While it may have been too much to expect Superman to gross a billion dollars at the box office after years of the mixed bag DCEU, now climbing over half a billion dollars, it’s still being considered a success by WB.
Most of that is due to the writing and direction of James Gunn, who, despite his critics, has never made a bad superhero movie across three Guardians of the Galaxies, The Suicide Squad and his show, Peacemaker. Now, we add Superman to that list, which has been a critic and crowd favorite.
Gunn has not spoken in specific terms about the next project he will write and direct, but WB head David Zaslav decided he would spill the beans. While Gunn previously has hinted that his next project was possibly The Authority, that’s in the bin and he’s back to Superman, in some form or another.
Zaslav said on a WB earnings call that Gunn will write and direct the “next movie in the Super-Family.” That will be something that comes after next summer’s Supergirl, which will be directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Gunn-favorite Ana Nogueira, who is also working on Teen Titans, but with the all-important Wonder Woman being her next project.
The obvious idea here is that this is some unannounced project starring both Superman and Supergirl, albeit it’s assumed that Superman will probably at least cameo in Supergirl. This is not something that James Gunn has officially added to the DCU slate or detailed yet, but if it’s a personal project for him, no doubt it’s going to be hugely important.
There are some rumblings that it may be World’s Finest, where Superman and Batman team up for a classic DC story. But that would almost certainly come after Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and development on that movie has seemed…odd, at best. Reportedly Batman isn’t even being cast yet. So Gunn’s next project is what, 4-5 years away if he’s waiting for Batman? That would be surprising.
I’m not surprised that Zaslav was eager to share that Gunn was doing another Superman project. When Superman was released, he issued a rare, gushing statement about its performance:
“I remember my first meeting with James three years ago. He spoke about growing up in Missouri and how the characters of the DC Universe weren’t just stories to him, they were like his family. His personal bond with these DC heroes was powerful and I knew then that James was the right person to bring them to life. His love for the DC world runs deep, and it shines in every frame of his work. This weekend, we watched Superman soar as James Gunn’s passion and vision came to life on the big screen. Superman is just the first step. Over the next year alone, DC Studios will introduce the films Supergirl and Clayface in theaters and the series Lanterns on HBO Max, all part of a bold ten-year plan. The DC vision is clear, the momentum is real, and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead.”
I don’t think Zaslav “orders” Gunn to make projects, as he retains his independence for the DCU, but given the reception of Superman, it’s not a huge surprise he’d want to return to the character rather than putting him on ice in favor of a number of other heroes the DCU needs to introduce. The DCU will still do that, of course, but with Superman back for more than just a cameo, and with Supergirl and Krypto in tow.
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