Warning: This article contains spoilers for shows like Superman & Lois, Joker: Folie à Deux, Creature Commandos, and The Penguin.
As the DCU, DC’s media division under the new DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, began to take shape in 2022, 2024 turned out to be an eventful year for the brand despite the lack of theatrical releases and the DCEU shutting down. This included the ending of the TV show Superman & Lois, which marked a memorable and permanent conclusion for Superman, marking the character’s first-ever death in live-action.
The final season of Superman & Lois featured Clark and Lois’ sons, Jonathan and Jordan, exploring a more mature Superman narrative and Clark eventually passing away after spending years with his family. Following this, 2024 also saw the Penguin TV show feature a new development in the villain’s character arc. The show marked the first time a live-action version of the Penguin had taken over an entire city.
Meanwhile, it was announced that The Penguin actor, Colin Farrell, had broken a 16-year-old DC streak by winning a Golden Globe award for his performance as Oz Cobb. However, his portrayal was also the start of something new for the Penguin character as he rose to power in the Batman universe, working his way to becoming the supreme kingpin of crime in Gotham.
It’s also worth noting that in 2024, three different Batmen exist within different DC universes, each with their own separate roles and storylines. This marks a new chapter for the Batman character, following Ben Affleck, Robert Pattinson, Michael Keaton, and George Clooney’s performances. The lack of a specific Batman actor announcement for the DCU doesn’t affect the overall picture, with various iterations already taking place.