With the creation of DC Studios and the appointment of James Gunn and Peter Safran as the studio’s CEOs, DC looks like it’s finally on the right path. Fans are now assured that the two bosses have a plan for the new DCU. Gunn and Safran have already assured fans that all the films, TV shows, animation, and video games will be in one continuity.
What’s more, they have an “Elseworlds” label for films like “The Joker” and “The Batman” that are out of continuity. However, that’s not all. There is already supposed to be another film in the process of development that will join the above two in “Elseworlds.” It’s a Superman project involving a black Kal-El. But will it even get made? James Gunn gave a much-awaited update on the film.
James Gunn Clarifies Status Of Black Superman Film
Around February 2021, Warner Bros announced that they were developing a Black Superman film with author Ta-Nehisi Coates on screenplay duties and J.J. Abrams on production ones. A while later, in May 2021, The Hollywood Reporter came out with an article that said that the studio was looking to hire a black director for the project.
Regarding the project, THR’s sources defined it as a “Black Superman” whose character will be based on the original comics of the superhero. Also, apparently, his back story was going to remain the same, with him hailing from Krypton. The site also added the nugget of information that the film could be set in the 20th century. Many fans deduced that the film could explore the impact of a black Superman during the Civil Rights movement in America.
THR additionally reported that Ta-Nehisi Coates had until mid-December 2021 to submit his script for the film. However, we didn’t get any more updates on the project till around December of last year, when The Hollywood Reporter again revealed that the film was still in development and wouldn’t be impacted by James Gunn’s Superman film. The site said that Coates was working on the script.
Now, Variety has reported that the separate Superman film is still in active development, with Safran and Gunn eagerly awaiting Coates’ draft. This news has come as a shock to many in the DC fan base because it was unexpected. But will it ever get made?
Will The Black Superman Film Get Made?
The first thing that came as a surprise to many was that there’s still no script for the film, even after it’s been in the process of development for about two years now. However, others believe that Coates and Abrams could have stalled development on their side since there were a lot of shakeups going on at Warner Bros. back then. But the question still remains: will the movie get made anytime soon? It surely can.
After all, under the “Elseworlds” label, there’s “The Batman,” and in Chapter 1 of the DCU, there’s also a Batman movie titled “The Brave and the Bold.” What’s more interesting is that Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson’s movie will hit theaters on October 3, 2025, while James Gunn’s film is also supposed to premiere in 2025. The first movie of the new DCU slate is “Superman: Legacy,” which will be released on July 11, 2025, so “The Brave and the Bold” will be released in the latter half of the year at the earliest.
However, Warner Bros. Discovery will not likely want the two Batman films to clash in the same year. So “The Brave and the Bold” will probably get pushed to 2026. So having two Superman movies where one is part of “Elseworlds” is not anything out of the ordinary at this point. However, it seems like Coates’ Black Superman movie will have to be something different from what James Gunn is making.
For example, taking the example of the two Batman movies, Reeves’ film deals with a young Batman while DCU’s Batman will already be a father and have an established Bat-family. Regarding Superman, Gunn’s version of the hero won’t feature in his origin story, but Coates’ Kal-El probably will. Also, since the latter’s Superman film will likely deal with issues of race and alienation, the two movies will be different in almost every way possible.
But other fans have a different opinion. Many think that James Gunn will want to reduce the chances of releasing two movies presenting the same character on screen within roughly the same time frame. After all, it might confuse general audiences regarding canon and continuity. As such, Coates’ movie may take longer to develop to give the two properties breathing room, something that James Gunn didn’t have a choice with regarding Reeves’ Batman movie. However, it remains to be seen what James Gunn decides regarding the Black Superman movie. Will he ultimately make it, or will it stay in limbo till everyone forgets about it?
See more: WBD Bosses Unhappy With James Gunn And Peter Safran’s Blunt Approach During DCU Slate Release
