Is James Gunn actually cooking with Superman? Executives at Warner Bros. Discovery praise the upcoming film, drawing ties to Richard Donner’s saga with the hero.
A lot is riding on James Gunn’s Superman film. For fans, it’s the birth of an actually cohesive DC Universe. However, for Warner Bros. Discovery, it may be their financial future. The company has not had a good go of it the past few years, with massive flops like The Flash and Fantastic Beasts franchise mixing with a loss of fan trust following the cancellation of multiple highly-anticipated movies like Coyote vs ACME and Batgirl.
That all to say, if James Gunn doesn’t deliver a hit with Superman, Warner Bros. Discovery is without a rudder. Luckily, it seems as though key executives at the studio are confident in the film’s ability to birth a new cash cow of a DC Universe. While speaking to Deadline, co-head of Warner Bros. Pictures Mike De Luca reveals that Gunn pulled out all the stops when creating his upcoming film.
“I love Superman. I think James Gunn has crushed it. It’s got tons of his trademark heart and humor and the action is jaw dropping. It’s the Superman I grew up with, so I get choked up when I watch it. I think it’s so epic and visually arresting and emotional.”
“The performances are great. It is a five-star movie to me, and I can’t wait for the world to see it. Yeah, we’re really excited about Superman, James crushed it.”
James Gunn Calls Back To Donner’s Superman
Given James Gunn’s unique fingerprints when it comes to comic book adaptations, it’s not shocking that Superman is filled with good vibes and hard fists. However, Mike De Luca’s comparisons to his childhood may be more true than they appear at first blush. Continuing to speak about the DC Universe’s freshman outing, the executive compares the film to Richard Donner’s take on the Man of Steel from well before Warner Bros. added the ‘Discovery’ to their name.
“I would say in spirit, it is closer to [Donner’s Superman],” De Luca explained when asked if the prior incarnation of the character inspired James Gunn in any way. “But it’s also a big hunk of epic sci-fi. It has a little bit of what I loved about Guardians of the Galaxy, but it’s true-blue Superman.
“The comic book sources that he uses for inspiration, All-Star Superman and the like are in there, too. It is really a love letter to what has made Superman endure for almost a hundred years. He managed to get it all in there.”
James Gunn has never exactly been quiet about the inspirations he has pulled from Richard Donner’s Superman films, so it’s not a surprise to anyone that his own take on the character would share a lot of DNA with the saga. While there’s no certainty this version of Superman will be as big of a hit, it certainly seems as though Warner Bros. Discovery is all in on the DC Universe.
Superman is currently scheduled to hit theaters on July 11, 2025. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the DC Universe and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!
