James Gunn Says DCU Plans Go "Significantly Further" Than MAN OF TOMORROW - But Nothing Is Guaranteed

James Gunn Says DCU Plans Go "Significantly Further" Than MAN OF TOMORROW -  But Nothing Is Guaranteed

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has confirmed that his plans for the DCU extend well beyond 2027's Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow, and reveals that his vision coming to fruition may be conditional...

By JoshWilding - Oct 23, 2025 05:10 AM EST
Filed Under: Superman

At the start of 2023, DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran announced the "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters" slate. While that year's WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes slowed things down a little, those movies and TV shows haven't taken shape as quickly as fans hoped.

Some, like Waller and The Authority, appear to have fallen by the wayside. Others, such as Clayface and Man of Tomorrow, have been added to the slate. It's also not clear how much of the DCU's future has been mapped out by Gunn.

Talking to BobaTalks, the filmmaker confirmed that his grand plan for this franchise will extend beyond his Superman sequel. However, it sounds like the odds of us seeing more of it hinge on many factors. 

"Yes, they definitely go significantly further than Man of Tomorrow," Gunn shared. "So whether or not that'll be me that's able to fulfil that promise depends on a lot of things in life." What might those things be? Well, continued box office success is likely one of them, while another could be the potential sale of Warner Bros. Discovery.

A new owner wouldn't necessarily come in and fire Gunn, as he's already well on his way to restoring the DC brand to its former glory. However, there's a possibility that DC would be sold off or that new executives might have their own ideas for where the franchise should go that don't align with Gunn's vision.

While DC Studios is supposedly a separate entity from Warner Bros. Pictures, Gunn is clearly still getting used to working hand-in-hand with other WBD-owned enterprises, including HBO. 

There have already been rumblings about HBO executives being unhappy with the cable network potentially being flooded with superhero content, and Gunn is somehow in the dark when it comes to when we'll get the first teaser trailer for Lanterns

While he has "seen the [sneak] peek," he added, "I think at least where it is now. But I have no clue...when that's planned to be shown. With HBO, the marketing is so different than film."

As of now, it's looking like the plan is for "Salvation" to be a new take on Dinosaur Island, which those of you who have read The New Frontier will know was really an all-powerful entity known as The Centre. That's a big enough threat to assemble the Justice League, right?

Man of Tomorrow arrives in theaters on July 9, 2027.

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ClungeOfSteel
ClungeOfSteel - 10/23/2025, 5:56 AM
Imagine if they do sack him?

Would anyone even be interested in a 3rd reboot 🤔

ProfessorWhy
ProfessorWhy - 10/23/2025, 5:58 AM
@ClungeOfSteel - third reboot needs to be animated
TheVisionary27
TheVisionary27 - 10/23/2025, 5:58 AM
@ClungeOfSteel - Gunn will be in charge for a few years. I don’t think he will be fired anytime soon. I do believe the DCU won’t make five years. It will hit a wall and that will be the end of it. Warner Bros are in a transitional state and this affects the future of DC projects moving forward.
THEKENDOMAN
THEKENDOMAN - 10/23/2025, 6:48 AM
@ClungeOfSteel - Thats not even [frick]ing funny mate.

[frick] that.

We dont need to sack him, just [frick]ing staple his [frick]ing mouth.

For [frick]s sake
THEKENDOMAN
THEKENDOMAN - 10/23/2025, 6:49 AM
@ProfessorWhy - With the level AI is at, I dont [frick]ing mind that
mck13
mck13 - 10/23/2025, 7:17 AM
@ClungeOfSteel - ZACK SNYDER is waiting with his 80 MILLION ppl that support him. The ppl Gunn couldn't get cuz he FIRED HENRY CAVILL. Gunn is outta here with his weird movies, sexual innuendo, forced comedy, bad costumes, gratuitous cursing....😒HES DONE!
ClungeOfSteel
ClungeOfSteel - 10/23/2025, 7:19 AM
@THEKENDOMAN - 😅😅 a little firing would make me laugh. I can imagine your comments 😅😭
TheJok3r
TheJok3r - 10/23/2025, 9:31 AM
@ClungeOfSteel - They'll wait to see how Man of Tomorrow does before making any decision. He should be safe as long as it makes more than Superman did, which I think is possible.
Forthas
Forthas - 10/23/2025, 9:37 AM
@ClungeOfSteel - The answer if they do hopefully fire Gunn is to reset as opposed to reboot. Just bring back the most popular Batman (Christian Bale) and the most popular Superman (Henry Cavill) alive today and then you don't need the audience to buy in to yet another iteration of the same characters. They already have! No need to tell another origin story ...they have those too. Then build around that using the ONLY format that has brought Warner brothers both critical and commercial success...the grounded pseudo realistic interpretations of these characters introduced by Christopher Nolan. While Snyder fans can generally claim supposedly financial successes and Gunn fans can generally claim supposedly critical successes....only the Nolan and Nolan-like films (Dark Knight Trilogy, Man of Steel, The Batman, Joker, and Penguin) can claim both!
Bucky74
Bucky74 - 10/23/2025, 10:00 AM
@TheVisionary27 - I think as soon as they sell, he’s out and any projects not finished will be canned.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 10/23/2025, 11:29 AM
@mck13 - you might be thee single most deluded individual on this website. and that's saying something.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 10/23/2025, 11:30 AM
@Forthas - bro Christian Bale is 51. how you don't realize this is a complete and utter impossibility is beyond me.
THEKENDOMAN
THEKENDOMAN - 10/23/2025, 11:31 AM
@ClungeOfSteel - 🤦🏾‍♂️

I swear, I'll bring every mother[frick]er here down😂
ClungeOfSteel
ClungeOfSteel - 10/23/2025, 12:26 PM
@Forthas - Bale is a little too old sir!
Forthas
Forthas - 10/23/2025, 12:57 PM
@ClungeOfSteel -
@McMurdo

List of ACTIVE super hero/villain actors roughly as old or older than Christian Bale...

Jeremy Renner
Mark Ruffalo
Paul Bettany
Pedro Pascal
David Harbour
Indira Varma
Nathan Fillion
Frank Grillo
Kyle Chandler
Ulrich Thomsen
Sacha Baron Cohen
Vincent D'Onofrio
Idris Elba
Paul Rudd
Robert Downey Jr.

This list is NOT exhaustive!
ProfessorWhy
ProfessorWhy - 10/23/2025, 5:57 AM
Classic DC just like when I was a kid lol. Gunn = strike 2
JackDeth
JackDeth - 10/23/2025, 8:31 AM
@ProfessorWhy - Why is that strike two?
ProfessorWhy
ProfessorWhy - 10/23/2025, 12:00 PM
@JackDeth - Snyder = strike 1
JackDeth
JackDeth - 10/23/2025, 12:09 PM
@ProfessorWhy - Are you saying DC firing Snyder was strike one and if they fire Gunn, that's strike two?
KyoShiRo330
KyoShiRo330 - 10/23/2025, 6:16 AM
"as he's already well on his way to restoring the DC brand to its former glory"

Oh really? I wasn't aware, and I think WB isn't too. If anything he's on his way to destroy the few last good things left at DC.

Superman is a flop (and no, being the biggest SH movie of 2025 means nothing when the rest is so low) that couldn't surpass a 12 years old film despite inflation. What a shame.
UltimaRex
UltimaRex - 10/23/2025, 7:41 AM
@KyoShiRo330 - Superman made $100m+ over target at the box office before being shunted to streaming.

That's not a flop.
JackDeth
JackDeth - 10/23/2025, 8:32 AM
@KyoShiRo330 - 'What about inflation?' is this year's 'With prep time.' LOL!!!
McMurdo
McMurdo - 10/23/2025, 11:32 AM
@KyoShiRo330 - you don't immediately greenlight Man of Tomorrow if you consider Superman a flop bud. You simply don't. It did so well in the States that despite its international BO, they immediately green lit the sequel.
TheVandalore
TheVandalore - 10/23/2025, 6:16 AM
There are several ways to do another Superman film that are unique and original. I myself have 2 ideas for unique approaches to telling a Superman origin story in a way that's never been seen before.
ClungeOfSteel
ClungeOfSteel - 10/23/2025, 6:45 AM
@TheVandalore - User Comment Image
McMurdo
McMurdo - 10/23/2025, 11:32 AM
@TheVandalore - well do share!
TheWinkler
TheWinkler - 10/23/2025, 6:17 AM
Unlike the DCEU, there is so much room left for growth and correction in the DCU. A reboot would be the death of DC's live action division.
THEKENDOMAN
THEKENDOMAN - 10/23/2025, 6:46 AM
For [frick]s sake James

For [frick]s Sake

Every [frick]ing week it’s a new [frick]ing “vision” or [frick]ing long-term plan, yet half the [frick]ing stuff he announced is either [frick]ing delayed, [frick]ing scrapped, or [frick]ing suddenly [frick]ing replaced.

For [frick]s sake James, just make some [frick]ing solid movies first. Man of Tomorrow isn’t even [frick]ing out yet, and we’re getting [frick]ing lectures about [frick]ing 2030?

[frick]ing Chill mate. You’re not building [frick]ing Rome, you’re [frick]ing trying to fix DC after [frick]ing years of damage.

For [frick]s sake
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 10/23/2025, 7:12 AM
I feel like we already got this article but oh well…

While most of us are likely not in the industry , we have seen and read stories about how unstable & quickly changing it can be so it makes sense imo for Gunn to be aware of that and realistic since you never know what could happen in the future since he could eventually leave for personal reasons , be ousted or hopefully stick on for a long time etc.

Anyway , so far I have enjoyed his 3 projects that have helped setup the DCU to varying degrees…

They certainly haven’t been perfect but I have liked this universe thus far so hopefully it continues to improve & grow under his watchful eye!!.
mck13
mck13 - 10/23/2025, 7:14 AM
Gunn is DONE! He lost DC TOO MUCH MONEY! Suicide Squad, The Flash, Blue Beetle, Creature Commando, Peacemaker & Superman. ALL LOST MONEY. All BAD MOVIES that you don't want to rewatch! BLACK ADAM did better numbers!!! Gunn fans are a small group of people & shills who's kissing the boot of these corporate ppl that don't care about these characters. Ever notice how Zack don't have SHILLS like Gunn? How Zack has a HUGE following. It's because a MAJORITY of DC fans like his movies. Are they perfect? No. But neither is anyone,he's just better than GUNN/Joss Whedon style comic book movies. Netflix is buying DC & GUNN is OUTTA HERE. See how disrespecting a strong fan ba$e gets you FIRED! Bye to you, your brother & your wife...grifters.
UltimaRex
UltimaRex - 10/23/2025, 7:38 AM
@mck13 - User Comment Image
Moriakum
Moriakum - 10/23/2025, 8:40 AM
@mck13 - User Comment Image
McMurdo
McMurdo - 10/23/2025, 11:33 AM
@mck13 - User Comment Image
TheNewYorkerr
TheNewYorkerr - 10/23/2025, 7:15 AM
It’s a wrap for that trash. We’ll be getting a reboot much sooner than expected.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 10/23/2025, 7:27 AM
“𝐀𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 "𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧" 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐮𝐫 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥-𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞, 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭?”.

I mean yeah…

The Centre was the main villain of a comic and its animated adaptation that ended with the official formation of that version of the Justice League so I’m assuming it is indeed a big enough threat.
99OPTIMISTPRIME
99OPTIMISTPRIME - 10/23/2025, 7:28 AM
Yeah if a right-winger ends up overseeing the DC projects, they'll likely either fire James Gunn, or take away his creative control.
TheJok3r
TheJok3r - 10/23/2025, 9:33 AM
@99OPTIMISTPRIME - These are businesses; they won't care what political leanings the creatives have as long as they bring in the $$$. Their stocks will be in the toilet if they start firing people who are making the company profitable.
JackDeth
JackDeth - 10/23/2025, 8:33 AM
Ten year plan, people. He's good.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 10/23/2025, 9:24 AM
You already posted this article yesterday, except the title made it seen like he was on his way out.. shame.
FallenThomas
FallenThomas - 10/23/2025, 10:56 AM
I would never advocate anyone losing their jobs and Gunn has moments of great creativity (GOTG) but would anyone really shed a tear for his version of the DCU? It seems to me like he's tried to recreate how comicbooks made him feel when he was ten. If he'd managed to translate that euphoric feeling of wonder in to something meaningful for a non-juvenile audience, then we might have something. However, what he delivered was a colour saturated, kid's movie with a spineless Kal-El, clichéd villains and Superdog. Krypto!!???? WTF!?
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