James Gunn is no stranger to handling a band of misfits, evident from his work in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and 2021’s The Suicide Squad. Now that Gunn has fully taken over DC Films to relaunch an entirely fresh DC Universe, it is no huge surprise that his next project (his first DCU show ever) will be centered on another set of odd characters in the upcoming adult animated series Creature Commandos. Set to arrive on Max later this year, the creative head likens his new project to Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Guardians of the Galaxy, though “without the sentimentality.”
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the DC Studios co-CEO acknowledged that there are some significant differences between DC Comics and Marvel. But that doesn’t mean he is not up for the challenge, kicking off his first DCU show with Creature Commandos. An animated series about a bunch of monster misfits, Creature Commandos — in retrospect — falls right in Gunn’s wheelhouse. This time, however, the monsters come without the Guardians’ sentimentalities. He told EW:
“I’m used to dealing with oddballs and irregular types and weirdos. That’s what Guardians is, and Creature Commandos is kind of like Guardians without the sentimentality. The Guardians are all really good characters at their heart, and that just isn’t necessarily the case with the creatures.”
What Is ‘Creature Commandos’ About?
Consisting of seven episodes, Creature Commandos is set after the events of 2022’s Peacemaker. It centers on Amanda Wallers’ (voiced by Viola Davis) efforts to save the world with the help of the world’s “last, worst option.” Given the dismal results of Amanda’s Suicide Squad and Team Peacemaker, the A.R.G.U.S. leader had no other choice but to enlist the help of incarcerated monsters, including Eric Frankenstein (voiced by David Harbour), the Bride of Frankenstein (Indira Varma), Doctor Phosphorus (Alan Tudyk), amphibious scientist Nina Mazursky (Zoe Chao), and G.I. Robot and Weasel (both voiced by Sean Gunn).
The rest of the voice cast members include Frank Grillo as Creature Commandos leader Rick Flag Sr., Steve Agee as John Economos, Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana Rostovic, and Anya Chalotra as Circe. Creature Commandos joins other upcoming DC shows, such as the Colin Farrell-led The Penguin and the second season of Peacemaker.
EW also shared some exclusive images from the upcoming animated series, which you can check out above. Creature Commandos debuts on Max on December 5, airing news episodes weekly through January 16.
