Dean Lorey explores how theCreature Commandoscharacters stand out in James Gunn’sDC Universe. A new era of DC is on its way under Gunn and Peter Safran’s leadership, which has led to the launch of the DC Universe’s Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters.” Though there are multiple live-action films and series in the works that won’t be released until Summer 2025, the DC Universe is getting an early start through animation withtheCreature CommandosTV show.
While still under Amanda Waller’s supervision,theCreature Commandoscastconsists of a completely different rooster of characters in comparison to Task Force X. InCreature Commandos, the team revolves around actual monsters after Amanda’s Suicide Squad program got shut down. Similar to the Suicide Squad, the Creature Commandos are led by a member of the Flag family. This time around, Rick Flag Sr. (father of the late Rick Flag Jr.) is assigned to lead the newest team in the DC Universe.
DCU Chapter One Gods And Monsters: Every Movie & Show In The New DC Universe
James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe begins with six movies and six shows that open the DCU’s first chapter, “Gods and Monsters”.
In an exclusive interview withScreenRant,Creature Commandosshowrunner Dean Lorey shared what makes the DC Universe’s first outing unique for the superhero genre, and how it differs from something like the Suicide Squad. Lorey laid out how the DC Universe is tackling the so-called monsters and making room to explore character histories like Rick Flag Sr. and Rick Flag Jr. in future seasons. He also addressed how theCreature Commandosstory sets up a hypothetical season 2, while leaving a treat for fans of his other DC animated series,Harley Quinn.
Showrunner Dean Lorey Previews The DC Universe’s Creature Commandos
“Our take on them is very different, I think, from the classic take on those monsters.”
ScreenRant: Would you say that the Creature Commandos team is essentially the DC Universe’s answer to the Suicide Squad? How do they stand out from what we have seen before, especially under James’s regime?
Dean Lorey: First of all, they’re, at least a couple of them, classic film monsters. So that’s, to me, kind of fun, and our take on them is very different, I think, from the classic take on those monsters. Frankenstein, he’s a stalker, he’s a bad guy, and he’s also kind of an intellectual, weirdly. He’s very lonely. He just wants the Bride and then she is, in my mind, the lead of the series. Certainly in season 1, I think she’s the driving force there.
One of the characters that I elevated a lot towards is Rick Flag Sr., and what I was wondering: is there any chance, even if it’s just through flashbacks, that we might see more of Rick’s dynamic with his son, whether it was during his childhood or maybe with Joel Kinnaman’s grown-up version?
Dean Lorey: Well, we don’t go into Flag’s backstory in this season. So the [answer’s] no, but that’s just for this season. I would love to get into it in later seasons.
Dean Lorey On Creature Commandos Vs. Justice League
How would the Creature Commandos stack up against the Justice League, in your opinion? This is a very different team, it’s a mixture of monsters, versus something like aliens or metahumans. How would this team fare with the JLA?
Dean Lorey: I don’t know how anybody can go up against Superman, but I would guess probably they’d struggle, if I’m being honest, but I would gladly be [on] board to do that show, if anybody wants it.
Dean Lorey On Potential Creature Commandos Season 2 & Beyond
“You will see at the end of the first season… There’s a lot of fun to come, I hope.”
You were speaking about it as season 1, so isCreature Commandossomething that you guys have designed with the intention of a traditional five-year-plan, a series bible, what can you speak about it? Because there’s, obviously, other characters that could be featured and this could go on for as long as possible.
Dean Lorey: Yeah, we absolutely want to do a second season. There’s no particular five-season-plan or anything like that. But we definitely want to do another season. You will see at the end of the first season, some of the characters that might be part of that, and there’s a lot of fun to come, I hope.
Are there other corners of the DCU that you would love to explore as a storyteller, outside ofCreature Commandosbecause we know there’s a lot of projects already announced, but is there something that you would love to tap into, beyond these wonderful characters, of course.
Dean Lorey: Well, I’m all in on the Harleyverse. There’s a show that I am hoping to be able to announce somewhat soon, that is in the Harleyverse that I’m very excited about. Yeah, that’s the main one.
Dean Lorey Teases The End Of Creature Commandos Season 1
And for someone like me who was seeing the first 5, what teases can you give me about episodes 6 and 7?
Dean Lorey: Everything gets wrapped up. I’ll say that all the questions about who’s lying, who’s not lying, allegiances, all of that will get resolved, and it’s a very emotional ending. It’s not the ending I expected when I was reading them for the first time, I was surprised at how it played out, and I think people will be too. They’re great, by the way.
We know some of these characters are going to carry over to other projects. Would you say that the finale, maybe, gives a little idea of what to expect?
Dean Lorey: I don’t know - I wish I did! I don’t know because I don’t really know what James is planning. But there are certainly characters that do continue in other things, like Amanda Waller, Flag…so I know they continue, but I’m a little in the dark too, so I’m excited to find out what happens.
About Creature Commandos Season 1
CREATURE COMMANDOS tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. When all else fails… they’re your last, worst option. CREATURE COMMANDOS is written and executive produced by James Gunn. Based on DC characters and produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation; additional executive producers include Peter Safran, Dean Lorey, and Sam Register; Rick Morales serves as a supervising producer.
Check out moreCreature Commandosseason 1 interviews:
Creature Commandosseason 1 premieres on Thursday, December 5, with episodes 1 and 2, before shifting to weekly releases on Max.
Creature Commandos
Cast
Creature Commandos follows the exploits of a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for perilous missions unsuitable for humans. Released in December 2024, the film explores themes of redemption and collaboration as the monstrous squad is tasked with handling threats that present dire challenges beyond human capability.
