SUPERMAN: James Gunn Says "Elseworlds" Means Movie Starring A Black Man Of Steel Could Still Happen

Since DC Studios was formed, a lot of projects fans were looking forward to have been scrapped in preference of a new "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters" slate of interconnected projects. 

That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course, but one of the most highly anticipated movies - a Superman project with a Black Man of Steel - could still happen. Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote that, while Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker director J.J. Abrams was attached to produce.

While very little was ever revealed about the plot, we heard that it was going to be a period piece in the 1930s with a Black Kal-El attempting to find his place on Earth at a time when America was embroiled in racism. It's a fascinating Elseworlds concept and one that may be revisited under DC Studios' watch due to the fact it could become a standalone franchise similar to The Batman. 

"Those two things are totally unrelated," James Gunn told io9 when asked about this take on the character and his upcoming reboot Superman: Legacy. "That’s an exciting movie. I know that Chantal Nong, who is the executive on that project, is extremely excited about it."

"So if it comes in and it’s great, which I haven’t read the script, and if the timing is right, that could absolutely happen. That’s totally unrelated. It would be an Elseworlds tale like Joker."

While we find it hard to imagine Gunn wanting this Superman movie to overshadow what he has planned for the Man of Tomorrow in Superman: Legacy, we'd say it's possible it happens further down the line and likely sometime after 2025. 

After all, the upcoming DCU reboot needs to establish the new Supes as the face of this shared world, but if DC Studios can make audiences understand the difference between these different DC projects, any sort of overlap might not be a major issue (such as The Batman II and The Brave and the Bold coming out in close proximity). 

Which of these Superman movies would you most like to see?