The internet shook when James Gunn announced that he was working on the next Superman film, but it was going to be someone else instead of Henry Cavill donning the cape. With Dwyane Johnson’s Black Adam recently confirmed to no longer continue in Gunn’s universe and other DCEU versions of the characters looking unlikely to return after 2023, DC is looking at a reboot. Despite the disappointment some fans have expressed, it gives WB and DC a chance to make sure they don’t make the same mistakes they made before and try new things with the DCU. Here’s what I hope James Gunn and Peter Safron’s new DC will look like.
More of Superman’s Rouge Gallery is Shown
The highest priority for James Gunn is to get a new Superman movie out, which he confirmed he will be writing. As disappointing as it is that Henry Cavill won’t be appearing again, I’m still excited to see a new Superman film after almost a decade since Man of Steel. It won’t be another origin story, so the possibilities are endless. That should also include what villains will appear. Audiences have seen Lex Luthor and General Zod in both Christopher Reeves’s Superman franchise and the DCEU. Superman has a big rogue gallery nearly as big as Batman and Spider-Man. Villains such as Brainiac, Metallo, Mongul, and even Toyman need to be brought onto the big screen. One of the disappointing things about the sequel to Man of Steel getting canceled is Brainiac was heavily rumored to be in it. They could also deliver on villains that did appear in the DCEU, but never showed their full potentials like Darkseid and Doomsday. It’s still very early for them, but later down the road, they should be given a second chance to take on Superman.
Show More of Batman’s Fantasy/Supernatural Elements
Matt Reeves’s Batman franchise will continue, but in its universe separate from the DCU. Gunn still has plans to use Batman in the DCU. Depending on how Gunn and Safron plan to use Batman in the DCU, they should use some of the more supernatural and fictional elements. Villains like Clayface, Poison Ivy, Man-Bat, and Killer Croc should appear in this universe. They should also use villains such as Bane and Ra’s Al Ghul that may have been used in the past, but have their comic book powers and not the realistic take Christopher Nolan already did on them. They should also use the Batfamily if Reeves doesn’t. It’s about time we get Robin and Batgirl on the big screen again and finally get Nightwing and Red Hood to appear. One thing that used to annoy me about the DCEU was Dick Grayson’s Robin was already dead. Hopefully, the same mistake won’t be made.
Deliver the Green Lantern Properly
The Green Lantern Corps have always been essential to DC comics. Most versions of the Justice League usually have a member, whether it’s Hal Jordan or John Stewart, a founding member of the League. The 2011 Green Lantern was a massive disappointment that failed to deliver a good movie and money at the box office. We were supposed to get a new Green Lantern film in 2020 set in the DCEU by Geoff Johns, but nothing ever happened. It got moved to a TV show, but nothing has come of it as of yet. A Green Lantern made a brief appearance in the flashback shown in Zack Snyder’s Justice League and Snyder originally tried to get Wayne T. Carr to appear as John Stewart, but Warner Brothers wouldn’t allow it. A new Green Lantern film should be a high priority. Gunn has great experience in handling cosmic superheroes with Guardians of the Galaxy, so hopefully, he gets the Green Lanterns in.
Show DC Characters and Teams Not Shown Yet
One of the few things the DCEU got right was how lesser-known characters were handled. Shazam and some of the members of the Suicide Squad, such as Peacemaker and Bloodsport, stood out in their movies and shows. DC, for many years, was behind in getting its characters on the big screen. Even though Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Flash finally appeared in the mid-2010s and eventually got their solo movies or will get them, it still took a while for them to appear. Some DC characters, such as Green Arrow, Zatanna, and Booster Gold, have yet to appear in a film. Certain teams, like the Teen Titans, are popular and need a movie. Gunn is known for delivering lesser-known characters in both Marvel and DC done right. While the A-listers should be a high priority, get these other heroes that have been around for ages a film.
Overall, the DCU has more possibilities and fewer limitations than the DCEU ever had. Gunn and Safron have a lot of expectations, but I am confident they will deliver. The first slate, or at least the first few projects, are scheduled to be announced in January 2023. I’m guessing the first project will come out in 2025 to give DC time to cast these characters and get directors.
What would you like to see in the new DCU? Let us know in the comments down below.