Superman Failed to Address a Major Piece of DCU Lore That James Gunn Created

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Navigating consistency within a cinematic universe can be trickier than it appears. Even with Fox starting fresh with the X-Men films, they’ve had trouble avoiding mistakes such as introducing multiple versions of the same character or forgetting significant events. In contrast, the Marvel Cinematic Universe maintains harmony by having an overseer, Kevin Feige. However, James Gunn, once a part of Marvel Studios, is not learning from his past mentor and instead is guiding his new DC Universe in a distinct direction.

In the first installment of the DC Universe (DCU), titled “Superman”, the creators opt for a fresh approach by skipping the traditional origin story, instead plunging Superman into a universe where superheroes are already commonplace. The populace of Earth is accustomed to the presence of metahumans, who have been active for centuries. Interestingly, not all characters in “Superman” are newcomers; Gunn reintroduces some familiar faces from his other DC productions. The film’s connections to previous series and films aren’t as straightforward as they appear, though.

Superman Embraces James Gunn’s Previous DC Projects

The introductory scroll for Superman delivers a historical account, detailing when the hero’s spacecraft touched down on Earth and the length of time he’s been safeguarding our planet. Additionally, it hints that mere moments before the film began, Superman experienced his initial defeat at the hands of Borovia’s Hammer. Given that he had only come in second once in three years, this was quite an impressive accomplishment. Swiftly after the truth emerges that the foe was a clone engineered by Lex Luthor, Superman retaliates by pummeling him. Eventually, before Superman vanquishes Luthor and his associates, he must address his public image, which suffers following the villain’s disclosure of the message sent to Earth by Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van, Superman’s parents.

Among those criticizing Superman, we find Christopher Smith (John Cena), a character who appears in both “The Suicide Squad” and the HBO Max series “Peacemaker.” It may seem odd for Peacemaker to appear alongside David Corenswet’s Superman given that he recently interacted with Henry Cavill’s version, but creator James Gunn has hinted that Season 2 of “Peacemaker” will offer clarification. However, the upcoming season will have to address more than just this inconsistency because there is another significant continuity issue involving Superman as well.

Bloodsport Put Superman in His Place Before The Suicide Squad

In the DC Universe, it’s straightforward for Peacemaker to erase his presence due to his pocket universes, but Rick Flag Sr.’s background could pose problems. The comic series “Creature Commandos,” set within the DCU, appears to continue not too long after the events of both “The Suicide Squad” and “Peacemaker.” At this point, Flag Sr. is still grappling with the loss of his son, who was killed by Smith. Another character involved in that fateful incident in Corto Maltese is Robert DuBois, known as Bloodsport. He shares a rivalry with Peacemaker. Although Smith boasts he’s an equally skilled marksman as DuBois, there’s one key difference: Bloodsport managed to hit Superman with a Kryptonite bullet and send the superhero to the hospital.

Superman winding up in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) would definitely qualify as a significant setback for him. However, James Gunn’s DC Universe seems to be overlooking this event while focusing on other parts of Superman’s storyline. There’s a possibility that Bloodsport might reappear and clash with Superman again, but it won’t clarify the confusion. It seems that Gunn could have made a better choice by making the Hammer of Boravia incident the second time Superman was defeated, as currently, the DCU appears to be mirroring Fox’s superhero series rather than the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Superman is in theaters.

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2025-08-07 00:49