DC Universe was announced in April 2017 and launched in the US on 15 September 2018 as a one-stop service for fans: a rotating library of DC films and animated series, a digital comics reader, discussion forums, a shop — and new series made only for subscribers.
The original slate
Its first drama, Titans, arrived in 2018, the same year as the daily news programme DC Daily. In 2019 Young Justice, cancelled by Cartoon Network in 2013, returned after fan campaigning with a third season, Young Justice: Outsiders. The half-hour animated Harley Quinn and the live-action Swamp Thing arrived the same year, as did Doom Patrol, which premiered on 15 February 2019 with Brendan Fraser, Matt Bomer and Timothy Dalton among its cast. A live-action Stargirl followed in 2020.
Overtaken by HBO Max
The timing was against it. WarnerMedia launched HBO Max in May 2020 and the next month began offering DC Universe subscribers a discount to switch. In August 2020 DC publisher Jim Lee confirmed that all the original programming would move to HBO Max. On 21 January 2021 DC Universe became DC Universe Infinite, a comics-only subscription, and its series — including later seasons of Doom Patrol and Young Justice — carried on as Max Originals.
Never in Britain
DC Universe was never available in Britain: it operated only in the US. Its programmes were sold abroad one at a time. Titans was distributed internationally by Netflix, while the first season of Doom Patrol was released in the UK by StarzPlay on 2 January 2020.
Key dates
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DC Universe launches
DC's subscription service for films, comics and new series opens in the US.
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Doom Patrol premieres
The live-action superhero series debuts exclusively on DC Universe.
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Doom Patrol reaches UK viewers
The first season is released in the UK on StarzPlay.
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Becomes DC Universe Infinite
The service drops streaming to become comics-only; its shows continue on HBO Max.