James Gunn's time in charge of DC Studios has come to an abrupt end, with Skydance deciding that a change of leadership is needed for the DCU. Former Marvel Studios executive Jeremy Latcham will replace Gunn and Peter Safran, and he's tasked with steering DC's film and television slate in a new creative direction.
That raises some big questions about the future of projects inherited from Gunn's tenure, including Man of Tomorrow and The People vs. Gorilla Grodd. While the former is already in post-production and the latter has completed filming, neither necessarily fits into the plans Latcham and Skydance have for the franchise (which reportedly includes fast-tracking a Justice League movie).
With reports suggesting that much of Gunn's DCU blueprint could be dismantled, should Skydance cut its losses and start fresh, or would scrapping these projects be another costly mistake for the studio? There are compelling arguments on both sides, so let's look at the case for and against pulling the plug...
A Fresh Start For The DCU
The DCU's continuity is something of a mess. Marvel Studios started teasing plans to assemble The Avengers from the very start, and while the direction of the movie evolved (the team was originally set to assemble to battle The Hulk), fans immediately knew what the endgame was.
The same can't be said for the DCU. Gunn has hinted at a few different possibilities—the importance of Salvation, for example—but the bigger headache for Latcham is a "GunnVerse" that's part new and part old thanks to his decision to canonise his DCEU projects, Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad. Fortunately, casual fans don't typically pay too much attention to that type of thing.
While scrapping Man of Tomorrow makes it easier to move on from Gunn's plans, it shouldn't be that hard to sideline the characters who aren't working (Rick Flag Sr., Guy Gardner, and Lobo spring to mind) and continue with a new creative direction. It ultimately hinges on how much the Superman sequel is setting up.
It Robs Us Of A Potentially Great Movie
Warner Bros. Discovery wanted to scrap Coyote vs. ACME as a tax write-off. Well, it was released earlier this year and sits at 96% on Rotten Tomatoes! The decision to shelve Batgirl means we'll never see Michael Keaton's Batman fight alongside his protégé, and there's every chance we missed out on another great movie.
With 2025's Superman, Gunn delivered a fan-pleasing take on the Man of Steel that restored the hero to his former glory on screen. In Man of Tomorrow, the filmmaker has plans for Brainiac, a War Suit-clad Lex Luthor, and possibly even Wonder Woman. Even if a reboot is coming, do we really want this movie to never see the light of day?
Art shouldn't be censored or shelved, and as we've said above, Man of Tomorrow can likely be "saved" with a few edits that make it a little more open-ended. The priority for Skydance is Justice League, so David Corenswet's ditching the Justice Gang for the A-listers is easy enough, as is cutting Wonder Woman's scenes if necessary.
A Smart Business Decision That Benefits The Brand
The strongest argument for scrapping Man of Tomorrow isn't necessarily that the movie will be unsuccessful. However, it sounds like Gunn once again allowed the budget to reach a point where profitability will be near-impossible.
Still, if Skydance believes the DCU needs a different creative direction, releasing another James Gunn movie could make that transition more difficult. The studio will lose money either way, and now that fans are convinced the DCU no longer matters, avoiding repeating history will be crucial for the studio. After all, this feels a lot like The Flash.
That was supposed to be a launching platform for several projects, but when the DC Studios regime changed, characters and ideas were cut, and it bombed because everyone knew it didn't matter. Avoiding that level of bad press and starting fresh might be best for business and easier for fans, though we'd suggest Skydance and Latcham find a way to assure everyone that Man of Tomorrow still matters.
Man Of Tomorrow Can Still Be A Launching Point
According to recent reports, Gunn planned to follow Man of Tomorrow with another Superman movie and a long-awaited Justice League reboot (he may have even taken charge of The Brave and the Bold). With a few tweaks, the new DC Studios can still follow that blueprint.
Some subplots and characters will likely be dropped, and we may even get the odd retcon, like Hal Jordan once again being back among the living. Ultimately, Man of Tomorrow can still serve as a launching platform for where the DCU goes next, starting with a Justice League movie that ditches the C-listers to focus on characters like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and The Flash.
How willing is Gunn to make any changes asked of him? The last thing we need is another 2017 Justice League, with a different filmmaker asked to add new scenes. Latcham and Gunn have worked together before, so the latter could even stick around to be creatively involved beyond this sequel, albeit with someone now there to rein him in when necessary.
Should It Debut On Streaming, Instead?
If Skydance is determined to move on from Gunn's DCU, there's a compromise worth considering: release Man of Tomorrow directly on streaming.
That would allow the filmmaker to finish the story he's been building without forcing the studio to spend millions marketing a movie that may no longer fit its plans for the franchise. It would also give the streamer—a combined HBO Max/Paramount+ powerhouse—a major exclusive and ensure Gunn's work doesn't end up gathering dust.
Of course, a Superman sequel deserves to be experienced on the big screen, and there's no guarantee a streaming release would make the movie profitable. However, if theatrical prospects are looking bleak, this could be a better outcome than scrapping the project altogether. After all, why throw away a potentially great movie when there's still an opportunity to get something out of it?
As For The People vs. Gorilla Grodd...
Yeah, there's really no reason for this series to exist. With the greatest respect to The People vs. Gorilla Grodd's cast and creatives, another goofy TV-MA comedy is the last thing the DCU needs. Leave Jimmy Olsen as a supporting character in the Superman franchise and save Grodd for a clash with The Flash. We don't need to see him and a collection of D-list baddies turned into punchlines to serve Gunn's unique sense of humour.
This show will do nothing for the new DCU and is exactly what this franchise needs to leave behind as it heads into a new era of storytelling.
So, scrap The People vs. Gorilla Grodd, but save Man of Tomorrow (with a few tweaks that ensure it better fits Latcham's new direction for the DCU). That seems like the best outcome, and with any luck, we'll finally get a great Justice League movie by 2028 at the latest.