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Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman. These are typically the names that come to mind when you think of the greatest heroes of the DC Universe. There are plenty of iconic figures of DC Comics to choose from as the most excellent defender of the universe, but if you were to ask one adventurer clad in gaudy, shiny armor who is the best of the best, you'd get a very clear and concise answer. If imposter syndrome became a superhero, it would be Booster Gold. On the surface, he looks like your average super-powered hero. He's got the handsome looks, the technologically advanced super-suit, and a snarky robotic companion. Overall, pretty standard stuff for a standard superhero, but the twist comes in how Booster got access to these incredible gifts.
Booster was actually born in the 25th century, and he decided to escape his mundane life by stealing some advanced tech and using a time machine to go back to the 21st century, where he hoped to use his abilities to amass great fame and fortune through the creation of a new superhero persona. Though his intentions may be dishonorable, Booster Gold still does have a conscience and always sides with good whenever the need arises. This unique combination of a protagonist who's both greedy and noble has launched Booster Gold from a minor B-list character into a beloved fan favorite. Despite the character's massive popularity among DC Comics fans, Booster Gold has proven to be a complicated character to adapt to film and television. Although Booster has made an appearance now and then in shows like Justice League Unlimited (2004-2006) and Smallville (2001-2011), he's yet to get a show or movie that's all about him. At one time it seemed that the man behind the CW's Arrowverse, Greg Berlanti, was working on a Booster Gold series in 2011 before it was reworked as a movie in 2016, but it's become clear that the project died quite some time ago.
That brings us to today, in a time when new DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran are well underway with plans for a brand-new DC Cinematic Universe, and fans will be delighted to hear that Booster Gold is a part of those plans with his very own television series. To find out all the current details for the long-awaited DC adaptation, read below to learn everything we know so far about Booster Gold.
Does Booster Gold Have a Trailer Yet?
With no main cast and crew currently attached to the still very early in-development project, it'll be a while until we finally get to see Booster Gold in the flesh. That being said, if you are hoping to get a bit more information from the one whose leading the charge on the new DCU, you can certainly check out James Gunn's below announcement video where he talks a bit more in-depth about the Booster Gold show as well as the rest of the upcoming projects in what he's calling the "Gods and Monsters" chapter.
When and Where Is Booster Gold Releasing?
In the above announcement video, James Gunn did reveal what streaming service will become the home to the cocky yet lovable Booster Gold. It shouldn't come as surprise to nobody that Booster Gold is being billed as an HBO Max exclusive, which has become the home of almost every DC film and shows that isn't named Batgirl. Booster Gold was also the fifth and final HBO Max project to be discussed by Gunn and is currently set to follow Creature Commandos, Waller, Lanterns, and Paradise Lost.
Booster Gold was not given a release date nor a release schedule in James Gunn's announcement video, but its placement in the announcement does indicate a rough idea of when the series will premiere. Based on that, we can currently expect Booster Gold to arrive sometime between the release of the next iteration of Batman and Robin, The Brave and the Bold, and the release of the gritty existential Supergirl adaptation, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. That places it sometime between 2025 and 2027, which is a rather wide window, but we should be getting a more specific date soon enough.
Who's Making and Starring in Booster Gold?
Apart from executive producers James Gunn and Peter Safran, no details on the rest of the cast and crew have been revealed just yet. That means we'll have to wait a bit to see who will be playing Booster Gold and who will be playing him. That being said, Nathan Fillion did express interest in playing the character back in 2015. The Firefly (2002-2003) star famously has a close relationship with James Gunn, having starred in his directorial debut Slither (2006) and cameoing in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), so Fillion seems like a pretty decent candidate to bring this beloved cult classic character to life.
What Are the Comic Origins of Booster Gold?
Before he became an obnoxious capitalist vigilante, Booster Gold was once known as Michael Jon Carter. Born in the not-so-distant future of the 25th century, Michael got the nickname Booster during his career as a college football player. You might not be able to tell by his cocky exterior, but underneath that bravado was someone dealing with some significant family issues. Michael and his twin sister, Michelle, were raised by a single mother, Ellen, who had recently fallen ill and required extensive and expensive medical treatment. In an attempt to get some extra cash, Michael decided to start making bets on himself so he could help pay for his mother's medical treatments. However, he was ultimately caught and his aspirations of becoming a professional football player were officially squashed.
Since being removed and even sentenced to prison for his illegal gambling, Michael was able to secure a job as a security job at a museum, where it became his mundane duty to watch over the artifacts of some of the greatest heroes, such as the various members of the Justice League. Also present as one of the exhibits is a Time Sphere created by Rip Hunter, a world-famous time-traveling adventurer who is later revealed to have a surprising connection to Booster Gold. Realizing that there was nothing left for him in this life, Michael came up with a plan. After stealing a nearly indestructible super-suit, a ring that grants him the ability to fly, and a sassy but helpful security bot named Skeets, Michael officially took on the name Goldstar and used Hunter's time machine to go back to the 20th century.
After saving the modern-day president, Booster accidentally mixed up his name and got stuck with the moniker "Booster Gold". Nevertheless, he becomes a viral sensation, quickly gaining the admiration of the world's citizens. Instead of trying to live a life of nobility, Booster took this opportunity to look out for himself, essentially franchising his persona and looking for any way to make a profit. This did get the attention of other heroes like Superman who quickly and easily saw through his facade, but despite being considered a bit of an obnoxious nuisance, Earth's more serious heroes concluded that Booster was ultimately pretty harmless. Plus, whenever the League needs an extra hand (and runs out of people to call), Booster is more than willing to help people when his services are needed.