Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: dc studios

  • DC Studios Reboot to Focus Heavily on Younger Actors

    DC Studios Reboot to Focus Heavily on Younger Actors

    With James Gunn in the process of relaunching the DC Universe for the big screen, many have wondered what specific direction the filmmaker will take for this world of superheroes. In an interview with Insider, Dave Bautista confirmed he won’t be playing the role of Batman villain Bane in the new universe because Gunn is looking to start a youth movement. This shouldn’t come as a surprise based on how early Gunn is with developing anything for his cinematic vision. Though the star actor further elaborated on why he won’t be in the role, which establishes a key conceit for Gunn’s master plan.

    I have had conversations with James about that, but I think the direction he’s leaning in, completely rebooting that whole universe, he’s starting from scratch and starting younger and fresher and I think you need to do that. I think for the DC Universe to be revived, you need to start from scratch, and I think you need to start with younger actors. You need to start to plan for the next 15 years, and I just don’t think you can do that with me.

    Dave Bautista

    The notion of using young actors for key roles shouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s a logical decision that seemingly guarantees the ability to have a long-term narrative plan for the DC Universe. Gunn would be borrowing from how the Marvel Cinematic Universe developed and still maintains itself as the strongest film franchise currently running. Having a long-term plan will help DC move past the issues that have plagued Warner Bros for the past decade, and will allow for fruitful culminations in the long term.

    Gunn‘s ability to successfully craft a long-term cinematic universe may ultimately make or break DC’s place in the superhero movie industry. If Gunn nails it, the age of superheroes on the big screen will expand even further into the 21st century.

    Source: Insider

  • James Gunn Opens Up on Potential Recasting ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Actors for DC

    James Gunn Opens Up on Potential Recasting ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Actors for DC

    James Gunn is now the new co-CEO of DC Studios. After the franchise was coming apart at the seams with various dramas happening behind the scenes, there was hope that this would finally push the project forward. The long-established actor has also built up a network of actors he tends to work with on various projects, which has led to some concern that he’ll primarily rely on familiar characters.

    Luckily, Gunn has been no stranger to openly reacting to statements on Twitter to offer some insight into how he is approaching this daunting task. When people shared their concern about simply recasting Guardians of the Galaxy actors, Gunn pointed out that his true focus is to ensure that “the actor fits the role and they’re easy to work with” when he’ll cast someone new or familiar in the DC Studios project.

    It’s not surprising that a director would also want to bring on actors he has a past with to join a franchise he’s supervising. He’s worked with a variety of actors throughout his career and very likely has an idea of who might be perfect for a specific role. Plus, it’s not like he hasn’t already brought in new actors like with John Cena taking on the role of Peacemaker.

    There’s also the aspect that once they find directors to tackle the various projects they are working on. Once more creatives join the franchise, they’ll have more opinions exploring how their take on a classic DC character may require a different type of talent. So, once things truly take shape, we’ll get a better picture of what the future has in store.

    Source: Twitter

  • James Gunn Reveals Which ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Actors He Hopes to Recruit to the DCU

    James Gunn Reveals Which ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Actors He Hopes to Recruit to the DCU

    “What a bunch of a-holes.” A great line from the first trailer that hooked fans on the little-known Guardians of the Galaxy. Nearly a decade later, those same a-holes have become household names and are about to go on their last mission together in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The film will be the last MCU project for director James Gunn (and at least one of the Guardians) as he transitions to his new role as the co-chair of DC Studios; however, according to Gunn, it won’t be the last time he teams up with some of the talented cast members.

    In an interview with Empire, Gunn expressed his love for the cast of the Guardians and his interest to work with (some of) them again. “This cast are like my family,” explained Gunn. “I cannot tell you how close I am to Chris Pratt and Pom [Klementieff] and Dave [Bautista] and Zoe [Saldaña] and Karen [Gillan]. But I also know I will work again with all those people individually again. Probably at my other job.” Unfortunately, it looks like Gunn’s brother, Sean, will have to look elsewhere for work.

    In reality, there’s not a major studio in operation that wouldn’t want to work with any and all of the actors Gunn listed. Pratt and Saldaña are already A-listers with their own franchises outside of Guardians, Gillan’s star continues to climb, Bautista has sought out more and more serious roles and Klementieff will be featured in the next Mission: Impossible film. Outside of Saldaña, the actors have Gunn and the success of the Guardians franchise to thank for their bountiful opportunities. With Gunn preparing to unveil at least a portion of the new DCU slate, it’ll be worth watching to see if he’s already carved out any roles for the talented Guardians.

    Source: Empire

  • UPDATED: New Rumor Has James Gunn Eyeing Release Date, Star for ‘Superman’

    UPDATED: New Rumor Has James Gunn Eyeing Release Date, Star for ‘Superman’

    ***UPDATE***

    James Gunn has responded to the rumor by indicating nobody has been cast as Superman and that casting won’t happen until the script is complete.

    As the new year marches on, fans are still eagerly awaiting word from James Gunn and Peter Safran on the first wave of films forthcoming from the newly formed DC Studios. With Gunn currently writing a script for a new Superman film–one that will not feature Henry Cavill returning to the role–it’s likely that project will be among that anticipated first wave and a new rumor indicates it might be happening sooner than you’d think.

    Rumor mill generator deuxmoi has shared some info on Gunn’s Superman project that’s sure to get people talking. According to the individual, Gunn is targeting a Summer 2025 release date for the new film, which he will direct. Additionally, the rumor indicates that a frontrunner may have emerged for the role of Kal-El; though deuxmoi didn’t explicitly name an actor, the hints given (Australian…Netflix romcom trilogy…HBO Max teen show) would seem to point at Jacob Elordi. Elordi, who starred in the Kissing Booth and Euphoria, has been a somewhat popular choice for the role on social media and fits the bill for Gunn’s vision of a younger Superman.

    Given Gunn’s track record with addressing rumors associated with his projects, fans may know a lot more about the veracity of this one soon.

    Source: deuxmoi

  • Dwyane Johnson Pitched More ‘Black Adam’ to DC Before the Sequel Was Axed

    Dwyane Johnson Pitched More ‘Black Adam’ to DC Before the Sequel Was Axed

    DC Studios has entered into the early stages of setting up its cinematic universe for Warner Bros Discovery. This comes after the struggles the film studio has had in the world of superheroes, with Dwyane Johnson’s Black Adam being one of the last films from the old guard. Although the star actor was ambitious in his attempts to create a new hierarchy of the DC Universe for himself, it doesn’t seem everyone was on board. In a new report from Variety, studio insiders discussed the tumultuous making of Black Adam and the character’s corner of the cinematic universe.

    Following the merger of Warner Bros. Discovery, it has been reported from inside sources that Johnson met directly with new CEO David Zaslav to pitch a multi-year expansion for his character of Black Adam to be a cornerstone of DC films. This pitch has been said to have not been met well by others within Warner Bros. Discovery, and was instead viewed as a move to go around a number of other executives at the studio. In his plan, Johnson apparently laid out a plan of films involving Black Adam and Henry Cavill’s Superman interweaving before culminating in a film where the two heavyweights face-off against each other.

    As seen with Black Adam, Johnson was able to secure a return for Henry Cavill as Superman for the post-credit scene. However, this return for Cavill was short-lived with James Gunn and Peter Safran seeking a new direction for the Man of Steel at DC Studios. And Dwayne Johnson has officially met the same fate with his time with DC following the box office flop of Black Adam and the high budgets Johnson generally demands.

    In terms of the potential of a hypothetical Black Adam vs. Superman film or saga, the odds were not positive of it being a successful business plan. The concept of pitting two heroes against each other as the crux of a cinematic universe feels antiquated in today’s blockbuster landscape. Some could also make the viable argument that it’d be too close to Zack Snyder’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

    It remains to be seen if the newly founded DC Studios will be able to overcome the challenges that have plagued Warner Bros. Discovery for years at this point. However, the odds are in the favor of James Gunn and Peter Safran to outperform the tumultuous foundation pitched by Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam.

    Source: Variety

  • Murphy’s Team-Up Volume 30: One Must-Have Character in James Gunn’s DCU

    Murphy’s Team-Up Volume 30: One Must-Have Character in James Gunn’s DCU

    James Gunn has a big job ahead of him in creating a shared cinematic universe out of the ashes after nuking the old guard. While he’ll smartly focus on Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Justice League, he’ll also have to keep it fresh by bringing some new blood to the DCU. With that in mind, we have a handful of suggestions for Mr. Gunn as he gets things moving ahead in 2023.

    Joao Roque Pinto on Mister Terrific

    Dream casting: John Boyega, John David Washington, Scarlett Johansson

    When thinking of a character that will allow for interesting storylines (be it through solo outings or as part of a team), with interesting powers without them being too out there, someone who big screen audiences have little to no knowledge of who it is and its back story, and that will be able to play well with the biggest names in the DC catalog, Mister Terrific (Michael Holt) came immediately to mind.

    Gunn usually thrives when defining characters within team dynamics and Mister Terrific can be integrated into several teams the character has been a part of over the years. From the Justice League to the Justice Society of America, from Task Force X’s subdivision Checkmate to The Terrifics. His Genius-level intellect, “a natural aptitude for having natural aptitudes”, can also allow for a more plot-driven type of story, moving away from the spectacle that most team-up movies tend to be.

    Not discounting his use of T-Spheres, he remains a character that can easily be combined with almost any sort of comic book movie approach, from the more grounded to the most fantastical, all while also bringing to the table a representation factor into the larger DC Universe that should never be dismissed.

    Jeffrey Peterson on Clayface

    Dream casting: Denzel Washington, Josh Brolin, or Brad Pitt.

    An origin story that starts in the 60s, maybe 70s, but definitely after the ‘golden age’ of cinema. Automatic buy-in through casting a respected Hollywood star that’s on the older side, but the film also gains the benefit of really only effects of makeup or CGI when really necessary. The film can still use noir and thriller elements of The Batman while leaning into a more physiological terror space. The movie has the opportunity to discuss body dysmorphia and alteration, self-help, generational trauma, and the arts, specifically film, without doing any of it too directly. The other golden opportunity is that Clayface’s abilities only have to be hinted at since those actors are good character actors anyway. The more monstrous reveal once the powers get out of hand can naturally happen in the third act or the first, depending on the classic film a director (Jordan Peele or Alex Garland) wants to reference.

    Dalbin Osorio

    I know there’s going to be a consensus for all sorts of Green Lanterns to show up, so I’m going to get in front of that and say that Simon Baz is the Lantern we need to see. As a hero who ends up wielding a fusion of Sinestro and Hal Jordan’s power ring, and as the Corps’s first Arab-American member, Simon has the chance to bring some much-needed diversity to a DC Slate that is predominantly cis hetero white men. Showing Simon’s street racing, and racial persecution following a subsequent car accident, would make some amazing TV.

    Now, who to play him, you ask? How about 40-year-old Lee Majdoub, who played Agent Stone in Sonic The Hedgehog? You’ll next see him playing the villain in Assassin’s Creed: Mirage, and he’s still young enough to where he could theoretically play this Lantern for 10 years.

    Jared Kirschenbaum

    Bat-Mite, as John Economos puts it in Peacemaker, is “a two-foot-tall interdimensional imp who stans Batman.” There are many interesting things DC Studios could do for a Bat-Mite project or an appearance elsewhere. Bat-Mite is similar to the Superman villain Mister Mxyzptlk, with a very different characterization. He is a being from the Fifth Dimension, which means Bat-Mite has access to phenomenal cosmic powers. And while Mister Mxyzptlk uses his powers to toy with Superman, Bat-Mite uses his powers to “help” Batman, because Bat-Mite is at his core, not a bad guy. His biggest problem is just that he is irritating. Basically, Bat-Mite is the fan from hell. He critiques Batman, makes things more difficult, and ruins Batman’s plans. The closest thing to Bat-Mite is probably Syndrome from The Incredibles. And in the wrong situation, Bat-Mite is dangerous. Sure, he likes Batman and wants Batman to succeed, but if Bat-Mite gets angry at Batman or wants to make a task more difficult for him to make it more fun to watch, there really are not many limits to what Bat-Mite can do. He is a nerd who just cannot help himself. Sometimes he is more bad than good, but a lot of the time, in his heart, he does just want to help.

    To be fair, since he is not showing up in a Batman movie anytime soon, James Gunn could totally make a Bat-Mite movie and it would probably be a lot of fun. However, this is not really where he would be the most useful in the DCU, especially since Bat-Mite has already come up in Peacemaker. And since a second season of Peacemaker will probably factor into whatever Gunn is cooking as Co-chairman and CEO of DC Studios and is more of a lock than the majority of other DCU projects, Bat-Mite should 100% show up as part of season 2. Imagine, Bat-Mite shows up floating next to Peacemaker. Only the audience and Peacemaker can see or hear Bat-Mite as he spends most of the show telling Peacemaker that he is not as cool as Batman. Is Bat-Mite real or is he a figment of Peacemaker’s imagination or some subconscious manifestation of his inadequacy? Who knows? But a stylized cartoon or weird CGI-man thingy floating around Peacemaker in season 2, telling him how he needs to do a better job of being a hero like Batman is the totally out-of-left-field choice that Gunn would absolutely make. When season 1 started, nobody thought that Peacemaker would be fighting aliens. So, why not throw in a being from the Fifth Dimension, especially one who would not really work in many other movies or shows? Bat-Mite as the angel and devil on Peacemaker’s shoulder in Peacemaker season 2 would be so much fun. 

    MTF III

    Who better to be an entry point character for the present state of the Batman Family and all of its tentacles than Bruce Wayne’s son, raised by Ra’s Al Ghul in the world of assassins, then introduced into the world of vigilantes as the next to carry on the legacy of Robin? Through him, we can meet all of Bruce’s surrogate sons and daughters and explore a different dynamic with Bruce, as he needs to find his softer side to connect with an offspring who might be more intense than even him.

    My #2 choice would be Nubia. While the idea of a “Black Wonder Woman” might seem at first glance to be one note, through her we can learn about the secret history of the lost Amazon tribe of Bana-Mighdall, who left Themyscira’s magical protection and gave up their immortality to create a society of warrior women in the Amazon way, but amidst the tumult of Northern Africa. Through interactions with Diana, Nubia could be a doorway into juxtaposing a more militant vision of the Amazons against the utopian one we were exposed to in some of the previous Wonder Woman outings. Nubia’s heroic journey can be about her learning to inspire hope in Man’s World rather than instilling fear.

    Charles Murphy on The Spectre

    As Marvel Studios’ fans wait for Ghost Rider to make his way into the MCU, DC’s own Spirit of Vengeance could serve an important role in James Gunn‘s new DCU. The being known as Aztar is as old as the universe and serves as the hand of divine vengeance for DC’s One Above All. There have been a whole lot of different iterations of the character over the years and Aztar has been bound to a few different human hosts, but a combo of the New 52’s modern version of Gotham PD officer Jim Corrigan mixed with the brilliant work done by John Ostrander in the 1990s offers the perfect mix of a character tied into the connected universe Gunn is building while also being able to do his own thing. Is this the right superhero role for Gunn’s bestie Nathan Fillion?

  • James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ Could Take the DCU to Year One

    James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ Could Take the DCU to Year One

    We are nearing the reveal of some of the first wave of films in the new DCU headed up by James Gunn. This reveal should provide us with some idea of what we might get when this new era of DC Comics adaptations hits our big and slightly smaller screens. The Rock’s ego tried to highjack, and then derail, what Gunn had planned, but we are in for some shakiness while they release the last four movies in this era and simultaneously prepare for what’s next. What we do know definitively is that we are getting a new Superman movie and though Gunn plans to skip the origin, a strong argument could still be made for the new film to be an adaptation of Superman: Year One. 

    Superman: Year One is a 3-issue mini-series by Frank Miller and John Romita Jr. that attempted to kind of modernize Superman’s origin while adding some more depth to a character that had been around for 80+ years. It provided some more information about Superman’s time on Krypton, and it provides a subtle shift to Kal-El’s mission to earth; instead of the destruction of Krypton being what propels him to be Earth’s savior, Miller and Romita Jr. make this future essentially pre-ordained. Kal-El will need to save Earth, and his parents need to prepare him for that on Krypton before he goes to fulfill his destiny. It’s a much weightier origin than Krypton’s destruction spurring Supes to save Earth because it means that there are more opportunities to show Superman learning how to use his powers in his environment and as a child. What does it mean for a child to be granted god-like abilities? How does that impact him growing up? And what kind of pressure does this child put on himself due to the knowledge that he will be responsible for saving a planet? These are all questions that Superman: Year One tackles really strongly, and this would give the fans a chance to see a new origin for Superman that would feel fresh. 

    Another change that is made to Clark’s origin is that he enlists in the United States Navy upon graduating from high school. Think about that: after spending his early childhood on Krypton knowing he was meant to save Earth, his first adult decision after being on this planet is to become a soldier. You have the traditional farmboy origin mixed in with some “of course a small-town kid would want to see the world”, and Superman at boot camp gives you the potential to really build up the hopefulness and love for his fellow man that Superman embodies since he’d be in literal fox holes with them. It would, also, make him remaining hopeful about Earth despite seeing the tragedies of war even more impactful. Zack Snyder made Superman this moody and angry and morose hero, and that’s just not who he is at all. In Year One, Miller and Romita, Jr. find a way to still show his power but to modernize his origin in a way that really keeps the essence of the character. 

    Year One, also, introduces Lori Lemaris, and this could be a way to start to build out the DCU in a subtle way. Lori Lemaris is a mermaid from Atlantis, home of Aquaman, who actually falls in love with Clark. In the comics, they meet while they’re both attending Metropolis University, where Lori is hiding her being a mermaid by appearing as a differently-abled person. The potential to show a Clark who had to go through all the things kids do before becoming a full-fledged Superman down the road would work so well on the screen; in Year One, he falls for Lori and actually asks her to marry him, which leads to her breaking his heart. She, also, dies during Crisis On Infinite Earths, in case James Gunn wants to plant the seeds for that from here. It could, also, lead to the beginning of the friendship between Arthur Curry and Clark Kent, and is the kind of minor character/big world-building approach that the DCU would benefit from. 

    This adaptation would be the perfect time to introduce Parasite, a S.T.A.R. Labs janitor who interacts with some chemicals and becomes one of Superman’s biggest threats. This accomplishes the approach we mention above, where it’s a smaller character introducing S.T.A.R. Labs and building out this world, but you also have Parasite taking Lori’s energy act as the catalyst for her breaking Clark’s heart and for Aquaman not trusting the surface world. Superman versus Parasite would look visually different than every Superman fight we have seen and would give us a fresh adversary versus some of the other ones we’ve seen multiple times. 

    Cut the check and make it out to Murphy’s Multiverse, James Gunn! 

  • DC Studios’ Head Confronts “Uproarious” Fans’ Reactions to Recent Events

    DC Studios’ Head Confronts “Uproarious” Fans’ Reactions to Recent Events

    Let’s be frank, DC Extended Universe had its ups and downs. It wasn’t an easy ride for everyone involved, especially surrounding the Justice League film. What seems like a sure-fire billion dollar blockbuster project it just ended up sizzling out before it got going. Then a subsection of the internet started an entire campaign to revive the original vision by director Zack Snyder, which led to a four-hour epic that gave an existing film a newly formatted paint.

    Now, Peter Safran and director James Gunn are at the helm to revive the entire project and it comes with some sacrifices along the way. Henry Cavill is out as Superman and the future of the Wonder Woman franchise remains a mystery at the moment after director Patty Jenkins moved on from the project due to creative differences. Now, Gunn took to his Twitter to openly discuss his thoughts on a certain fandom.

    Gunn has always been quite outspoken on his feelings towards this new job and also used the opportunity of his Social Media to swiftly take down any rumors or statements that weren’t verified in any way. It’s never an easy task to become the new leader of an entire cinematic universe, but it does seem like we have nothing to worry about. It’s also great to see him be so upfront about this and share his love for what he’s about to create. No matter how one feels about the current developments, Gunn isn’t taking this lightly and is dedicated.

    Source: Twitter

  • James Gunn and Peter Safran Almost Weren’t DC Studios’ New Heads

    James Gunn and Peter Safran Almost Weren’t DC Studios’ New Heads

    DC Studios will shape the future of an entire franchise with James Gunn and producer Peter Safran at the steering wheel. It’s an exciting prospect to see what the future has in store for the franchise, even as they leave behind some of the landmarks that defined the franchise throughout the last few years. Yet, it seems that they almost weren’t in the leading position as Warner Bros. Discovery had their eyes set on someone else.

    As it turns out, their big hope was for Todd Phillips, the director behind the surprise billion dollar box office hit, Joker, and The Hangover trilogy. An insider shared just how far they went in trying to get him involved with the project, after “the whole town turned the job down. It was almost Todd Phillips. They begged him.”

    Everyone was aware of the impossible task set upon them taking over a role that Kevin Feige managed to master against all odds. Gunn was a fitting choice considering he’s worked under Marvel Studios’ leadership to get a glimpse at what it means to run a cinematic franchise. Still, there does seem to be some concern, especially with him not having been in such a position before.

    I wonder if big filmmakers will work for another director with zero experience guiding movies through a huge grinder of a system. He’s not Kevin Feige [of Marvel].

    Though it should be noted that the same issue also would’ve been with Phillips if he was given the position. He only has the additional caveat of having no real interest in the DC universe or any understanding of what makes it tick. Yes, Joker was a success but that doesn’t mean every film he touches would have the same effect. Plus, he has openly mocked the genre in the past and who knows how the DC Cinematic Universe would look like under his leadership.

    Source: New York Post

  • A Brief History of James Gunn’s Love of Superman

    A Brief History of James Gunn’s Love of Superman

    Weeks after ascending to the top of DC Studios, James Gunn made a major statement about the future of the DC Universe when he announced that he was writing a treatment for an all-new Superman film. Gunn’s project, which he may ultimately direct, has no ties to Henry Cavill‘s Man of Steel or the Snyderverse and should be a signal to fans about the direction of the newly minted studio. Superman is a priority for DC Studios and by taking it on himself to write the script, Gunn is making sure his vision is the one that defines the character.

    Telling a good Superman story isn’t easy in the 2020s which means Gunn’s taking a lot of responsibility in his new role as co-chair. If fans don’t respond well to the new project, Gunn will take the heat. That’s a long way off, however, as the script is obviously just being developed now but that doesn’t mean that Gunn hasn’t had Superman on his mind for quite some time. In fact, he’s been very vocal about his love for and interest in the character over the last several years and has come close to either developing a Superman or Superman-adjacent property more than once! Here’s a look, albeit a brief one, at Gunn’s love of Superman.

    For Gunn, it likely all started in 1978 when, as a 12-year-old, he saw Richard Donner‘s Superman at a theater in Des Peres, Missourri. Gunn called Superman a “great movie” that “rivaled Star Wars” for him and, in a 2021 interview, credited it with getting him “really excited about the genre.”

    Before becoming the driving creative force behind Marvel Studios Guardians of the Galaxy, Gunn wrote and directed 2010’s Super, a black comedy about a hero with no super powers which may or may not be a part of a cinematic universe where the “evil Superman” character from Brightburn exists, but even while he was tied up at Marvel, he remained a fan of Superman. In a long Twitter thread from 2016, Gunn made it clear that he enjoyed 2013’s Man of Steel despite some of his criticism about how it portrayed the hero, citing a lack of empathy as an issue.

    Gunn has always kept up a major presence on social media and in 2016 during a live Facebook Q&A, he was asked who would win in a fight between Hulk and Superman. At the time, Gunn was very much believed to be one of the architects of the future of Marvel Studios, making his response a bit surprising.

    Hulk vs Superman, who wins? Probably Superman, right?“He’s much more powerful than Hulk.

    James Gunn via Radio Times

    In 2017, after congratulating Zachary Levi for landing the lead role in Shazam!, Gunn was besieged on social media by fans for even mentioning a DC property. His response was pretty epic as he urged fans to drop the “Marvel vs. DC” mentality.

    Every time I mention anything DC, no matter what, my feed becomes an endless screaming match about BvS. You guys are never going to convince each other – it’s just a bunch of wasted energy. At least when you’re screaming at each other about Trump, it’s something of international importance. But it’s a 2 year old movie that some people like and some people don’t. Why is someone else’s opinion so important to you? As Marvel and DC super fans you have way more in common with each other than you do with the rest of the world. So why do you spend so much time raging at each other? It’s silly. Please just stop it. Stop engaging in that way.

    James Gunn

    Less than a year later, Gunn had been fired from Marvel and hired by the old guard at DC to direct The Suicide Squad. Interestingly enough, before moving forward on The Suicide Squad, Gunn had his pick of projects including a Superman film that he turned down. Gunn also indicated that while he ultimately chose not to direct it, he briefly considered a project centered around Superman’s dog, Krypto. Though he passed on the Superman project, Gunn later revealed that he nearly ended up including the character in The Suicide Squad…as the bad guy until he settled on Starro.

    I thought that was a very interesting story. But when I came up with Starro…he’s a character I loved from the comics. I think he’s a perfect comic book character because he’s absolutely ludicrous, but he’s also very scary in his own way … He used to scare the crap out of me when I was a child, putting those facehuggers on Superman and Batman and stuff. So, I thought he was one of the major DC villains that was probably never gonna be put into another movie. And if they did, they would do it like the ‘black cloud’ version of Starro — not a giant, walking starfish that’s a kaiju, that is bright-pink and cerulean blue. Just a ridiculously bright bad guy.

    James Gunn via Script Apart Podcast

    It’s safe to say that Superman, and the state of DC’s films, has been on Gunn’s mind for some time now. In that sense, it’s no surprise that he’s decided to make the character a priority in his early days as the co-chair after seeing him mostly sidelined by the previous regime. It looks like Gunn is going all in on that character as one of the building blocks of the DC Universe and given his love for the character, fans should look for a return to the character’s roots as a symbol of pure goodness and hope.

    Sources: THR, HH, Radio Times, Deadline, SYFY, Flickering Myth, Script Apart