DC Studios Boss James Gunn Explains Why He's Skipping Superman And Batman's Origin Stories In The DCU

DC Studios Boss James Gunn Explains Why He's Skipping Superman And Batman's Origin Stories In The DCU

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has hit back at a fan who expressed concern over Batman and Superman not getting extensive origin stories in the new DCU. He also defended plans for a Swamp Thing movie...

By JoshWilding - Nov 22, 2024 03:11 PM EST
Filed Under: Superman

Creature Commandos is right around the corner and the hope among fans is that the Max animated series will set the tone for the DCU and perhaps even answer a few lingering questions everyone has about this reboot.

There are already rumblings about a Batman appearance, suggesting the Dark Knight is an established hero in this world. That's something we took as a given when it was made clear The Brave and the Bold will introduce the hero's 10-year-old son, Damian, as Robin. 

Answering a fan on social media, DC Studios co-CEO and Superman director James Gunn explained why he intends to skip the origin stories of both the Man of Tomorrow and Batman. 

"I’m not telling Batman and Superman’s origin stories again because everyone knows them," he noted before launching into a defence of James Mangold's plans for a Swamp Thing movie. 

"Don’t put Swamp Thing in the corner. That’s a project in development we’ve actually announced, and he’s an incredibly well-known character with not only some of the greatest comics of all time but a successful film series and his own TV show, something that could be said of only a very small handful of DC characters," the filmmaker stated. 

Gunn is right about Batman and Superman's respective origins being well-known enough to gloss over and we're sure you'll remember that Marvel Studios came to a similar conclusion with Spider-Man in 2016. At this stage, does anyone really want to see Thomas and Martha Wayne gunned down again? And how many times can we watch Krypton explode? 

Back to Swamp Thing, and we'd agree this fan was way off base suggesting a character like that getting his own movie will alienate non-fans. After all, the same could have once been said for the Guardians of the Galaxy! Gunn would later add, "Again, it’s just two DC characters: Batman and Superman. And [the DCU] is definitely for everyone."

Matt Reeves also made a point of glossing over the Caped Crusader's origin by setting The Batman in "Year Two" and no one seemed to have an issue with that. 

You can check out the filmmaker and studio executive's comments in full below. 

Superman tells the story of Superman's journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.

David Corenswet is playing the Man of Steel, while Rachel Brosnahan has been tapped to star as Lois Lane.

The cast includes Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, and Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer.

Supporting characters include Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent, Neva Howell as Ma Kent, Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, Christopher MacDonald as Ron Troupe, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, and Milly Alcock as Supergirl.

Superman is currently set to be released in theaters on July 11, 2025.

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TheJok3r
TheJok3r - 11/22/2024, 3:16 PM
By far the best decision he could make with these two characters. Retelling their origins outside of a brief flashback/conversation would just be a waste of time.
Fogs
Fogs - 11/22/2024, 4:54 PM
@TheJok3r - YES. A hundred percent.

Show flashback snippets, if any. Everybody knows about those, we don't need to see 'em for the millionth time.
Arthorious
Arthorious - 11/22/2024, 9:50 PM
@TheJok3r - agreed, I’m pretty confident the general audience knows their origin stories. Shoot they even know Spider-Man’s so well that Marvel even skipped it.
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 11/22/2024, 3:17 PM
I can't believe i'm about to write this...But I AGREE with James Gunn.

User Comment Image
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 11/22/2024, 3:27 PM
Good on Gunn for his defense of Swamp Thing and just more obscure or lesser known characters in general.

Do people really want just the same heroes all the time because that would be boring imo…

Doing characters that have been less exposed or audiences aren’t all that familiar with is a good thing since if the movie attracts them enough then they can come & see the film whose ultimate goal is to have you connect with that version.

Hell , it’s like people forget that The MCU made their name of doing those type of characters hence why I severely despise when people say “no one asked for this”.

Also thank god for no Supes or Batman origin.
RolandD
RolandD - 11/22/2024, 7:11 PM
@TheVisionary25 - Iron Man was considered a third tier superhero when they were making his movie. Where are all the people who were saying no one asked for that? That said, casting RDJ in the role was genius. Tom Cruise couldn’t have done any better, not even close.
xfactor
xfactor - 11/22/2024, 3:28 PM
There's no need for them. He's absolutely right on this. We don't need to see the explosion of krypton or the pearls fall in crime alley again. We know already.
TheFox
TheFox - 11/22/2024, 3:30 PM
I can't believe the nerve of that fanboy.

But yeah-- OBVIOUSLY we don't need to recap Batman or Superman's origins AGAIN. Ffs, The Batman didn't feel the need to do a Batman origin flashback, but we still got enough information that we knew all the most pertinent details for the story Matt Reeves was telling.

These characters are pop culture institutions. We don't need to keep being re-introduced to them.

Z
Forthas
Forthas - 11/22/2024, 3:34 PM
Not telling the origin stories of Batman and Superman is extraordinarily dumb idea. One of the ways to know a superhero is to understand the things that shaped them. I have no idea why Robert Pattinson dresses up like a Bat. I know why Christian Bale's Batman does. You wnat to know why? Because there was an origin story.

I have no idea why Pattinson's Batman knows how to fight, how he was trained and why he trusts Jim Gordon so much. The fact these factors are not explored makes it less likely anyone can relate to this Batman. It is lazy and again shows the studio's desperation to match Marvels output.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 11/22/2024, 3:44 PM
@Forthas - I was thinking that I would try to make an alt just to parody this account, but it's finally clear to me that this account IS a parody of relentlessly contrary, monomaniacal fanboy culture. Well done! You had me going for a while.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 11/22/2024, 4:19 PM
@Clintthahamster - dude thinks Man of Steel is high art and hasn't been able to move past WB moving off of Cavil.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 11/22/2024, 4:31 PM
@McMurdo - Like, if one knows why Christian Bale dresses like a bat, one knows why Robert Pattinson dresses like a bat. Why does Robert Pattinson's Batman know how to fight, why does he trust Jim Gordon? It's because he's Batman, and Batman does those things. It's actually pretty easy to understand.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 11/22/2024, 4:36 PM
@Clintthahamster - precisely. It's a ridiculous argument. Not a soul on planet earth doesn't know why Bruce Wayne wears a bat suit at night.
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