The dust has barely settled on Supergirl, and already the warning signs are flashing red for James Gunn and Peter Safran's DCU plans.
What was supposed to be a bold, faithful adaptation of one of the most acclaimed modern Supergirl stories has instead become "Exhibit A" for many fans' growing fears: that the new DC Studios regime is misreading the room, mismanaging priorities, and repeating the same creative missteps that have plagued the brand since the mid-2010s.
From a gritty True Detective-style Lanterns that strips away the cosmic wonder of the Green Lantern Corps, to an apparent reluctance to chase A-list talent, an over-reliance on the Super-Family, and a slate that continues to baffle more than excite, the cracks are showing. There is still more good than bad when it comes to the DCU, but questions are being raised about the men steering the ship.
In this feature, we break down the biggest concerns facing the DCU right now, and why there's still hope (and why that hope isn't an "S," but a certain Caped Crusader).
Lanterns Could Be Supergirl All Over Again
One of the biggest complaints about Supergirl has been that it wasn't the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow adaptation Gunn promised. The movie completely missed the point of the comic, watering down its message and characters until it became a by-the-numbers blockbuster.
Just like Supergirl missed the mark, does it not feel like history is repeating itself with Lanterns? DC Studios has taken what is, on the page, essentially a space opera, and turned it into a True Detective knock-off.
No one was asking for a repeat of the disastrous 2011 movie, but Lanterns won't feature any alien members of the Green Lantern Corps and may not even visit Oa. Instead, we're getting more murky visuals, a lack of superpowered action, and a take on Green Lantern that fans don't seem to want. We're banking on the creative team delivering, but the narrative surrounding the series is already very negative.
A Lack Of A-List Stars
It's become apparent that DC Studios is cutting costs on talent. Gunn paid himself $15 million for Superman and his two leads—David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan—$750,000 apiece. The filmmaker clearly values his own talents, but it might be time to start putting that money towards A-list stars.
Superman was a hit with over $618 million worldwide, but can Man of Tomorrow gross more than its predecessor without "Superman" in the title and pretty much the same cast as the 2025 blockbuster? Adria Arjona won't move many tickets unless she's front and centre in the trailers as Wonder Woman, and Lars Eidinger, while talented, is as big a non-factor as Supergirl's Matthias Schoenaerts.
Gunn seems to be on a quest to recapture the magic he found with Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, but these DCU projects need some big names. Yes, it's important to cast the right people, but the brand is too tainted to make the characters themselves the main draw. Neither Clayface nor Man of Tomorrow have any bankable A-list stars in them, and that's a problem.
Too Much Super-Family
Superman, Supergirl, Man of Tomorrow. The first three major DC Studios blockbusters have all revolved around the Super-Family, a ballsy move when the Man of Steel is far from a proven box office draw (particularly with international audiences, who perceive him as a strictly American hero).
Let's be clear, kicking things off with Superman was not a bad idea. It set the tone for the DCU, but the common-sense thing to do would have been to follow it with Batman and Wonder Woman movies. Yes, that's falling back on old favourites. However, you reimagine the Trinity, and a shared world will follow, similar to Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger.
Instead, Gunn has essentially launched a franchise with Iron Man, Ironheart, and Iron Man & Iron Monger, all while throwing in a bunch of C-list characters—like Task Force M and Clayface—that no fan was demanding be a priority in the new DCU. By the time Man of Tomorrow arrives, it's hard to shake the feeling that audiences will have grown bored of Supes.
James Gunn Shouldn't Be Running A Studio
As a filmmaker, it's hard to fault Gunn. Not all of you will like his movies, but the numbers and reviews speak for themselves. His Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy was a critical and commercial hit, while The Suicide Squad also resonated with critics (even if it didn't make much money during the pandemic). On the small screen, Peacemaker Season 1 was another win.
However, none of this means he should be running a movie studio. Creature Commandos was a blast, but it was also too niche for mainstream audiences. As for Peacemaker Season 2, it had its moments, but it was a vanity project, giving Gunn an excuse to hire his friends and family and rock out to his favourite band.
The writer and director hailed The Flash as one of the greatest movies ever made. He hired that creative team to take charge of The Brave and the Bold, despite the Scarlet Speedster's first big-screen solo outing being rejected by fans and critics. Gunn even has Ana Nogueira working on Wonder Woman and Teen Titans, despite even Supergirl's biggest supporters agreeing that the movie's script was lousy.
Half of what he announced at the start of 2023 either hasn't happened or won't happen. We're also getting a Jimmy Olsen TV series and a Deathstroke/Bane movie before Justice League and any number of high-priority projects. It's beyond baffling.
One Flop Won't Destroy A Franchise
Let's take a beat here. Supergirl is a critical and commercial disappointment that will likely cost DC Studios (and Warner Bros.) hundreds of millions of dollars. That's not good, but it's not as if the plug is about to be pulled on Man of Tomorrow and the entire DCU.
The caveat here is that Clayface and Man of Tomorrow need to succeed. Lanterns would also benefit from being a ratings hit on HBO, with glowing reviews a must to prove that DC Studios can deliver quality content like The Penguin. Gunn took credit for that and Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, but both were in the works before he took charge of the DC brand.
If the next few projects succeed, then Supergirl will be seen as a mere bump in the road like The Incredible Hulk or, more recently, Captain America: Brave New World and Eternals. DC Studios can still deliver on its promises of the DCU, and it will take more than one movie to fully derail that. We'd also be remiss not to mention the positives, like how great Milly Alcock was as Kara Zor-El.
The Batman Part II Is Coming
Gunn will wax lyrical about giving notes on The Batman Part II and being part of the process, but make no mistake about it: that is a Matt Reeves film and a Warner Bros. production. Still, it's a DC movie, and likely guaranteed to be a critical and commercial hit.
A rising tide lifts all ships, and The Batman sequel's success will look like a major win for the DCU. Robert Pattinson isn't about to team up with David Corenswet's Superman, and we still have the prospect of an Andy Muschietti/Christina Hodson Batman movie dangling over our heads like an axe. Still, if this movie works, it can help ensure the DC brand isn't consigned to the same heap as Sony's Marvel Universe.
Honestly, if Gunn and Safran had any sense, they'd beg Reeves and Pattinson to join the DCU in some capacity. We don't see it happening, but The Batman Part II and Man of Tomorrow might be enough to ensure the "Chapter 1: God and Monsters" slate still plays out as planned. So, don't give up hope yet!