‘Creature Commandos’ first look from Annecy

Continuity was the key word in the first appearance of “Creature Commandos” at the Annecy Animation Festival, when Warner Bros. executives. Animation pulled back the curtain on the first series developed and produced within the DC Universe from Peter Safran and James Gunn.

That continuity will be both narrative and stylistic, with the animated series being a direct sequel to Gunn’s ‘The Suicide Squad’ and ‘Peacemaker’, while the creatures designed for animation will retain the same appearance once they appear in the upcoming live performances. promotional offerings like the Gunn-directed “Superman” reboot and the Viola Davis-led “Waller” spinoff.

The DCU maestro launched Friday’s presentation with a video introduction recorded from the Atlanta soundstage, now doubling for Metropolis, once again conveying his vision for an interconnected, cross-media narrative universe spanning feature films, series and video games. But Gunn’s voice resonated in every element of the series presented in Annecy – and not just because he wrote all seven episodes.

In short, “Creature Commandos” builds on a familiar, signature tone, combining irreverence with a deeper love for monsters, outcasts and villains of all kinds. And if Warner Bros. Animation VP Peter Girardi never mentioned that other integrated comic book universe by name (simply mentioning that “Creature Commandos” actor David Harbor might have appeared in another fantasy franchise before becoming Frankenstein for the DCU), the director made a notable exception by writing “Guardians of the Galaxy.” mention on several points.

You could easily see why, especially given the distinct musical identity Gunn outlined in a 2022 creative memo and shared by the Warner Bros. execs onstage. The memo outlined the thematic ambitions of the series, describing the project as “dark, humorous but never wacky and unsentimental. [an] show for adults with political storylines” – while creating a musical mood board inspired by Gogol Bordello and The Dresden Dolls.

Although no completed footage was shown, an early storyboard sequence saw that style in action. The series saw Rick Flag Sr. (voiced by Frank Grillo and with the actor’s full likeness, which makes sense, considering Grillo’s role in season two of ‘Peacemaker’) getting into a fight with his teammate Doctor Phosphorus (voiced by Alan Tudyk), and with the likeness of a radioactive burning skeleton, a look the creative team described as a “permanent special effect”).

The awkward teammates bicker and wrestle and eventually fall through the floor, all while set to the wild instruments of gypsy punk.

The second storyboard sequence followed a more comedic beat, with the determined GI Robot (Sean Gunn) bonding with fishwife Nina Mazursky (Zoë Chao) in the doldrums between missions. Our robot was, you see, programmed to kill Nazis, giving the character little use for leisure or small talk, while being reminiscent of similar socially awkward figures that Gunn has used extensively in previous work.

The Annecy panelists didn’t share any more narrative details, instead focusing on character designs that combined previous DC iterations with animation practices and the need for all of these figures to exist in live-action. Although creators Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke originally gave their character The Bride four arms, the figure now voiced by Indira Varma will have to navigate the DCU with a more manageable two.

At least there’s The Weasel – a character with an already bizarre appearance introduced in “The Suicide Squad” and a temperament that extends beyond the DCU and into the studio’s historical library. Beaming, the Warner Bros. brass described the character as a new Tasmanian Devil.