DC Studios Co-Chair James Gunn Explains The Rules Of Death In The DCU And How The Lazarus Pit Is An Exception

Comic book readers are all too familiar with superheroes dying, only to return a few months later. However, DC Studios co-chair James Gunn says that won't be the case in the DCU.

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By MarkJulian - Jun 14, 2025 10:06 AM EST

Filed Under: DC Studios

While responding to fans on @Threads, Superman director and DC Studios co-chair James Gunn was asked about the possible return of Princess Ilana Rostovic of Pokolistan.

In the action-packed season finale of Creature Commandos, "A Very Funny Monster," Princess Ilana Rostovic is killed by none other than the Bride. The Creature Commandos originally set out to assassinate Ilan based on a vision from Circe that she would kick off World War III. But as things unfolded, Amanda Waller ultimately called off the hit.

Even with the mission canceled, a deadly fight broke out. Ilana ended up killing Nina Mazursky during Nina's attempt to assassinate her, though Ilana acted in self-defense. Heartbroken over Nina's death, and now having proof that Ilana was actually planning to start World War III (she'd even tricked Waller using Clayface!), the Bride took matters into her own hands and shot Ilana in the head.

When asked about Ilana's return, Gunn replied, "I'm not sure how she would come back from that. In the DCU, if you die, you're dead. It's the way I've always done it."

When pressed by comic book fans who pointed out how this contradicts how comics traditionally handle deaths, Gunn elaborated, "Well, I wouldn't mind using the Lazarus Pit (and/or resurrection) in a story. But it would have to be part of the story itself. I won't be killing major characters just to pop them in the old lazarus pit to be alive again. What backfires more is people believing there are no stakes and death doesn't mean anything. Dead is dead."

When fans tried to claim that Groot returned from the dead, Gunn clarified, "Groot 2 was his son."

Based on Gunn's comments, if we have any major superhero or supervillain deaths in Superman, don't expect the characters to miraculously return.

Superman is slated for release on July 11, 2025, marking the inaugural film in James Gunn's rebooted DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. Gunn not only directs but also penned the screenplay for this highly anticipated movie, which was formerly titled Superman: Legacy.

The film boasts a stellar ensemble cast:

David Corenswet takes on the dual role of Kal-El/Clark Kent.
Rachel Brosnahan portrays the intrepid reporter Lois Lane.
Nicholas Hoult embodies Superman's arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor.

A contingent of other heroes and notable figures includes Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific.

Supporting the main cast are:

Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord.
María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/The Engineer.
Terence Rosemore as Otis.
Wendell Pierce as Perry White.
Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher.
Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho.

Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell appear as Clark Kent's adoptive parents, Jonathan 'Pa' Kent and Martha 'Ma' Kent, respectively. Additionally, Milly Alcock is set to debut as Supergirl in this film before headlining her own solo adventure, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

SUPERMAN Promo Features A Touching Exchange Between Clark Kent And His Pa For Father's Day

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21 Comments

RolandD - 6/14/2025, 11:02 AM

As it should be

BobGarlen - 6/14/2025, 11:05 AM

The easy answer is limit how long they can be dead before the pit just won't work. Also, maybe reduce its effectiveness. Resurrect them (ridding of diseases) but any broken bones or stab wounds for example would need to heal naturally. Maybe take multiple baths to speed up the healing process. Also, you need a cutoff point. Characters like Ra's use it to prolong and not necessarily resurrect life. So, if you ever kill someone and it resurrects them that's it. They die again it won't work. Ra's uses it near death to heal his body, so he's never broken the rule.

TheVisionary25 - 6/14/2025, 11:27 AM

Look im so tired of the revolving door that is death in comics which is just a gimmick at this point that I would rather if a character does die , especially if it’s a hero that it stick and the creatives & the world live with the consequences & fallout from that.

It’s why I don’t like some saying to resurrect Tony & Natasha in the MCU , especially since those characters had emotionally effective arcs.

bobevanz - 6/14/2025, 11:37 AM

Marvel needs a Lazarus Pit lmao

Forthas - 6/14/2025, 11:49 AM

James Gunn is so full of it! Sure in his films those that die are in fact dead, but then he replaces them with what amounts to a photo copy of the same character. When Groot dies, he is replaced by another Groot who looks and acts exactly the same. Gamora dies, she is replaced by a variant of the same person who looks and acts exactly the same.

roboticJohnson - 6/14/2025, 12:08 PM

@Forthas - tbf gamora died and was replaced in infinity war and endgame, both of which weren't directed by gunn. He was just forced to deal with that in gotg3

Forthas - 6/14/2025, 12:31 PM

@roboticJohnson -

"He was just forced to deal with that in gotg3"

Was he though? If she is dead then he could have just made the film without her even if they used the variant in the two Avengers movies. By including her in the movie Gunn is going along with the premise of a variant Gamora. We did not see any variants of Natasha Romanov since her death.

roboticJohnson - 6/14/2025, 12:44 PM

@Forthas - he wanted to use her because she's one of the main characters of the gotg lineup, and he wanted to conclude most of their stories. However, he had to deal with the fact that she wasn't the gamora of the first 2 movies at the same time.

You aren't seeing any natasha variant but we've had a white vision and a loki on the throne at the end of time

McMurdo - 6/14/2025, 12:49 PM

@Forthas -

DocSpock - 6/14/2025, 12:53 PM

@Forthas -

Good point. The MCU has more of that. Dead Black Widow? Dig up a younger one. Iron Man dead. Have a young black girl replace him. Etc., etc.

FinnishDude - 6/14/2025, 2:54 PM

@Forthas - Groot 2 is by far more childish and generally immature than the original Groot.

Order66 - 6/14/2025, 12:50 PM

That is true. Groot 2 was a whole new groot with no memory of his past life

ModHaterSLADE - 6/14/2025, 12:53 PM

Good, we don't need Resurrection Spamming like Dragonball Z.

HashTagSwagg - 6/14/2025, 1:01 PM

"In the DCU, if you die, you're dead. It's the way I've always done it."
~ James Gunn

‘You know these rules don’t really apply. Just because he dies here doesn’t mean it’s gone forever, right?’
~ Also James Gunn

vectorsigma - 6/14/2025, 1:14 PM

On Groot.

Thanos wanted balance in the universe so he eradicated half of the universe's population.

I think it was mentioned that groot is a special being, cant remember exactly, maybe the Collector.

So him disappearing after the snap, does that mean there are others like him? At least there will be one more right?

SteviesRightFoo - 6/14/2025, 1:20 PM

Doesn't the lazarus pit turn you insane anyway?

dragon316 - 6/14/2025, 2:40 PM

@SteviesRightFoo - for some not all

ObserverIO - 6/14/2025, 2:40 PM

This kind of realistic approach doesn't belong in the DCU. A universe that apparently doesn't even deserve a Battinson because it's supposedly so goofy.

dragon316 - 6/14/2025, 2:40 PM

Comic book logic dead back from dead, James gun and fans logic dead is dead

MisterBones - 6/14/2025, 5:24 PM

I agree with him but also magic exists too.

Repian - 6/14/2025, 6:24 PM

And Joker? I want him to be the man with no past, constantly returning. He must be an exception and a mystery, even for the world's greatest detective.

A man with no fingerprints and no dental history. In fact, his teeth are prosthetics.

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DC Studios Co-Chair James Gunn Explains The Rules Of Death In The DCU And How The Lazarus Pit Is An Exception

Comic book readers are all too familiar with superheroes dying, only to return a few months later. However, DC Studios co-chair James Gunn says that won't be the case in the DCU.

SUPERMAN Promo Features A Touching Exchange Between Clark Kent And His Pa For Father's Day

SUPERMAN: James Gunn Shares New BTS Look At Metamorpho And The 'Justice Gang'

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.