Creature Commandos serves as the opening to the first chapter in the all-new shared cinematic DC Universe (DCU), although heads James Gunn and Peter Safran consider next year’s Superman to be the real beginning of the DCU. Still, that doesn’t mean the animated series about the monstrous equivalent to the Suicide Squad couldn’t possibly help pave the way for future projects. All of that begins with the unassuming G.I. Robot, who takes center stage in this week’s “Cheers to the Tin Man.”
*WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!*
Creature Commandos and G.I. Robot’s World War II days
The episode delves into G.I. Robot’s origins and his first campaign into Europe during World War II with his unit, Easy Company. In the flashbacks, many members of the unit are seen and name-checked including Bulldozer, Canary, Four Eyes, Wildman, and Little Sure Shot. However, there is also one other member you can’t miss.
That person is Sergeant Frank Rock. G.I. Robot even saves him, and many others, during a Nazi ambush. If you’ve heard the name Sgt. Rock recently, that’s because there have been reports that the character will be receiving his own film. Deadline broke the news last month that Oscar-nominated filmmaker Luca Guadagnino and Daniel Craig, who worked together on the movie Queer, are teaming up again for the project with Justin Kuritzkes, the scribe for Queer, writing the script.
G.I. Robot’s life before the Creature Commandos
Like many soldiers, G.I. Robot experienced troubles assimilating to civilian life following the war. He hit the talkshow circuit to drum up good publicity for the armed forces, but came off socially awkward. As a result, he was sold to other parties for research purposes.
One of the first people he encounters after being sold is the brilliant engineer and scientist Dr. William Magnus, who has great interest in artificial intelligence. Those familiar with the comics will know that Magnus goes on to create the Metal Men. The Metal Men are a robotic superhero team with each member having powers and personalities that reflected their namesake metal.
A little over three years ago, The Hollywood Reporter reported that a The Metal Men film was in development from the Warner Animation Group. Ron Clements and John Musker, who have a long history at Disney working on classics such as Little Mermaid and Aladdin, are producing and hoping to direct the animated feature. The pair are teaming up with Celeste Ballard, a writer on Space Jam: A New Legacy.
A Final Word
Of the two above mentioned projects, Sgt. Rock might be of greater significance to Creature Commandos because it was revealed during Gunn and Safran’s tenure as heads of the DCU. The Metal Men news came out prior to both Gunn and Safran’s appointment and the Zaslav regime change (it might have been quietly cancelled).
Also, with Clements and Musker’s family friendly background, the movie would probably be more along the lines to DC League of Super-Pets. But, nothing is formally announced either way, and how great would it be that something from a very adult animated series helped pave the way for an all-ages film. Or, maybe James Gunn has his own plans for the Metal Men for the future.
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