James Gunn Explains Why Adding Static Shock And Other DC Characters To The New Shared Universe Is Tricky

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In less than a year since its inception, the DC Universe has introduced an impressive variety of characters such as Superman, Hawkgirl, Guy Gardner, Mr. Terrific, Metamorpho, Eric Frankenstein, The Bride, and Doctor Phosphorous, to name but a few. There are plenty more exciting characters to look forward to in the pipeline of upcoming DC movies and TV shows. However, there are some characters that pose a challenge when it comes to integrating them into the DC Universe. One such character is Virgil Hawkins, better known as Static or Static Shock, as revealed by James Gunn, one of the heads of DC Studios.

You may recall that at the end of June, Gunn said there were “a bunch of complexities” behind Static right now regarding if he can be used the DCU. When The New Blerd Order asked for clarification when speaking with the executive at the red carpet premiere for Peacemaker Season 2, which is now airing on the 2025 TV schedule, Gunn said this:

The focus is on incorporating him into the DC Universe, as he’s not a typical character found within it.

If you’re not familiar, Static initially belonged to the Milestone Comics universe alongside characters such as Icon, Rocket, and Hardware during the 90s. Although these stories were published by DC Comics, they maintained their unique continuity, known as the Dakotaverse, during their peak popularity. However, during the Final Crisis event, Static was introduced into the main DC Universe. More recently, he has been a significant character in the Milestone Returns publishing line.

Essentially, James Gunn believes it’s harder to integrate Static and The Authority – characters initially created by Milestone Media – into the DC Universe (DCU), as opposed to characters who were born within DC Comics. He finds this to be a complex task due to their original ties with Milestone.

The Authority and Static Shock have proven to be somewhat challenging to incorporate into the DCU. Finding a solution for their integration will hopefully be possible soon.

While The Engineer, who is part of The Authority in the comics, was featured in Superman, there was no indication of her connection to the team as she was portrayed as one of Lex Luthor’s subordinates. James Gunn has previously expressed challenges in getting an Authority movie made, and introducing the character into the DCU would also pose complications. However, I believe that, much like the Static Shock animated series did with Virgil Hawkins by integrating him into the DC Animated Universe, where he interacted with characters such as Batman, Superman, John Stewart, and Terry McGinnis, among others, the DCU could similarly introduce this character.

At the moment, there’s no indication that Static will energize the DC Universe anytime soon, nor is it certain when or if The Authority series will progress. In the meantime, fans can enjoy Season 2 of Peacemaker every Thursday with their HBO Max subscription, and catch up on Superman in digital format as its cinema run concludes. Ahead, Lanterns are scheduled to debut on HBO in early 2026, while Supergirl will take flight in theaters on June 26 of that year.

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2025-08-31 16:10