There's a huge amount of intrigue surrounding James Gunn's plans for the DCU and, this week, the decision to potentially cast Avengers: Infinity War star Josh Brolin as Hal Jordan in HBO's Lanterns has raised eyebrows among fans.
The 56-year-old actor isn't exactly who the majority expected to play the iconic Green Lantern Corps member; now, though, scooper Daniel Richtman has shared some rumoured insights into DC Studios' approach to the character.
Apparently, "they're eyeing Josh Brolin because their vision for Hal Jordan is to have him as an older, gruff, no-nonsense mentor to a younger and reckless John Stewart. And as we know, Brolin excels at playing the grumpy type."
That sounds very much in line with what we'd expected and it's clear now that Gunn has some very specific plans for the DCU's Hal.
Addressing what the filmmaker is going for beyond that character, Richtman says he's heard Superman is "fantastic" and calls it "a complete shift to hardcore sci-fi and fantasy, the exact opposite of Man of Steel."
He adds, "It's set in a world very different from ours and far removed from the DCEU. Heroes have been around for ages, and we'll see how it affected this world's history and has shaped the DCU."
"The DCU will feature various projects set across different timelines, not just present day. So more in line with the approach of Star Wars than Marvel."
That honestly sounds like the right direction for the DCU and it's good to hear Gunn isn't setting out to replicate the MCU (a world he's extremely familiar with after helming the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and a Holiday Special).
The fact that "heroes have been around for ages" also makes sense of Hal and Guy Gardner being older on the screen than they are on the page. DC Studios is looking to create a history to this world rather than starting from scratch as Warner Bros. did with the DCEU.
We also have some new Superman merchandise that's currently available on the official DC Shop:
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, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
Milly Alcock is also expected to make a cameo appearance as Supergirl before taking flight in her own movie, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.
Superman is currently set to be released in theaters on July 11, 2025.