Topic: DC Superheroes in Cinema and Streaming (2025 and Onward)

With the impending launch of James Gunn's DC Universe in theatrical films, streaming shows and animated productions, it's become necessary to start a new thread specifically for the James Gunn era: DC Superheroes in Cinema and Streaming (2025 and Onward).

The James Gunn era technically pre-dates 2025 with his film THE SUICIDE SQUAD (2021) and and his series PEACEMAKER (2022), in addition to CREATURE COMMANDOS which debuts in December 2024 and runs to January 2025 on MAX. The second season of PEACEMAKER will stream in 2025 and Gunn's DC cinematic era will launch in theatres with SUPERMAN on July 11, 2025.

THE BATMAN (2022) by Matt Reeves, while pre-dating James Gunn, will see a sequel during the James Gunn era and should be included here as well.

Since we can't say for sure how long Gunn will lead the DC film division (may it be a long and prosperous reign), it seems better to call this era the 2025 and Onward era while grandfathering in THE BATMAN, THE SUICIDE SQUAD and PEACEMAKER.

Meanwhile, we can continue to discuss the Arrowverse and all pre-Gunn DC TV shows in the DC Superheroes on TV & Streaming (1966 - 2024) thread: https://sliders.tv/bboard/viewtopic.php?id=67

And we can keep talking about the DCEU, the Christopher Nolan Batman films, and all other pre-Gunn DC movies in the DC Superheroes in Film (1943 - 2024) thread: https://sliders.tv/bboard/viewtopic.php?id=60

There is also a separate thread for SMALLVILLE: https://sliders.tv/bboard/viewtopic.php?id=167

Re: DC Superheroes in Cinema and Streaming (2025 and Onward)

This is good.

For perpetuity, I'm very excited about James Gunn's universe.  I like that there's going to be consistency across all media, and I like that there's a singular plan.

My only issue is that we're, again, going to have a younger Superman with an older Batman (presumably).  But I also think it would be a cool idea to have Batman show up in Superman (2025) as a newbie, have a bunch of movies where Batman isn't around (but maybe is referenced) and the next time he shows up, he's already created the Bat-family.

Re: DC Superheroes in Cinema and Streaming (2025 and Onward)

My concern about a Batman movie featuring Batman and his homicidal 10 year old son Damian (as he is in the comics) -- movies are shot and go through post production over at least a year, and then pre-production has to set up the next film. If they hire a 10 year old actor to play Damian, he'll be at least 12 in the second film, 14 by the third, and so forth. How are they going handle this? Will Damian age with the actor, or will they hire a performer with a genetic predisposition to staying short and skinny?

Re: DC Superheroes in Cinema and Streaming (2025 and Onward)

I wonder if they try to find someone like Tom Holland who looks like a teenager even though he's *ALMOST 30* and then age up Damian to 16?

Otherwise, I assume they allow him to age normally.  But even then I think he's gotta be older than 10 or we're in a Walt from LOST situation.  A reference I assume you don't get big_smile

Re: DC Superheroes in Cinema and Streaming (2025 and Onward)

So the first trailer to James Gunn's Superman movie has come out and oh man I'm excited.  I have a couple of hesitations about the new DC Universe, but I'm really excited to see what Gunn is going to do here.  He's such a strong filmmaker, and I think he's going to have a greater understanding of this universe than Snyder ever did.

My two concerns are:

1. I still wish that Batman and Superman were the same age.  I just want Batman and Superman to be best friends haha.  But I get why they have to do it this way, especially with the Pattinson Batman being around at the same time.

2. I've seen a lot of James Gunn's work, and his films have the heart that you want in a Superman movie but they're also extremely cynical.  The trailer makes it look like he's getting the right balance, but I want to see a little bit more before I believe.

But I'm super excited for this movie.  I think next year might be a really rough year, and I think we're going to need something like this.

Re: DC Superheroes in Cinema and Streaming (2025 and Onward)

Slider_Quinn21 wrote:

So the first trailer to James Gunn's Superman movie has come out and oh man I'm excited.  I have a couple of hesitations about the new DC Universe, but I'm really excited to see what Gunn is going to do here.  He's such a strong filmmaker, and I think he's going to have a greater understanding of this universe than Snyder ever did.

My two concerns are:

1. I still wish that Batman and Superman were the same age.  I just want Batman and Superman to be best friends haha.  But I get why they have to do it this way, especially with the Pattinson Batman being around at the same time.

2. I've seen a lot of James Gunn's work, and his films have the heart that you want in a Superman movie but they're also extremely cynical.  The trailer makes it look like he's getting the right balance, but I want to see a little bit more before I believe.

But I'm super excited for this movie.  I think next year might be a really rough year, and I think we're going to need something like this.

I have to agree. I'm looking forward to this iteration of Superman as well. Based on the trailer, I'm also super excited for the movie.

There is an auction place on eBay called Homes for Our Troops that was auctioning off a few tickets for charity to things like celebrity Zoom calls, events, etc. One of those events would have been the James Gunn Superman Premiere, with a chance to meet and hang out with the cast and crew of the movie. For around $1200.00 at the end of the auction. I was heavily...heavily debating getting myself those tickets. But I ended up not doing it...I don't know at this point if the James Gunn version is going to be a flop or a top version. I am really hoping it will be one of the better versions.

And hopefully, it will be a great one.

Re: DC Superheroes in Cinema and Streaming (2025 and Onward)

I didn't understand Warner Bros inability to progress with immensely popular Henry Cavill?  James Gunn, well, he makes a certain type of content.  That style will not work with this property, so we'll see how he's adapted.  Superman is kind of a dying property, it really doesn't resonate like it did years ago.

Re: DC Superheroes in Cinema and Streaming (2025 and Onward)

Cavill's Superman is deeply flawed and I don't think they could salvage it.  And if they wanted to say "this is a different Superman that just looks like Henry Cavill" they could have, but Cavill is also 41.  I assume he'll age pretty great, but he doesn't look like he's in his 20s anymore, and Superman isn't really supposed to age much at all.  Corenswet should look right for the next 10-15 years.

I do wonder about Gunn's style, but I think he's capable of doing the stuff that would work for Superman.  There are parts of the Guardians movies that feel right, and I think the Guardians Holiday Special shows he doesn't have to be fully cynical.

And I think Superman just hasn't been done right.  Gunn is taking inspiration from a couple of great Superman comics, and if he can pull it off, it could revitalize Superman again.

Re: DC Superheroes in Cinema and Streaming (2025 and Onward)

Fairly or unfairly, Henry Cavill's MAN OF STEEL and BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN were only modestly successful and JUSTICE LEAGUE was a failure. Gunn was brought in to restart the DC Universe, and you don't restart by doing what the last person was doing.

Re: DC Superheroes in Cinema and Streaming (2025 and Onward)

Yeah not only that but the character is broken.  Superman has no connection to humanity outside of Lois Lane.  It was the entire plan for Superman in the Snyderverse - Lois gets killed and Superman goes evil.  He has no friends, and he doesn't seem particularly interested in being a superhero or saving people.  I don't understand why he does it.

Again, I know you could just say Cavill is playing a different version of Superman, but you'd need him to play a Superman in is 30s.  I don't think he could realistically play a young Superman.  And so a Cavill Superman either decided to be Superman as an adult, or he's well into his career.  And that's clearly not the story they wanted to tell.

I assume Cavill will have a role in the new DCU.  I think he'd be a pretty good adult Shazam, and it might be fun to have him play a different spin on what's essentially Superman.