It’s only a matter of days until worldwide audiences get a first look at the new Superman, the product of James Gunn‘s vision to relaunch the superhero franchise owned by Warner Bros. Pictures. Gunn has shared all kinds of anecdotes regarding his new creation, and now he has made yet another very interesting comment about his relationship with the Man of Steel. It’s all in the past now, but the director addressed the first offer he got to bring the iconic character to the big screen. Gunn said no to making Superman years ago, and the reason may surprise you.
As reported by Comic Book, the director appeared at a Q&A event in London where he was asked a few questions about his new endeavor. His career in the superhero genre speaks for itself, having made some of the most original films for the MCU and then jumping to the other side. When Gunn achieved an original and fun take on the genre with The Suicide Squad, we all knew that he could do well in the DC universe of heroes.
Related
James Gunn Insists ‘Superman’ Won’t Be a Flop If It Doesn’t Reach This Box Office Milestone
The co-CEO of DC Studios isn’t as concerned as everyone else is about ‘Superman’s box office.
Today, his creative vision is focused on officially launching the DCU, the universe of superheroes that’s overhauling the brand that features Batman, Superman, Aquaman, etc. As Superman nears its release, Gunn recalls the first time Warner Bros. and DC heads approached him, making an offer he refused. The reason? Having to deal with the studio’s terrible strategy concerning Henry Cavill’s role as the Man of Steel, and their need to recast the character:
“When I was originally offered to direct Superman back in 2018, I said no. I was daunted by the task. I wasn’t sure how I was going to do it. Also, if you remember, there was other stuff happening with Superman at the time.
“It was going to be politically messy. So I said no and I took The Suicide Squad, which was a more familiar type of group to me. Which I’m glad I did, that was fun.”
DCEU Ends, DCU Takes the Throne
Warner Bros. Pictures
The DC Extended Universe began in 2013 with Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and by the time 2023’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was released, things were looking grim for the cinematic universe that had become overshadowed by other cultural movements. The fans of the Snyderverse are still active, and their outcry continues to resonate, but that huge chunk of superhero cinema is over. The DCU is a new beginning, regardless of narrative preferences.
Although Gunn decided to turn the page back then, and give Task Force X a chance with The Suicide Squad, he could not forget about the opportunity to remake Superman for modern audiences: “But I kept thinking about Superman. I couldn’t get it out of my head. ‘How would I do it if I did it? What would that movie be like? How could I make it work for today’ audience? How could it speak to people?’ And eventually started to think that maybe it was something I could do. So when they reapproached me with the idea for writing Superman three years ago, I said yes.”
Source: Comic Book
- Release Date
-
July 11, 2025
- Runtime
-
130 Minutes
- Director
-
James Gunn
- Producers
-
Lars P. Winther, Peter Safran