When it was announced that James Gunn would be taking on the position of co-CEO of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran, some fans expressed concern that the director's distinctive style may not be the right fit for the relaunched DCU.
Of course, Gunn won't be directing all of the upcoming DCU movies, but he will helm Superman: Legacy (and likely more projects if the relaunch takes off), and as co-head of the franchise, he will have a lot of say when it comes to the shared film and TV universe as a whole.
Gunn has previously assured fans that his Superman reboot will have a very different tone to the likes of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies and The Suicide Squad, and has now responded to a post on Instagram which wondered if his earlier comic book movies will "match the style and tone you are going for in the new DCU?"
"It will shift from project to project and will reflect the unique sensibilities of the filmmakers involved," said the director.
We're not sure why anyone would automatically assume that Gunn was planning to force his own filmmaking style into every DCU project, but it's clearly something a lot of DC Comics fans are worried about. Hopefully, Superman: Legacy will assuage these concerns when it releases in 2025.
Gunn posted his response on the following Peacemaker BTS video, which highlights an example of a filmmaking technique known as a "Texas Switch."
In addition to David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Legacy will also feature Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho.
We're still not sure exactly how these four superheroes will factor into the story, but Gunn has previously revealed that Superman's dual-life as both Clark Kent and the Man of Steel will be explored in the film, suggesting that these characters will be his "super friends." Whether they'll be part of an actual team or not remains to be seen.
“Superman: Legacy is the true foundation of our creative vision for the DC Universe. Not only is Superman an iconic part of DC lore, he is also a favorite character for comic book readers, viewers of earlier movies, and fans around the world," said Gunn during the DCU slate announcement. "I can’t wait to introduce our version of Superman who audiences will be able to follow and get to know across films, movies, animation and gaming.”
Casting is currently underway for Lex Luthor, Jimmy Olsen and Perry White, and now that the WGA strike has come to an end (though the SAG-AFTRA strike is still on), announcements may be forthcoming.
The Righteous Gemstones actor Skyler Gisondo was recently rumored to be a "top choice" to play Jimmy, while brothers Alexander and Bill Skarsgård are said to have tested for Luthor along with one-time Superman candidate Nicholas Hoult. Gunn has yet to weigh in on any of these reports, however.
Barring any delays, production is scheduled to commence next January.