The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has always been a rollercoaster of hits and misses, but the brand took a significant nosedive after 2022’s Black Adam flopped, kicking off a string of box office disappointments.
While Blue Beetle managed to scrape some positive reviews, the DCEU’s reputation had largely been tarnished, leaving fans with more skepticism than excitement.
This is where James Gunn and Peter Safran enter the picture, who, at the start of 2023, were tasked with overhauling the franchise as co-CEOs of DC Studios.
Gunn and Safran quickly unveiled a new slate of interconnected film and TV projects under the DC Studios banner, and the DCU was designed to replace the faltering DCEU. But for all the big promises, the DCU’s survival could very well depend on one project… Gunn’s upcoming Superman film.
In a recent interview published by io9, Gunn admitted on the set of the movie that the pressure of rebooting Superman has been anything but easy. Gunn confessed: “I’m miserable. Really, I’m miserable. But hopefully, it’s for the greater good.”
That “greater good” refers to the fate of the entire DCU. While projects like Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Peacemaker season 2, Lanterns, and the recently announced Clayface are on the horizon, Gunn made it clear that their futures hinge on the success of his Superman film.
“A lot [is riding on Superman],” he admitted. “I mean, we’re not going to just keep making movies.”
This acknowledgment highlights the stakes for Gunn. For years, Superman has struggled to reclaim his former box office glory. Films like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League tarnished his cinematic reputation in the eyes of a lot of fans, raising doubts about whether the character can still draw audiences.
And with Gunn’s Superman reboot sandwiched between Marvel’s highly anticipated Fantastic Four and Universal’s next Jurassic World installment, the challenge becomes even greater.
Despite the immense pressure, Gunn’s passion for storytelling has always been a driving force in his career. While he may have been “miserable” making the movie, we can only hope that his misery translates into a film that reinvigorates the Man of Steel and the DC brand as a whole.
The big question is… Can Superman rise to the occasion and carry the DCU on his shoulders? If not, the reboot might also mark the end of Gunn’s ambitious new universe before it even really begins.