. These characters aren’t your typical superheroes – they operate on a much grander, more powerful scale.

These new additions are just the beginning of what’s to come! Before 2028, we can expect six more powerful characters to join the DC Universe. Three will appear in shows on HBO Max connected to the Lanterns, two through the Supergirl series, and one in the upcoming Man of Tomorrow Superman movie. James Gunn is planning to introduce some incredibly strong heroes and villains from the comics. Because many of these characters are already well-known, we’ll likely see them at the peak of their abilities right away.

Cosmic Level Beings Arriving in the DCU Soon

Hal Jordan and John Stewart

Green Lanterns have been part of the DC Universe for a while, starting with Guy Gardner’s humorous appearance in a Superman story alongside the Justice League. However, Gardner was just a preview of what was to come. The upcoming HBO Max series, Lanterns, scheduled to debut in August 2026, will finally explore the full story and rich history of the Green Lantern Corps.

Kyle Chandler stars as Hal Jordan, a celebrated test pilot and long-time Green Lantern who’s nearing retirement. He’s taking on the responsibility of training John Stewart, played by Aaron Pierre, a former Marine and architect who is completely new to the world of the Green Lantern Corps.

According to showrunner Chris Mundy, the relationship between these characters centers around one passing the mantle to the other. Both are legendary figures in the Green Lantern universe – Jordan was the very first human Green Lantern and set the standard for the role for many years, while Stewart later became a fan favorite, especially in animated series.

I’m really hooked on this series! It starts with these two characters investigating a murder in the countryside of Nebraska, and the creator actually compared it to True Detective – it’s that kind of grounded, realistic mystery. But knowing this show, with its space-faring peacekeepers and all, I have a feeling things are going to get a lot bigger than just a local case. It definitely won’t stay small for long!

When it comes to sheer power, both Hal and John are among the strongest. Green Lanterns are limited only by how creative and determined they are. Their rings can create anything imaginable – from solid energy objects to shields that can survive in the emptiness of space.

Sinestro

In the series Lanterns, Hal Jordan is portrayed as a legendary hero nearing the end of his career, while Sinestro is presented as his dark counterpart. Actor Ulrich Thomsen plays Sinestro as a former Lantern who used to be Hal Jordan’s mentor and friend, now operating as a villain. Officially, he’s described as both ruthless and charming – a combination that makes him so compelling in the comic books.

Sinestro started as the most skilled Green Lantern, completely dedicated to maintaining order. However, he came to believe that fear, not willpower, was the key to controlling the universe. This led him to form the Sinestro Corps, a group that uses fear-powered yellow rings, essentially becoming a dark reflection of the Green Lanterns. Surprisingly, a hint of just how powerful Sinestro would become actually appeared in an early issue of Superman, though most fans didn’t notice it at the time.

Seeing him appear in Lanterns makes us wonder just how much things have changed. Has the Sinestro Corps already been created? Or are we seeing the beginning of the trouble between him and his former allies? Either way, his arrival means the DC Universe now has another incredibly strong character to contend with.

Antaan 

One of the most exciting new additions in Lanterns is Paul Ben-Victor, known from The Wire. He’ll be playing Antaan, an alien character completely focused on revealing the truth and getting revenge for the injustices done to his people. Antaan intensely dislikes the law and is determined to deliver his own brand of justice.

The character Antaan isn’t well-known from the Green Lantern comics, leading many to believe the name is intentionally misleading. His backstory is remarkably similar to Atrocitus, the creator of the Red Lantern Corps and a very powerful figure in the DC universe. Atrocitus, originally named Atros, formed the Red Lanterns after almost all life in his area of space was destroyed by the Manhunters – early, imperfect robots created by the same beings who later created the Green Lantern Corps. Atrocitus’s power comes entirely from anger. Plus, the upcoming Lanterns series will feature different colored lanterns, strongly suggesting we’ll see a Red Lantern appear.

Regardless of whether Antaan turns out to be Atrocitus or a completely new villain based on that same idea, he represents a cosmic-level danger far bigger than a simple murder case in Nebraska. The trailer already hinted at his power by showing him physically dominating Hal Jordan in a fight.

Lobo

Jason Momoa really wanted to play the character Lobo, and after years of asking, DC Studios agreed! Known for playing Aquaman in previous DC films, Momoa will now become Lobo in the new DC Universe, starting with the movie Supergirl, which comes out on June 26th.

Lobo is a cynical alien mercenary and bounty hunter originally from the planet Czarnia, a world with a tragic history that adds to his darkly humorous personality. He’s often depicted as the last survivor of Czarnia, which was destroyed. Lobo is incredibly strong – on par with Superman – and almost impossible to injure. He can even regenerate from injuries, with some storylines showing that a single drop of his blood can create an entirely new clone. He travels on a futuristic motorcycle and is renowned throughout the universe as a skilled tracker and formidable fighter, always delivering his lines with a sarcastic tone.

Okay, so I’ve got the scoop on what to expect from Lobo in the upcoming Supergirl movie. It doesn’t sound like he’ll be the big bad, more of a significant supporting player, which honestly feels right for this story. The film’s taking inspiration from the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic, and that galactic setting? Perfect for a character like Lobo. We’re following Kara Zor-El – Supergirl – as she journeys across the universe with Krypto, trying to bring justice. Along the way, she’ll meet a young alien, Ruthye Marye Knoll, whose father was tragically killed by a villain named Krem of the Yellow Hills. It sounds like a really compelling setup!

Brainiac

Brainiac represents the biggest threat yet in the upcoming Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow, scheduled for release on July 9, 2027. Lars Eidinger, a German actor, was chosen to play the villain, and director James Gunn announced the casting last December after a global search.

Brainiac, first appearing in 1958 and created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino, is an incredibly intelligent alien robot from the planet Colu. He’s driven by a desire to gather every piece of knowledge in existence. He’s infamous for shrinking entire cities and keeping them as miniature collectibles in bottles – he’s done this to places like Metropolis and, importantly, to Kandor, a major city from Superman’s home planet of Krypton, making him closely tied to Superman’s backstory.

Brainiac, a classic Superman villain known from comics and cartoons, is finally appearing in a major DC movie. Director James Gunn explains that Brainiac is such a huge threat that Superman and Lex Luthor – who were enemies in the previous film – will have to team up to stop him. Gunn has drawn inspiration from various versions of the character from the comics, particularly the current ‘Absolute Brainiac’ version, which he finds genuinely unsettling.

Which Other Cosmic Beings Could Feature in the DCU?

Since Supergirl largely takes place in outer space and the upcoming Lanterns series will connect to the interdimensional prison called Salvation—and the organization Checkmate introduced in Peacemaker Season 2—the groundwork is already laid for bringing even more cosmic characters and storylines into the DC universe.

The comic books that inspired Supergirl feature a variety of alien planets, and the movie could use those locations to hint at future characters. We might see appearances or even just references to powerful beings from those worlds. Plus, since the trailers already showed flashbacks to Krypton’s destruction, the movie could expand on those scenes to introduce more well-known characters from the Superman/Supergirl stories.

According to Gunn, the Lanterns series will be a key building block for the entire DC Universe, meaning the cosmic secrets revealed within will have lasting impact. If the character Antaan is confirmed to be Atrocitus, it officially establishes the Red Lantern Corps as part of this universe – which then paves the way for other Lantern Corps like the orange, blue, and black (from the famous Blackest Night storyline). Meanwhile, the appearance of Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow suggests we’ll be seeing more alien characters introduced. Overall, DC fans have a lot to look forward to before 2028!

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2026-03-29 22:07