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  • Marvel Animation’s Roadmap to the Stars: How X-Men ’97 Could Lead to Marvel’s Greatest Cosmic Stories Being Told on Screen

    Marvel Animation’s Roadmap to the Stars: How X-Men ’97 Could Lead to Marvel’s Greatest Cosmic Stories Being Told on Screen

    Marvel Studios waded into the shallow end of the nostalgia pool with X-Men ’97. It was a low-risk project for them in that it had a very high floor thanks to the deeply revered X-Men: The Animated Series. Through three episodes, ’97 has performed well above that floor and the only question left to answer is just how high of a ceiling the project has, especially with new viewers. Once the wistful sentiment wears off of those who grew up watching TAS on Saturday mornings, the series still has to keep the attention of a new, younger audience in order to sustain success into a second season.

    Should it do so, however, Marvel Studios May have found a new recipe to success in Grandma’s ’90s cookbook and may just decide to continue to go backward to go forward and revive some of their other ’90s animated series. While there’s currently no indication they are planning to do so nor any guarantee they could replicate the microwaved hype of X-Men ’97, previous animated series such as Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four and, yes, Spider-Man preemptively and unknowingly put the pieces in place for Marvel Animation to adapt some of Marvel Comics greatest hits of the ’00s.

    It’s in the DnA

    Beginning in 2006, Marvel Comics published a related series of cosmic crossover events largely created by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, aka DnA, with a kickstart from Keith Giffen. Over the course the next five years, Marvel’s publishing house redefined the cosmic corner of Marvel Comics for the first time since Jim Starlin‘s decade and change time as the defining voice of their space operas. Through Annihilation, Annihilation: Conquest, War of Kings, Realm of Kings, The Thanos Imperative and The Annihilators, the House of Ideas revitalized old heroes and villains, reimagined others and reminded readers just how broad the the cosmos is. Serendipitously, Marvel Animation could be poised to repeat the success of their publishing partner by simply retelling these incredible stories on a stage that has already been set for them.

    More than five years passed between the end of the run of Marvel and Saban Entertainment’s animated series (X-Men, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Silver Surfer, Spider-Man Unlimited and Avengers: United They Stand) and the publication of Annihilation; however, those series laid enough foundation to allow Marvel Animation to orchestrate a run through Abnett and Lanning’s cosmic opus. Incredibly, most of the main players of the DnA’s cosmic stories were introduced in the ’90s animated series and those who weren’t could easily be worked into an episode of one of a few series that would most likely be revived.

    The Dope Old School ’90s Animated Series Introduced Some O.G. Peeps Who Will Play a Phat Part in the Cosmic Stories

    Before looking at how Marvel Animation could move ahead, let’s take a quick look at the work that was done in the ’90s that could provide the springboard into the Cosmic crossover events.

    X-Men

    The granddaddy of them all, as it were, X-Men: The Animated Series brought new life to Marvel’s properties in 1992, paving the way for Fox to roll out their X-Men films which, along with 1998’s Blade, put things into place for Marvel Studios to roll the dice on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ironically, the success of X-Men ’97 may now convince Disney to further invest in animation. The circle of life. X-Men: The Animated Series largely took its inspiration from Chris Claremont‘s work on Marvel Comics’ Uncanny X-Men but also drew on plenty of other issues and runs. Outside of the core X-Men themselves, the original animated series introduced several characters and locations during its five-season, 76-episode run that would be key players in an animated Cosmic arc.

    Key Characters and Places Introduced in X-Men: The Animated Series
    • The Shi’ar (Season 3)
    • The Starjammers (Season 3)
    • The Blue Area of the Moon (Season 3)
    • The Kree (Season 3)
    • The High Evolutionary (Season 4)
    • Moondragon (Season 4)
    • The Phalanx (Season 5)

    Fantastic Four

    Paired with Iron Man as part of the Marvel Action Hour, Fantastic Four ran for 26 episodes over two seasons from 1994-1996. For the most part, the series adapted the earliest adventures of the team from the comics and introduced dozens of characters that would fit neatly into Marvel Animation’s Cosmic narrative.

    Key Characters and Places Introduced in Fantastic Four
    • Skrulls (Season 1)
    • Silver Surfer (Season 1)
    • Galactus (Season 1)
    • Firelord (Season 1)
    • Terrax (Season 1)
    • Kl’rt, the Super-Skrull (Season 1)
    • The Negative Zone (Season 1)
    • Annihilus (Season 1)
    • Blastaar (Season 1)
    • The Inhuman Royal Family (Season 2)
    • Attilan (Season 2)
    • Darkhawk (Season 2)

    The Incredible Hulk

    The Jade Giant was given 2 seasons of his own animated series that totaled 21 episodes which aired in 1996 and 1997. Though neither Banner nor Hulk are key characters in any of the Cosmic stories, his children are and including him also allows for some great stories to be told in the revivals which can’t just be about the Cosmic stories.

    Key Characters and Places Introduced in The Incredible Hulk
    • Bruce Banner/The Hulk

    Silver Surfer

    Possibly a bit too far out even for the ’90s, Silver Surfer ran for only one, 13-episode season after a legal dispute between Saban and Marvel killed the partially developed second season. Though it wasn’t connected to Fantastic Four and aired after the cancellation, I’m not entirely sure it contradicts any story arcs from it either. Silver Surfer introduced so many of Marvel Comics’ major Cosmic players in its one and only season, making it an integral part of the foundation needed for Marvel Animation to tell the DnA stories.

    Key Characters and Places Introduced in Silver Surfer
    • Thanos
    • Drax
    • Gamora
    • Ronan
    • Nebula
    • Adam Warlock
    • Beta Ray Bill
    • Kree Supreme Intelligence

    The Avengers: United They Stand

    The last of the series to be produced through the collaborative efforts of Marvel Entertainment Group and Saban Entertainment, The Avengers: United They Stand pales in comparison to the superior Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes; however, it put one key character in play (sparing us all another origin story) and a revival for a second season could carve out an episode or two for an adaptation of a mid-2000s crossover event that could be used to help us out.

    Key Characters and Places Introduced in The Avengers: United They Stand
    • Ultron

    Incredibly, without any possible way of knowing what they were doing, the folks at Marvel Entertainment Group introduced almost every main player in DnA’s Cosmic run. A few big guns are missing but that can all be easily fixed in subsequent revival seasons of the shows listed above.

    POV: How Letting Marvel Animation Cook and Giving the Cheugy ’90s Series Glow Ups Will Lead to a Bussin Shared Universe

    No cap: making this revival work as a way to adapt the DnA stories through the animated series is my Roman Empire. So, how do we get there based on what’s been done in X-Men: The Animated Series, Season 1 of X-Men ’97, Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer? That’s the easy part and it just requires giving a few key individuals that main character energy. Here’s a road map to make sure we’re all eating good in our revival era.

    The reality is that even if this were to happen, it would be years before it unfolds on our small screens. (Cue Invincible reference): Animation takes a long time. However, with two more seasons of X-Men ’97 already ordered up, Marvel Animation seems like it’s here to stay for at least a while. For the purposes of this totally made-up series of events, we’re operating under the assumption that Season 2 of X-Men ’97 streams before the first DnA domino falls.

    The Incredible Hulk Season 3

    There’s no such thing as too much Hulk. A third season of the animated series could continue the exploration of his fractured psyche, introduce the animated iteration of the Illuminati and send him off to Sakaar in a cliffhanger episode where he could meet a familiar face. The continued adventures of The Sentinel of the Spaceways will be an integral part of the infrastructure of the shared universe simply because he can be any and everywhere. Season 1 of Silver Surfer ended on a cliffhanger and it provides the perfect opportunity to open Season 2 with him unaware of how he’s come to be on Sakaar and under the control of the Red King. This could be a classic Marvel Animation two or three-parter to wrap up the third season of The Incredible Hulk with an adaptation of Planet Hulk.

    Key Characters and Places Introduced in The Incredible Hulk Season 3
    • Caiera the Oldstrong

    Silver Surfer Season 2

    In the comics, Surfer’s time on Sakaar immediately preceded the awful chain of events that befell the galaxy and having Season 2 of Silver Surfer spin out of Season 3 of The Incredible Hulk provides the perfect opportunity for the first big event to unfold. Assuming a 10-episode season and the pace at which stories are told in animation, Season 2 could open with a two-part adaptation of Kurt Busiek‘s Maximum Security crossover event. Though it preceded Planet Hulk in publication, it could serve as a great way to integrate the X-Men, Fantastic Four and some cosmic heavy hitters into the narrative. A few changes could introduce the Kyln and one of its prisoners, Star-Lord, who will play a big role later in the season. A flashback episode somewhere along the line can introduce Mar-Vell to the mix, paving the way to explore his legacy later. A quick stop on Xandar in Episode 5 could introduce Xandar, Richard Rider and the Nova Corps and then a three-part season finale could adapt the incredible Annihilation event.

    Key Characters and Places Introduced in Silver Surfer Season 2
    • The Blood Brothers (Maximum Security arc)
    • Quasar (Maximum Security arc)
    • The Kyln (Maximum Security arc)
    • Star-Lord (Maximum Security arc)
    • Xandar
    • The Nova Corps
    • Richard Rider
    • Mar-Vell
    • Phyla-Vell
    • Genis-Vell

    The Avengers: United They Stand Season 2

    The first season only introduced a handful of Avengers and the focus was on the West Coast team. A second season could add to the roster but its real purpose is to allow for an adaptation of Secret Invasion that involves the X-Men. Sure, that story was done in Avengers: EMH but it fits so well here and allows for an interesting path to Annihilation: Conquest being adapted as well. According to its creator, Brian Michael Bendis, Secret Invasion was the result of the Skrull homeworld being destroyed in Annihilation, so let Season 2 of The Avengers: United They Stand handle that story while working as a huge crossover while revealing that the Richard Rider who found himself back on Earth and involved in the battle was a Skrull.

    Fantastic Four Season 3

    Following the events of Secret Invasion and the revelation that the man Earth’s Mightiest Heroes thought to be Nova was a Skrull, the third season of Fantastic Four will open with an episode dedicated to recovering all heroes that had been simmed by the Skrulls. What a story Richard Rider will have to tell once he comes around. Told during an extended two-episode flashback, Rider, reunited with his brother Robbie, will detail his role as the central hero in the fight against the Phalanx and its leader, Ultron, following the fight against the Annihilation Wave. These episodes are a huge payoff from storylines set in motion both in the ’90s series and in the revival seasons. As the episodes draw to a close, Rider can reveal that as the war against the Phalanx came to an end, his ally Kl’rt alerted him that the Skrulls were planning to invade Earth and that as he attempted to return home to warn his friends, he was captured by the shapeshifting aliens.

    Annihilation: Conquest is arguably the best story in the Cosmic series and plays a pivotal role in the future of the universe. Should Marvel Animation be so inclined, they could use it to launch a Guardians of the Galaxy animated series that would be far different from the MCU’s live-action films and prior animated series featuring the team. The Guardians still have a major role to play in the next act.

    Key Characters and Places Introduced in Fantastic Four Season 3
    • Zak-Del/Wraith
    • Robbie Rider

    X-Men ’97 Season 3

    Without knowing what stories Season 2 of X-Men ’97 will explore, we can’t really be sure how this will go but we’re just playing here so it’s fine. To keep things on track, Season 3 will need to bring back the Starjammers and update the story of Chris Summers, aka Corsair, to include his third son, Gabriel. A nice, three-episode arc could tell the Rise and Fall of the Shi’ar Empire and put Emperor Vulcan on the throne just in time for a war.

    Key Characters and Places Introduced in X-Men ’97 Season 3
    • Gabriel Summers/Vulcan

    Guardians of the Galaxy Season 1

    A brand new series with a heavy load to carry, Guardians of the Galaxy Season 1 can take a the majority of its episodes to get rolling and give the feel for the team before a two-episode adaptation of War of Kings. The Shi’ar, the Inhumans, the Starjammers and Blastaar, King of the Negative Zone, all get big payoffs in a crazy, all-out war that heavily involves the Guardians and Nova. The mid-season two-parter should leave audiences on a cliffhanger as the consequences of the war are made clear when Quasar’s exploration of “The Fault” leads to his disappearance.

    Key Characters and Places Introduced in Guardians of the Galaxy
    • The Fraternity of Raptors
    • The Universal Church of Truth

    The Incredible Hulk Season 3 and Guardians of the Galaxy Season 1

    Quite a proposal here but if Marvel Animation could pull it off, it would be epic! While audiences have been following events of War of Kings in the middle of Season 1 of Guardians of the Galaxy, Season 3 of The Incredible Hulk will have been setting the stage and telling the tale of World War Hulk. Following the WWH story, an episode or two of The Incredible Hulk will be spent revisiting the planet of Sakaar and its people, including the Hulk’s two sons, Skaar and Hiro-Kala. The stage is now set for part of the story of Realm of Kings to be told in The Incredible Hulk and part to be told at the end of Season 1 of Guardians of the Galaxy.

    Key Characters and Places Introduced in The Incredible Hulk Season 3

    • Hiro-Kala

    Silver Surfer Season 3

    DnA’s Cosmic run ended with two limited runs: The Thanos Imperative and Annihilators. There’s no better place to tell these two stories than in the third season of Silver Surfer. By this point in time, all the main players for both stories are not only on the board but also incredibly well-developed. Characters such as Thanos, Adam Warlock, Ronan and Beta Ray Bill–who first appeared in the ’90s Silver Surfer series–all get major payoffs through the two stories and the audience gets to see one of the great Marvel Comics’ teams in action. While it marks the end of the great Cosmic confluence, a final episode “stinger” could reveal that Thanos is still alive and set the stage for a return to Earth-bound stories based on Jonathan Hickman‘s Infinity story.

    This is an ambitious road map, no doubt, and not something anyone should ever expect to see; however, it shines a light on the animation’s ability to adapt great Marvel Comics’ stories a little more faithfully and tell some of them that are likely not going to unfold in the MCU anytime soon…if ever.

  • Julia Garner Joins the Cast of ‘The Fantastic Four’

    Julia Garner Joins the Cast of ‘The Fantastic Four’

    In what’s easily one of the more surprising casting moves to date by Marvel Studios, Julia Garner (Ozark) has joined the cast of The Fantastic Four as…The Silver Surfer.

    The character has long been expected to be part of the film; however, the surprise comes in that according to Deadline, Garner will play a very different version of the character than what fans have been anticipating. The trade claims that Garner will be playing Shalla-Bal, a character who is more well-known as the former lover of Norinn Radd, the original Silver Surfer. Though Radd serves as the Surfer in nearly every alternate universe in the pages of Marvel Comics, Ball did join him as a silver-clad sentry of the spaceways in Jim Krueger’s Earth X limited series.

    The casting of Garner as The Sentinel of the Spaceways could be another feather in the cap of the idea that Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four is set in an alternate universe. Choosing to have Radd’s fate befall Bal, could work to further separate the MCU project from previous versions and give Matt Shakman’s film a very different vibe from what’s expected in an MCU project.

    The Fantastic Four is set to hit theaters on July 25, 2025.

    Source: Deadline

  • DC Studios Targeting Craig Gillespie to Direct Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’

    DC Studios Targeting Craig Gillespie to Direct Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’

    For some time now, it’s been believed that Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow would be the next DC Studios’ film to go before cameras. With a completed script and star Milly Alcock cast as Kara Zor-El, almost all the pieces have been in place to get production underway but one. And now, according to a trade report, that final piece has been found.

    Deadline is reporting that DC Studios has  Cruella director Craig Gillespie in its sights to helm the film. Should Gillespie sign on, the studio will look to begin principal photography before the end of 2024.

    Updating…

    Source: Deadline

  • Warner Bros. Taps Drew Goddard to Head Back to ‘The Matrix’

    Warner Bros. Taps Drew Goddard to Head Back to ‘The Matrix’

    Drew Goddard has taken the red pill. According to Deadline, Warner Bros. has reached an agreement with Goddard to write and direct an new installment in one of the studio’s most popular franchises.

    Warner Bros. Motion Pictures President of Production Jesse Ehrman contirmed Goddard’s involvement saying ,”The entire team at Warner Bros Discovery is thrilled for Drew to be making this new Matrix film, adding his vision to the cinematic canon the Wachowskis spent a quarter of a century building here at the studio.”

    Drew came to Warner Bros with a new idea that we all believe would be an incredible way to continue the Matrix world, by both honoring what Lana and Lilly began over 25 years ago and offering a unique perspective based on his own love of the series and characters.

    -Jesse Ehrman, Warner Bros Motion Pictures President of Production

    Goddard’s film will be the fifth in the Matrix franchise, following 2021’s The Matrix Ressurections. At this time, it’s unclear if the franchise’s stars Keanu Reeves or Carrie-Anne Moss are set to return.

    Updating…

    Source: Deadline

  • New Rumor Reveals Lex Luthor’s Plan of Attack in DC Studios’ ‘Superman’

    New Rumor Reveals Lex Luthor’s Plan of Attack in DC Studios’ ‘Superman’

    Production on DC Studios’ Superman began just over a month ago and though little aside from the film’s design for the crest of the House of El has been officially revealed, rumored details about the plot have begun to trickle out. One of the more tantalizing tidbits to make the rounds is that star David Corenswet will be playing multiple versions of the character as Nicholas Hoult‘s Lex Luthor will team up with a dangerous doppelgänger in order to take on the Man of Steel. While that sounds dangerously close to the plot of the critically nuked 1987 film Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, director and DC Studios’ co-chair James Gunn has stayed out of the online discourse, leading folks to believe it might just be true. Now, a new rumor has emerged online that gives a bit more information about Luthor’s plan in the film. If the rumor proves true, the details could be fairly spoilery so proceed at your own risk.

    According to online scoopster Can We Get Some Toast, Luthor’s plan to battle Kal-El in Superman revolves around the bald baddie using Kal’s DNA to create a corrupt clone of the hero! The idea, of course, is pulled straight from the comics where the concept has been explored multiple times, usually with Luthor’s clone being one take or another on Bizarro. However, Gunn’s take is rumored to give the clone a different identity, blending it with an evil, multiversal alternate Kal known as Ultraman.

    In the comics, Ultraman goes by Kal-II and is Earth 3’s version of the Last Son of Krypton. Ultraman is the complete antithesis of Superman: a being of pure evil who certainly does not value truth, justice and the American way. Gunn’s Superman has been described as “kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned,” so pitting him against an alternate version of himself that values none of that could provide for both an interesting commentary on modern society and a dangerous foe.

    Should this indeed be part of Luthor’s plot to defeat Superman, it would not be surprising to see him in league with Maria Gabrielle de Faria’s Angelica Spica, aka The Engineer, who Gunn has said will be a villain in Superman.

    Superman is currently slated to hit theaters on July 11, 2025.

  • ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Set Photos Confirm a Pair of Spoilery Plot Rumors

    ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Set Photos Confirm a Pair of Spoilery Plot Rumors

    If it seems as though Daredevil: Born Again has been filming forever, it’s because it has. After starting principal photography in New York City in early 2023, the pause button was pressed on the series when the SAG and WGA strikes shut down productions across the board. Disney took that time to overhaul the show, bringing in a showrunner and new directors. The new creative team’s decision to make Born Again a continuation of Netflix’s Daredevil led to the canonization of that series and the return of a pair of actors who had originally been left out of the series. Once filming resumed in NYC, another returning actor, Wilson Bethel, was captured on set but shortly thereafter, things slowed down a bit as production moved out of the public eye.

    That all changed as the calendar turned to April as photos and videos from the set captured Jon Bernthal‘s return, The Punisher and Daredevil in action together and a surprising new character from a very recent run on Marvel Comics Daredevil. Additional photos from the bountiful Brooklyn set revealed an interesting detail that ultimately confirms two spoilery plot points from the series. Read on at your own peril…

    Some of the longest-standing rumors about the plot of Daredevil: Born Again center on Wilson Fisk running for and becoming the Mayor of New York City. Additionally, a hefty part of Fisk’s campaign was rumored to revolve around an anti-vigilante initiative, set to clean up the streets. That would mean characters like The Punisher, Daredevil and, yes, Spider-Man, find themselves on the wrong side of Fisk’s agenda in Daredevil: Born Again. A closer look at some details from videos and photos from last night’s Brooklyn set seem to confirm all of the above.

    Set photos of Jeremy Earl’s character, reportedly Cole North, showed him sporting not only a Punisher logo on his tactical gear but also some small patches on his sleeves. Upon closer inspection, those patches indicate that North and other personnel on the set are part of Mayor Fisk’s Anti-Vigilante Task Force.

    That means it is almost a certainty that Daredevil and Punisher find themselves under fire from the Anti-Vigilante Task Force in the video from the same set. Given how long the series has been back in production, it’s possible that this is footage from the finale of Season 1, Part 1 which could end with the heroes in a bit of a pickle and with Mayor Fisk looking every bit the hero for “cleaning up the streets of New York.” In the comics, Fisk used a new iteration of the Thunderbolts as his task force; it looks as though the version set to be seen in Daredevil: Born Again may be a bit more mundane.

    Daredevil: Born Again is currently in production and has no release date.

  • BTS Photos Reveal a Surprising Addition to the Cast of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    BTS Photos Reveal a Surprising Addition to the Cast of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    After a bit of a hiatus from filming in public, production on Daredevil: Born Again has returned to the streets of Brooklyn. Getting back on the streets of New York City means that there are plenty of cameras ready to capture the behind-the-scenes action and a recent scene provided plenty of that. In addition to the return of Jon Bernthal fully decked out as The Punisher and working alongside Daredevil, Splash News shared some photos of actor Jeremy Earl as a character who was previously not revealed to be part of the series.

    In a pair of photos from the Brooklyn set, Earl (Chicago P.D.) is seen on set and is reportedly playing Cole North.

    In the pages of Marvel Comics, North is an NYPD Detective who first appeared in 2019 during Chip Zdarsky’s Daredevil run. Originally introduced as an antagonist to Daredevil and part of Mayor Wilson Fisk’s anti-vigilante task force, North ultimately became an ally to The Man Without Fear…but only after shooting him.

    If that same arc is planned for him in Daredevil: Born Again, it’ll be interesting to see how he gets there. Long-standing rumors about the series indicated that Frank Castle’s arc in the series would include him going up against dirty cops who had co-opted The Punisher logo, which Earl’s character is sporting in the set photos. Should North end up as an ally to Daredevil, he’ll first have to survive his interaction with Frank, who is rumored to be none-too-pleased about the type of officers who are using his logo.

    Daredevil: Born Again is currently in production. No official word has been given about its release.

  • “See You Around Red”: Set Leaks Show Daredevil and The Punisher Back in Action Together in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    “See You Around Red”: Set Leaks Show Daredevil and The Punisher Back in Action Together in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    With Jon Bernthal recently spotted on the New York City set of Daredevil: Born Again, it was only a matter of time before he was caught in action as Frank Castle. That time has come and not only has Bernthal been photographed fully decked out as The Punisher, he’s also in action with his old friend Matt Murdock!

    Courtesy of Splash News come a couple of new behind-the-scenes looks at filming on the streets of Brooklyn. The first shows a bloody Castle complete with his Punisher logo front and center on his tactical gear.

    Next, an interesting set video shows Castle and a suited-up Matt Murdock working together. While the context of the video isn’t entirely clear, it seems as though the duo may be under fire both from rifles and some sort of sonic emitter. That sort of weapon would be the type of thing deployed against Daredevil only by someone who was aware of his uniquely keen senses.

    Filming on what is believed to be the first part of Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again has been back underway in New York City for some time and, as expected, has produced quite a few looks at what to expect from the series. As of now, there’s been no word from Disney as to when to expect it to hit Disney Plus; however, before strikes stopped production last Summer, it was slated to release in early 2025.

  • 5 Alternate Versions of Kal-El Who Could Appear in ‘Superman’

    5 Alternate Versions of Kal-El Who Could Appear in ‘Superman’

    Buzz has grown that DC Studios’ Superman will feature some sort of evil doppelgänger of the Man of Steel that David Corenswet‘s Kal-El will have to take on. Is it true? Who knows? Also, who cares? This type of buzz around CBMs is part of the process and it’s always fun to play with the possibilities and so we present…

    5 Alternate Versions of Superman Who Could Appear in Superman!

    To be fair, not everyone on this list is truly an alternate universe Superman. Perhaps it’s more accurate to label some as copies or imitations of the real deal. Regardless of the description, the idea remains the same: a Supes vs. Supes type battle will ensue.

    Bizarro

    Certainly the most well-known alt Supes, El-Kal is probably not the odds-on- favorite to actually appear should these rumblings prove accurate. The idea of Nicholas Hoult‘s Lex Luthor already having been hard at work cloning Superman doesn’t seem to fit with what little is known about the film but a Bizarro World Bizarro does seem a bit more reasonable.

    Cyborg Superman

    The Snyderverse tackled xenophobia pretty well so the Hank Henshaw version of the character may not make his way into the DCU but as is almost always the case with DC’s stable of characters, there’s another option. Would Kal-El’s uncle, Zor-El, the father of Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, be an option? Kara is rumored to be showing up in Superman, so perhaps her believed-to-be-dead daddy could show up…but that wouldn’t require Corenswet to double up, as is the rumor. So maybe a full-on cyborg built by one of Kal’s enemies could do the trick.

    The Eradicator

    The buzz around a potential “second Superman” appearing in DC Studios’ Superman has grown steadily over the past few weeks. Nothing has been officially shared about James Gunn‘s 2025 film but with production underway, it’s possible that bits and pieces of the plot could have trickled out and the one heard the most is that David Corenswet will be playing two versions of Kal-El.

    A character who has been reinvented over the years, the most recent version of the Eradicator went head-to-head with Kal-El over his choice to father a human/Kryptonian hybrid, Jonathan Kent. They won’t work in Gunn’s Superman since Corenswet’s Kal is still in the early days of his heroic journey; however, the original idea of the Eradicator–as devised by Roger Stern and Curt Swan–as a creation intent on preserving Kryptonian culture by ERADICATING all non-Kryptonian cultures could work.

    Red Son

    In 2003, Mark Millar‘s Superman: Red Son brilliantly explored a “what if” scenario that revolves around baby Kal-El being found and raised by Russians rather than in Smallville. In Red Son, Lex Luthor uses some of Soviet Superman’s DNA to create “Superman Two”, an abomination of a clone who becomes weaponized by the U.S. government. Gunn could pull a switcheroo in Superman, having the Russians creating Супермен 2 to take on the original version. Gunn would certainly take some heat for coming so close to the plot of Superman IV but it would likely only come from people who never saw that movie anyway.

    Ultraman

    Outside of the Nazi version of Overman, Ultraman is the most despicable version of Kal-El in the Multiverse. The Kal-El of Earth-Three, Ultraman is truly the embodiment of everything Superman should never be. Selfish rather than selfless; heartless rather than compassionate; simply evil rather than purely good. Ultraman leads the Crime Syndicate, an evil version of the Justice League and is actually strengthened by exposure to kryptonite. Given what Gunn has said about his ideas for Superman in the film, Ultraman could be the best choice on this list for the film’s antagonist.

  • James Gunn Debunks Major DC Casting Rumor

    James Gunn Debunks Major DC Casting Rumor

    DC Studios co-chair James Gunn’s social media takedowns of would be scoopers has become the stuff of legend. Many online buzzmeisters, including yours truly, have had their hopes of breaking industry news dashed by Gunn. Now, Gunn has done it again in regards to a recent rumor about a major role in 2026’s The Batman Part II.

    Shortly before the news broke that the recently delayed sequel was set to begin production in April 2025, Medium shared “news” that Boyd Holbrook had been cast in the film as Harvey Dent. According to Gunn, there is no truth to that rumored casting, calling it “fake.”

    While Holbrook’s potential as Dent would have been intriguing, it’ll fall to someone else to bring the demented DA to life in Matt Reeves‘ Gotham-verse.