Director James Gunn has recently addressed and shut down rumors suggesting he had always intended to replace Henry Cavill as Superman in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). These discussions have resurfaced as Gunn juggles multiple projects, including the new Superman film and the second season of Peacemaker.
Gunn also took the time to correct a misunderstanding regarding actor Nathan Fillion’s casting as Green Lantern. A recent statement by Fillion, describing how he discovered his casting at a party, led fans to believe Gunn had been planning the DCEU reboot well before he became co-CEO of DC Studios. In the original statement, Fillion said,
“We were actually at the premiere party after Suicide Squad and he [Gunn] was in a huge crowd of people…He goes, ‘Hey, did Peter [Safran] tell you what we’ve got for you next?’ I said, ‘No, he hasn’t said.’ He looked around like someone was gonna be listening. We were in a throng of people, but he leaned over and said, ‘You’re gonna be Guy Gardner.'”
However, on the social media platform Threads, Gunn clarified that Fillion was mistaken about the event’s timeline and that he actually learned about his role during the premiere of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”
Further addressing the conspiracy theories regarding his intentions with Superman, Gunn expressed his confusion and frustration.
“I don’t quite understand how that fits,” he stated. Gunn explained that he had no desire to manage DC until he teamed up with Peter Safran, who handles the executive responsibilities, allowing him to focus on the creative aspects. He emphasized that when he was hired to write a new Superman film, it was always meant to be a fresh take on the story.
This discussion follows the decision made by Gunn and Safran to recast many roles in the DCEU as they plan a complete reboot. Cavill briefly returned as Superman in an end credits scene from 2022’s “Black Adam” before the announcement of the recasting. David Corenswet has been selected as the new Superman in the upcoming film, which also stars Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, and María Gabriela de Faría among others.
