James Gunn and The New DCEU
With Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 now out. It would be cool to see him come back of course, as he has done an exceptional job building the characters and telling stories for Marvel Studios. It even would have been exceptional to see him write and direct an Avengers film. One thing I loved about Guardians of the Galaxy, is that he showed the team really connecting, becoming a family, having the characters show their emotions, and brining out their humanity. Something, I don't feel like we saw with enough of with the Avengers. If he does ever come back, I think him leading an Avengers film would be a perfect fit. Regardless, James Gunn is likely done with directing and writing films for Marvel Studios. Gunn is on to his next role as co-president for DC Studios. First up on the docket, Superman: Legacy which he has already written and is slated to direct the project. He mentioned in one of most recent interviews that he would like to start filming January 2024 but one thing we know for sure is they are very early in the process of casting. We have several, reports of who they are looking at casting. One thing about Gunn, he is very vocal with the fans, and he is always quick to denounce rumors. So, I won't believe any castings unless it comes from him or officially announced.
Rumors
As of now, several names are in the mix, remember take this with a grain of salt. Amongst the names in the rumor mix: Nicholas Hoult, David Corenswet, Jacob Elordi, and Andrew Richardson are in the mix for the role of Superman. As for the iconic Lois Lane Rachel Brosnahan, Emma Mackey, Samara Weaving are amongst the rumors. Another lingering rumor is the villain of the film?
We all know the infamous Lex Luthor, will likely be the villain; but not confirmed yet. It is rumored that Gunn is currently working on watching audition tapes. Perhaps it might be an actor he has worked with before. It is understandable that he is very hands-on in this process, given that it is his first film as the head of DC Studios. I do expect, to see his fellow Guardians to join him; and I would love to see him reach out to past MCU actors to work with him. Perhaps Cate Blanchett, who we saw as Hela in Thor: Ragnarök, or maybe Scarlett Johansson who we have seen as Black Widow AKA Natasha Romanoff, or maybe Chris Pratt to helm the role of Booster Gold? Regardless, there is a lot of potential choices for Gunn. I sense excitement from Gunn, and the studio for the future of DC. I feel confident, he will cast some great actors who can portray and grow with the characters.
Bottomline
I was cautious when Warner Bros. announced Gunn to co-lead the new DC Studios in 2022. Given DC's past, but now that it had time to marinate in my mind, and I have seen the epic conclusion of Guardians of the Galaxy; it leads me to being more helpful for the future of the studio. I am more hopeful for his take on Superman and Batman, which the pinnacle characters of DC. As of now it remains to be seen who the officially be cast as the Man of Steel. The film is slated for release in July 2025 and Gunn has also promised fans a new Batman film titled, Batman: The Bold and the Brave, a Superman Girl film, and the much-anticipated Booster Gold series. Much to look forward to but let me leave you with this; who do you think should helm the Man of Steel role?
May 16th, 2023 (Repost)