Fans of the DCU have certainly had a roller coaster of a year. After multiple delays to three feature films back into 2023, the behind-the-scenes conflicting reports on Black Adam's box office, and the cancelation of the nearly completed Batgirl film, it was not an easy one for fans, with many people asking — "What's going on with Warner Bros. Discovery?" With the announcement of James Gunn and Peter Safran being appointed the heads of the now-formed DC Studios with the goal to make an interconnected plan for the franchise, many were excited and relieved.
Yet that excitement quickly came with bad news, as Gunn announced a new take on Superman which will not star Henry Cavill. Cavill was expected to return as Superman after his cameo at the end of Black Adam and a major announcement from the star on his social media, yet those announcements were premature. Combine that with the cancellation of Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman 3, it appears that the original version of the DCU, which was started by Zack Snyder might be out the door following the release of The Flash and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. That has now led to a division in the fandom, with those loyal to Snyder's take on the DC Universe calling for Gunn to be fired while others are open to a new take on the material.
Update August 11, 2023: This article has been updated with additional information following James Gunn's DCU announcements and casting for Superman: Legacy.
Snyder and Gunn have very interesting and similar careers. Zack Snyder's first film as a director, Dawn of the Dead, was written by Gunn. Both have directed R-rated superhero deconstruction films with Snyder's Watchmen and Gunn's Super. Both then stepped into the world of mainstream superhero films and forever left their style on the genre. With all that in mind, it's worth looking at both filmmakers and seeing how they envision the DC Universe. Even though Gunn has only just taken the leadership position, his work on both The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, and his recent announcements, certainly give a hint at what his plans could be.
Snyder Likes Gods, Gunn Likes People
Superheroes are mythical figures. They were created as mythic power fantasies for children to read. As time has gone on, their stories have gotten more complex, and parallels between them and mythic folklore and ancient gods has become widespread. This is an aspect that Snyder really dug into with his DC movies. Man of Steel notably features a lot of Christlike imagery around Superman. Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice draws multiple parallels to superheroes as either angels or devils. The superheroes of the Justice League are incredible individuals with god-like abilities that are meant to be figures of aspiration.
Gunn looks at superheroes in a slightly different way. While both The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker are centered on the so-called villain's perspective, Gunn likes to explore the people behind the mask. He draws the audience in by making these larger-than-life characters more relatable and giving them human quirks and flaws that make them feel more like real people. Snyder sees the DC characters as mythic figures to be admired, but Gunn finds a way to show them as people.
Different Sources of Comic Book Inspiration
One of the biggest differences between Snyder's and Gunn's take on the DC is what comics they draw on for inspiration. Snyder has spoken openly that he did not read comics in his youth and instead became a reader after the 1980s, with the publication of darker, more adult-oriented stories like Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns. Snyder's DC films tend to draw from more recent comic arcs; in particular, his Justice League film drew heavily from the team's New 52 origins, including having Cyborg as a founding member and the major antagonist being Darkseid.
Gunn, on the other hand, was an avid comic book reader as a child and tends to draw inspiration from the Silver and Bronze Age comics from the 1960s until the 1980s. This is apparent in his DCU film The Suicide Squad, which drew heavily from the John Ostrander run on the comic in 1987. He drew from the company's rich history for obscure characters and even included Starro, who was the very first foe the Justice League ever faced in the comics, in the film. Gunn's social media has been teasing various characters with an emphasis on less mainstream heroes like Mr. Terrific and Lobo. Where Snyder favored a more grounded take on the DC universe, Gunn is more willing to embrace the absurd aspects of the comics.
This became more clear after Gunn announced his plans for the DCU. Gunn cited comics like Grant Morrison's Batman run and All-Star Superman, and Alan Moore's Swamp Things as inspiration. He also cited a recent comic, Tom King's Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, as getting its own film. Gunn clearly has a love and passion for various comics which look to inform his cinematic universe, one with characters from diverse backgrounds and creative inspirations instead of the more unified genres Snyder drew from.
Superman Is the Key Between Gunn and Snyder
Superman is the first modern American superhero and the template for which all other superheroes follow. Thus, it's fitting that his 1978 feature film kicked off the superhero film genre, that Man of Steel was the kickoff film for the DCU, and that Superman is the first project announced under Gunn and Safran's leadership of DC. The character is so well known and has been around for so long that he lends himself to be reimagined in many different ways, which is highlighted by both how Snyder and Gunn appear to approach the character.
Snyder's Man of Steel retold the origin of Superman but put an emphasis on the character's alien origins. Krypton was expanded upon, and the filmmakers opted to treat it like a first-contact story. Snyder put Superman's alien origin as a defining aspect of the character. Gunn has teased his Superman film as also exploring the early days of Superman (though it will not be an origin story) but will focus on his time as a reporter for the Daily Planet. Not only is this an aspect often overlooked in Snyder's take on the character, but it puts more focus on Superman's humanity.
Clark Kent might be from Krypton, but humans raised him as a human and walks among them. Snyder's emphasis was on the alien, while Gunn appears to want to explore what makes him human. Again, this is the ultimate distinction between the two. Snyder was interested in the Super, while Gunn is interested in the Man.
Gods and Monsters
It's been a few months since James Gunn and Peter Safran took over the DCU. Their intentions are clear by now: They are relaunching and rebranding the franchise. The first chapter has been aptly titled "Gods and Monsters," Gunn has quickly pointed out that from now on, the DCU will be an interconnected universe across films, TV shows, video games, and comics. This leads us to believe there is no room for another version of the now-defunct Arrowverse, and all future animated offerings will be tied to a larger scope.
It is currently unclear how much of the original DCEU will be brought over into this new vision. While a new Superman has been cast and a new Batman is expected, Viola Davis is set to reprise her role as Amanda Waller in the Max series Waller. Margot Robbie and John Cena are also expected to reprise their roles as Harley Quinn and Peacemaker, respectively. Even Gal Gadot referenced she might return as Wonder Woman, although now it recent reports suggest Wonder Woman 3 is not happening, and Gadot is not guaranteed to be coming back. While Gunn is looking at a more unified DC Universe, he also isn't apparently throwing everything out and wants to keep what has worked. As the expression goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Gunn has also stated how ongoing projects will move forward as separate universes, similar to the DC Black Label imprint, which houses all Elseworlds tales. Matt Reeve's The Batman Universe and Todd Phillip's Joker stand independently. At the same time, the last two offerings of the current slate of recently announced animated films, such as Crisis on Infinite Earths and Watchmen, are unrelated to future offerings.
New players have been introduced as we know who will be playing Superman, Lois Lane, and other popular minor characters such as Guy Gardner, The Creature Commandos, and Metamorpho. That is the most interesting aspect of Gunn's new DCU. While Snyder was putting emphasis on the big characters that form the Justice League, like The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg, Gunn is pulling more obscure characters. Of course, Superman and Batman will be here, but he is highlighting characters like Creature Commandos, The Authority, Booster Gold, and Swamp Thing. These don't seem like characters that would immediately stand as the foundational building blocks of a shared universe, but they hint at an interesting lived-in universe that will explore many corners.
What Direction Is Gunn Going?
Snyder's DCEU was about building up to a fight against Darkseid. This is clear that at one point, the original plan was for Suicide Squad to be closer connected to the early DCEU films and have them fight Steppenwolf before he was made the primary villain in Justice League. As more details come slowly into light regarding the new DCU, it is interesting how Gunn's vision will differ.
Gunn has pointed to Lanterns being important in setting up some overriding mythology to the DCU. This might play into Blue Beetle, which is now indicated as being the first new hero of the DCU, despite originally being made with the intention of being in the DCEU. Blue Beetle and the Green Lanterns both have alien connections, which ties into Superman and possibly The Authority.
The Authority is the second film following Superman: Legacy and also hints at an interesting possible story. The Authority is a team of anti-heroes who do the job by any means necessary. While nothing has been confirmed, the rumor mill indicates that the group will likely be introduced in Superman: Legacy. Maybe Gunn is considering making a big screen adaptation of one of the most acclaimed Superman stories: The classic Action Comics #775 "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?" where Superman fights the Elite, an Authority-like team by showing them the error of his ways.
One thing is sure, though: the fandom seems more divided than ever, as James Gunn has yet to clarify who is still in his new universe from the old one. The announcement of the big reboot seemingly killed any momentum for the last remaining films in the old DCEU, with both Shazam: Fury of the Gods and The Flash becoming two of the biggest box office bomb of the year, and there has not been much interest in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and Blue Beetle box office expectations are low. Yet this low point might be what is needed before Gunn's DCU can rise. To quote another DC film, "The night is darkest just before the dawn".