Darkseid, one of DC Comics’ more formidable villains, has been cast for James Gunn’s DC Universe (DCU). But fans shouldn’t expect to see him on the movie screen anytime soon. According to comicbookmovie.com, Mister Miracle showrunner Tom King said in a recent interview with Word Balloon that the character will first appear in his animated TV series.
King, who also wrote the comic miniseries that forms the basis for Mister Miracle, said, “I can confirm that Mister Miracle is a DCU show that has huge implications for the DCU at large. We are doing it right.” He went on to add, “We got to cast Darkseid. And we got to cast Orion. Obviously, Scott and Barda were the big ones. [We’re] finding the right people, finding the right designs and finding the way to tell this story.”
Darkseid in Superman the Animated Series – HBO Max
This confirms last October’s rumor that Darkseid would feature in the series, though it was unclear if Mister Miracle would take place in the DCU or as a standalone project. At the time, sources told Nexus Point News that Darkseid was described as “the physical manifestation of all evil in the universe. He speaks in a silly, over-the-top manner which is balanced with his calm, but confident demeanor.”
King didn’t say who had been cast as Darkseid, so there is no indication if this is still the direction in which he wants to take the character. However, as with 2024’s Creature Commandos, the animated series will be part of the larger DCU canon and whoever does the voice acting will also play the villain in live-action.
A Multi-Medium Strategy
Warner Bros., the studio behind the DCU, is likely hoping that Mister Miracle performs better than Creature Commandos. That show, which was the official launch of James Gunn’s DC reboot, released six months before Superman landed in theaters. However, according to Cosmic Book News, “it never made the Nielsen charts.”
But while Creature Commandos featured characters only hardcore DC fans had ever heard of, the addition of Darkseid to Mister Miracle may generate greater interest. Knowing that the actor’s portrayal will eventually carry over into the theatrical live-action universe lends the character—and the series—some legitimacy it might have otherwise lacked.
Creature Commandos via DC YouTube
That said, Gunn has made it clear that Darkseid will not be a main villain in the films anytime soon. Zack Snyder originally planned to introduce Darkseid into the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) in Justice League, and Gunn has said that he feels Darkseid is too visually similar to Marvel’s Thanos. Introducing the villain in a different medium may be the best way to start laying the groundwork for his inevitable live-action reveal, should the DCU continue in that direction.
However, fans can expect Darkseid to play a major role in Mister Miracle.
Setting the Stage for Darkseid’s Future in the DCU
In its official announcement last June, DC said the show will center around Scott Free, aka Mister Miracle, “the greatest escape artist who ever lived.” They added that, “Scott’s cruel adoptive father, Darkseid, seems to have finally captured the Anti-Life Equation – the ultimate weapon that will give Darkseid total dominance over the universe.”
Darkseid appears in Zack Snyder’s Justice League – HBO Max
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Gunn is taking a gamble by blending mediums as he builds out the DCU. Whether or not this experiment makes the DCU the dominant comic book universe in a competitive marketplace will remain an open question. The right casting and introduction of Darkseid may be a defining factor.
What do you think of Darkseid being introduced on Mister Miracle? Let us know in the comments!
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it will be DEI garbage, as usual. Designed for box-checking and algorithms, not entertainment.
It will probably be Meryl Streep.
We all know that Darkseid will be played by Cynthia Erivo.