James Gunn shares his confidence in the future of the DC Universe franchise after the release of Superman. Following the massive struggle behind the DCEU movie timeline, DC Studios is marking the start of a new era for the brand’s TV and film presence, with Gunn and Peter Safran leading the charge.
2025’s Superman movie has brought the Man of Tomorrow back to the big screen, while also serving as a major foundation for the rest of DC Studios’ new superhero universe. With multiple Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters” movies and TV shows in the works, the David Corenswet-starring film’s success is now making it easier for the future of Gunn’s comic book franchise.
During an appearance on the Crew Call with Anthony D’Alessandro podcast, Gunn opened up about how relieved he is that Superman’s success has now allowed him to no longer have to worry about being “concerned with the life and death of the DC brand.” Gunn shared the following about the prospects of the DCU franchise after his first DC Studios movie:
James Gunn: That’s all it is, it’s just an enormous sense of relief. It’s relief, and then followed very quickly by excitement. Because Superman in some ways was the proof of concept. It was so, so hard, in the same way that Guardians [of the Galaxy] was so, so hard. Once you’re in the groove, you realize, ‘Oh, this is what works, this is what doesn’t, this is where we can go with this.’
It means now we have the freedom to tell these other stories in a way that’s really exciting. Now, I can just be creative and I don’t have to be as concerned with the life and death of the DC brand as I was a month and a half ago. I feel really embraced by the audience. My feeling is that the movie spoke to people, but it also spoke to people because there was a reason for its existence. There was this message of kindness that spoke to people.
At the time of this story’s publication, Superman has grossed $597.3 million at the worldwide box office, as it was getting closer to finally reaching the $600 million mark. The DCU entry is also currently 83% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes in the Critics’ Score and 91% in the Audience Score.
It’s perfectly understandable that Gunn is feeling relieved over the success of Superman, especially as this has been one of the most discussed films for 2025, given the impact it has on DC Studios’ future. While numerous movies and TV shows set in Gunn’s reboot had already been announced, seeing his 2025 film being a hit definitely makes things easier for his franchise going forward.
It also likely bodes well for future releases like the Supergirl movie, as well as the Clayface horror film, both set for 2026, which also includes the premiere of the Lanterns TV show on HBO. With the DCU starting to grow its audience through Superman, and the arrival of Peacemaker season 2 this month, 2025 has turned out to be a solid year for DC Studios.
After hearing Gunn being able to be more relaxed following Superman’s success, there is a lot to look forward to in the franchise, as there are DCU filming plans already in motion. From the upcoming Batman and Wonder Woman reboot films to Gunn’s next installment in the Super-Family, DC Studios is just getting started.
Superman is also a massive victory for DC Studios, not only because of what it means for this franchise, but also in the superhero landscape, as Gunn’s latest film is the highest-grossing comic book movie for 2025. As the DCU gets ready to expand across the big and small screens, the Man of Steel’s big-screen return was only the beginning.
- Created by
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Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson
- First Film
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Man of Steel
- First TV Show
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Peacemaker
- Cast
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Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevingne, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Zachary Levi, Dwayne Johnson, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett, Rosie Perez, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, Ewan McGregor, Idris Elba, John Cena, Michael Keaton, George Clooney, Xolo Mariduena
- Movie(s)
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Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Justice League, Aquaman, Shazam!, Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, The Suicide Squad, Black Adam, Shazam! The Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, Superman, The Brave and the Bold
- Character(s)
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Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, Cyborg, Harley Quinn, The Joker, Shazam, Darkseid, Amanda Waller, Lex Luthor, Doomsday, Deadshot, Deathstroke, Black Canary, Black Adam
The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
