DC's Best New Costume Is Everything James Gunn's DCU Needs

A classic DC icon debuts a new look and a new superpower that makes them a perfect candidate to join James Gunn's DC Universe. DC Studios is actively elevating historically sidelined characters into front-row figures. The Creature Commandos headlined the DC Universe's first installment and featured the first on-screen appearance by Clayface, who follows Supergirl as the second DCU movie protagonist of 2026. James Gunn’s Superman integrates the elemental outsider Metamorpho, alongside Mister Miracle, Hawkgirl, and Guy Gardner, none of whom had appeared in a live-action movie before.

As the DCU continues to chart its expansive trajectory across its first chapter, "Gods and Monsters", DC studios faces a golden opportunity to mine several highly unique DC characters who match James Gunn’s signature style. For instance, Animal Man's ability to tap into the Earth's morphogenetic field to channel animal traits was famously transformed by writer Grant Morrison into an essential part of DC lore, as well as the comedic Plastic Man and the futuristic Batman Beyond. In line with the "Gods and Monsters" concept, dark and mystical characters like Zatanna, John Constantine, and Deadman are also likely to make their big-screen debut.

The latter is making his case for a DCU introduction in his 2026 solo comic, The Deadman, where he unveils a new look.

Deadman Can Summon Any Costume He Needs

The Deadman #1; Written By W. Maxwell Prince; Art By Martín Morazzo

W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo's The Deadman #1 revisits the origins of DC Comics legend Boston Brand. This time, DC explores Deadman's everyday life as a ghost, spending what could be the rest of his post-mortem existence attempting to help at the Outer Gotham Rural Hospital. This incorporeal Deadman spawns a mop, a bucket, and a book, but more notably, he can spawn a janitor uniform and a lab coat. Deadman explains that his outfit "tends to adapt contextually, to whatever soul-shift" he's working.

As a disembodied spirit, Deadman relies on his untraceable possession to interact with the physical world. He slips his ectoplasmic form inside a living host and commandeers their motor functions, vocal cords, and physical traits, leaving them entirely unaware of his infiltration. In his traditional form, Deadman retains the circus acrobat costume he was wearing when he died. Now, instead of being bound to his last physical attire, Deadman can optimize his infiltration tactics by manifesting any disguise.

Deadman Would Be A Fine Addition To James Gunn's DCU

Boston Brand Is The Kind Of Character The DC Universe Is Focusing On

James Gunn’s DC Universe is quickly cementing itself as a franchise specifically designed to celebrate the weird, deeply human, and historically overlooked corners of DC lore. Gunn’s signature directorial style thrives on characters who balance tragedy with stylized and darkly comedic eccentricities, something that Boston Brand embodies flawlessly as a murdered circus trapeze artist forced to wander the Earth as an invisible ghost seeking redemption. Deadman suits the magical underbelly DC Studios is building with teams like the Creature Commandos, one that might eventually be extended with the Justice League Dark.

Deadman's unique perspective as an invisible, floating observer allows for incredible visual storytelling, as he breaks the fourth wall not just through meta-humor, but especially through his melancholic observations as he tries to guide humanity from the shadows. And instead of a repetitive sequence where an actor simply blinks their eyes to signify that Boston has taken control, Gunn could weaponize Deadman's instant wardrobe change to create a signature, reality-warping visual identity for the character. With every single possession, Deadman's clothes could instantly dissolve and reform into completely different outfits with a burst of ghostly energy.

Would you like to see Deadman join James Gunn's DC Universe?