James Gunn Admits The Real Reason He Chose Superman as the DCU’s Main Hero

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James Gunn explained that the first phase of his new DC Universe focuses on Kryptonian heroes, starting with a reimagining of Superman twelve years after the events of Man of Steel. His Superman movie officially launched the rebooted DCU in theaters, and Supergirl will follow next June after a quick appearance in the first film. Gunn shared why he’s chosen to make Superman and Supergirl central figures as DC begins this new era.

In the book Superman: The Art and Making of the Film, James Gunn explained his approach to introducing Superman (David Corenswet) and Supergirl (Milly Alcock) in the first chapter of the DC Universe, which he compares to Phase 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He made this announcement almost two and a half years before the Superman movie was released, and emphasized that these initial films would function both as standalone stories and as building blocks for the larger narrative he envisioned.

He also highlighted the vast selection of DC characters available, saying you could essentially pick any character at random and create a compelling story around them.

I simply wanted to begin developing a handful of stories. The first ones in ‘Gods and Monsters’ were concepts I felt I could approach creatively, and that would function well both as standalone pieces and as parts of the bigger narrative I had in mind.

DC Comics has so many fantastic characters that you could pick almost any one and create a compelling story and world around them.

James Gunn was talking about the upcoming Superman movie, which he wrote and directed, and Supergirl (now simply titled Supergirl), a film written by Ana Nogueira and directed by Craig Gillespie.

As a huge DC fan, it’s really exciting to hear that the Super family is going to be the core of the first phase of the new DC Universe. It sounds like they’re building everything around them, and that includes a follow-up Superman movie, which they’re calling Man of Tomorrow. It feels like a solid base for the ‘Gods and Monsters’ era they’re planning.

Gunn’s co-CEO Peter Safran was clear in the new art book, “We had to start with Superman:”

We began with Superman because he’s the original DC superhero, and we’re making him a key figure in the reimagined DC Universe.

Safran observed that Gunn consistently preferred developing less central characters—those without complicated backstories. He highlighted Gunn’s ability to craft compelling stories around these characters, a talent demonstrated in his previous superhero projects.

According to Safran, the project truly began to take shape when Gunn contacted him with a clear vision. Gunn explained he knew exactly what story he wanted to tell and the core themes of the movie, which ultimately led to Superman – and later Supergirl – becoming central to the new DC Universe.

James Gunn, though, tends to prefer working with less established characters – ones he can shape however he likes. He’s proven how well he does this with films like ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ ‘The Suicide Squad,’ and the ‘Peacemaker’ series. He eventually contacted me and explained he had a clear vision for a new project, including the story and its central themes.

The DC Universe is going to be packed with Kryptonian stories in the coming years, and next up is Supergirl. The movie is scheduled to release in theaters on June 26, 2026, and we can expect to see a lot of promotion for it soon, including a big reveal at CCXP 2025. That’s where fans will likely get their first look at Kara Zor-El’s story and her quest for revenge.

Superman will be back in Man of Tomorrow on July 9, 2027, teaming up with Lex Luthor to battle Brainiac—a powerful villain who’s finally making his live-action debut and poses a threat on the scale of the Justice League.

As Supergirl embarks on a cosmic journey and Superman faces a powerful new enemy, it’s clear the Super family will be central to DC’s future stories.

How Will Other DCU Stories Collide?

The DC Universe is growing, and its movies and shows are becoming more and more connected. Upcoming projects will build on this interconnected storytelling, making the links even stronger.

Now that Superman and Peacemaker have connected through a surprise appearance by Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), the focus is turning to HBO’s upcoming series, Lanterns and Supergirl. These shows are expected to set the stage for future storylines in the DC universe.

Everything suggests that Man of Tomorrow will be the first major team-up in the new DC Universe. While it won’t be a full-scale Justice League event, it could still feel like a really important moment for the series.

While Lanterns establishes the galactic protectors and Supergirl details Kara’s difficult past, Man of Tomorrow is where those stories begin to come together.

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2026-02-10 09:36