Summary
DC Studios is set to release its first feature film as part of its brand-new cinematic universe with 2025’sSuperman. The film, which will seeDavid Corenswet take on the leading role, hails from writer and director James Gunn, who co-runs DC Studios alongside producer Peter Safran. The cast of the film, which is currently in production, has continued to grow with a plethora of heroes set to make their debut with Corenswet’sSuperman.
Some fans have expressed concern over the film’s rather large cast of heroes. WithGuardians of the Galaxy, Gunn managed to handle a large cast. However, it remains to be seen whether Gunn can successfully make each character inSupermanfeel important to the story.
Does Superman Have Too Many Characters?
Gunn has beenvery open regarding the castingforSuperman, confirming reports shortly after they dropped and expressing his excitement. However, fans have been understandably hesitant about each new addition to the film. Along withCorenswet’s Superman, the upcoming DC Studios film is set to feature Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl/Kendra Saunders,Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Milly Alcock as Supergirl/Kara Zor-El, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason/Metamorpho,Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt/Mister Terrific, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/The Engineer and Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord. It’s a massive cast for a film that is set to not only set up DC Studios' new cinematic universe, but also serve as Corenswet’s debut as the Man of Steel. It’s a lot to take in, and does feel like a repeat of what happened with DC and Warner Bros.' attempt at the DC Extended Universe. Entirely overloaded with characters that may or may not be of any substantial service to the actual plot.
However, a massive cast isn’t necessarily anything new for Gunn. Prior to joining DC Studios, Gunn worked on theGuardians of the Galaxyfranchisefor Marvel Studios. While the casts of those films never quite reachedAvengersheights, they did include a ton of heroes and Gunn managed to successfully handle them without issue. So, while the hesitation among fans is entirely understandable, it’s important to know this is something Gunn has done before. He managed to craft a critically-acclaimed trilogy that is still considered one of the best comic book trilogies to date. So, if anyone can handle a massive cast, Gunn is definitely the one.
Does Superman Require Such a Big Cast?
However, it’s hard not to notice the similarities between 2025’sSupermanand Zack Snyder’s attempt at crafting a cinematic universe with DC’s biggest heroes. Sometimes more can simply be too much. With Gunn set to build a brand new cinematic universe for DC, it seems unnecessary to include such as a massive cast of comic book characters. Although Milly Alcock’s debut as Supergirl is understandable, it’s important to note thatSupergirlis set to go into production next. Which begs the question: why didn’t DC just bring in Corenswet for theSupergirlfilm? While characters like Mister Terrific, Hawkgirl and even Guy Gardner feel like they could’ve easily been introduced elsewhere. Afterall, DC and Warner Bros. Discovery are currentlydeveloping aGreen Lanternsshowthat is set to feature multiple Green Lanterns. With Gunn’s plans for DC Studios, it’s hard to imagine these characters won’t be brought back in other projects. That said, with so many characters confirmed to appear inSuperman, is it possible they’ll receive adequate time to justify their inclusions? Or will they simply be cameos?
Sure, Gunn has experience handling large casts. However, when working with Marvel Studios, it’s vital to remember Gunn worked with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. Although he was able to write his own screenplays for his projects with the Guardians, Feige had the final say when it came to including characters and the storyline. The producer gave Gunn more leeway with the finalGuardiansinstallment, allowing the writer and director the ability to kill off any character he wanted to. Still, he had someone to reel him in. With his work at DC Studios, Gunn is leading the studio with Safran. Other than the upcomingSupergirlfilm, Gunn has worked on the scripts for various DC Studios projects, includingSuperman, the second season ofPeacemaker, andCreature Commandos. He’s had creative control over the studio’s future thus far. While there’s no denying Gunn is talented and has delivered fan-favorite comic book adaptations, this is a new realm for the ever-busy writer and director. So long as he manages to reign things in when necessary, Gunn is more than likely to deliver a quality Superman movie.
Despite opting to skip out on an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con this year, fans can look forward to what Gunn has planned for the Man of Steel when the movie releases next summer.Supermanis slated to hit theaters on July 11th, 2025.
