James Gunn Explains Why He Turned Down Directing Superman at First

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2021’s “The Suicide Squad” features marksman mercenary Bloodsport (played by Idris Elba), who is incarcerated for shooting Superman into the Intensive Care Unit with a kryptonite bullet. This is as close as writer-director James Gunn chose to come to the DC Extended Universe’s version of Superman. Later, Gunn disclosed that Warner Bros. gave him the opportunity to make any film they wanted, including a potential Superman movie, but Gunn selected to create an ensemble of disposable supervillains for “The Suicide Squad” instead, having previously directed “Guardians of the Galaxy.

Back in 2018, when I was first given the opportunity to direct Superman, I declined. I found the task overwhelming, and I wasn’t certain about my abilities to pull it off. Furthermore, you may recall that there were other events surrounding Superman at that time.

According to Gunn’s statement, the leadership of DC Films at the time were hesitant about producing a sequel to Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel” featuring Henry Cavill reprising his Superman role from the 2013 reboot, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” and “Justice League.” Gunn explained that making such a sequel would have been complicated due to political reasons, so he opted for directing “The Suicide Squad” instead, which was a more comfortable genre choice for him, and he’s happy about that decision as it turned out to be enjoyable.

In consideration, he pondered over incorporating Superman into “The Suicide Squad,” expressing that there was a hazy concept of having Task Force X face off against “the strongest hero in the DC Universe.” However, he was uncertain about the resolution to queries such as, “What is the role of Superman within the DCEU?” Ultimately, it was the mind-controlling alien Starro who found its way into the movie, serving as the Squad’s assignment.

Gunn went on to share that he often pondered about Superman. The character stuck in his mind. ‘If I were to create him, what would it look like? How could I tailor it for today’s audience? What message could it convey?’ After much contemplation, he began to consider the possibility of taking on such a project. So, when they approached him with the task of writing Superman three years ago, he agreed.

Prior to Gunn and producer Peter Safran taking charge of DC Studios in late 2022, as described by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav as a “reset” for the comic book brand, there had been numerous changes in leadership within Warner’s DC Films division. This division was established by Warner Bros. following the release of Batman v Superman, with Jon Berg and Geoff Johns appointed to jointly manage it and supervise a film lineup that initially included a two-part Justice League series and films for Cyborg and Green Lantern set for 2020.

After the disappointing performance of Justice League in 2017 and subsequent criticism, Warner Bros. reshuffled its DC operations by appointing Walter Hamada, known for producing hits like The Conjuring and It, as president of DC film production. His leadership continued until 2022, a period that saw the cancellation of Batgirl and underwhelming box office performance from Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam. Despite efforts to bring in Dan Lin (of The Lego Movie and It fame) as Hamada’s successor, negotiations failed. As a result, DC Films was grappling with multiple crises.

2022 found me eagerly envisioning a Black Adam vs. Superman movie, with Cavill stepping back into the role for the Black Adam post-credits scene, hinting at the upcoming confrontation – a concept that Hamada seemed to disapprove of. The press painted DC as a chaotic frontier, with Johnson, Warner Bros. Pictures leaders Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, and Gunn all charting their separate courses. Just one week after The Hollywood Reporter exposed the turmoil within DC, it was announced that Gunn and Safran would assume the roles of co-chairmen and CEOs at the new DC Studios, tasked with guiding a single, unified DC Universe.

It begins when Superman soars into theaters July 11.

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2025-07-09 03:10