DC Universe Digital Service Sets August Beta Launch, Content Lineup
LOS ANGELES (Variety) – DC Entertainment has revealed new details around its forthcoming digital service.
The company announced Thursday that it will open beta access to DC Universe in August, ahead of a full launch in fall. The subscription service will be home to a number of previously announced new original scripted television series. “Titans,” from Warner Bros. Television, is set to premiere this year, with two other WBTV live-action series, “Doom Patrol” and “Swamp Thing,” slated to debut in 2019. Also scheduled to premiere next year on the service are new series “Harley Quinn” and the third season of “Young Justice,” both from Warner Bros. Animation.
Signups for the beta launch opened Thursday on the website.
In addition to the new original programming, DC Universe will be home to multiple library titles, the company announced Thursday, including all four original “Superman” movies starring Christopher Reeve; “Batman: The Animated Series”; the original “Wonder Woman” series; and the animated feature films “Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox,” “Green Lantern: First Flight,” and “.”
“DC Universe is so much more than a streaming service. It’s a welcoming place for everyone to immerse themselves in their own level of DC fandom, with the epic characters, stories, and experiences they have come to expect from DC,” said Jim Lee, chief creative officer and publisher, DC Entertainment. “We are investing in and creating original, high-quality shows including the new Titans series, and curating the most beloved nostalgic content, while at the same time elevating the comic reading experience to new heights. Nothing this robust has ever been offered to fans before.”
The service will also feature a rotating library of comics available for subscribers to read via the DC Universe app. Initial offerings will including “Action Comics” No. 1 featuring the debut Superman; Batman’s first appearance in “Detective Comics” No. 27; Geoff Johns and Jim Lee’s “Justice League”; writer Scott Snyder’s “Swamp Thing”; and writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner’s “Harley Quinn.”
“We wanted the DC Universe comic reader to be a blend of art and technology that would further enhance fans’ experience of the live-action and animated programming on DC Universe,” said Dan DiDio, publisher, DC Entertainment. “This hand-curated selection from our decades of comic creations gives fans a thematic digital longbox to carry with them on the device of their choosing or lets them watch exclusive video content on a big screen followed by the comic that inspired it.”
The DC Universe app will also feature a social-media element, access to the DC encyclopedia, contests, and shopping opportunities.
