James Gunn recently explained on Threads why he’s focusing on lesser-known characters for new movies and shows.
The director responded to a critic on the social media platform Threads, writing, “[Don’t] put Swamp Thing in the corner. That’s a project in development we’ve actually announced, and he’s an incredibly well-known character with not only some of the greatest comics of all time but a successful film series and his own TV show, something that could be said of only a very small handful of DC characters.”
When a fan suggested that origin stories are important because general audiences don’t know superheroes’ backstories as well as comic fans do, Gunn clarified that only Batman and Superman’s origins would not be shown in their DCU movies. He wrote, “Again, it’s just two DC characters: Batman and Superman.”
Batman and Superman’s origins were shown in the DC Extended Universe films ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ and ‘Man of Steel.’ Swamp Thing’s origin is more complex, so James Mangold’s upcoming movie will likely explore his backstory.
Swamp Thing was announced as part of DC Studios’ 2023 lineup. James Mangold, known for directing ‘Logan,’ will direct it as a gothic horror story inspired by ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘RoboCop.’ Recently, it was reported that Daniel Craig will star in a Sgt. Rock movie, directed by Luca Guadagnino. Neither movie has a release date yet.
DC Studios isn’t forgetting its big characters. Next summer, Gunn’s ‘Superman’ will be released, with David Corenswet as Superman. ‘The Brave and the Bold’ will focus on Batman and Robin, and ‘Lanterns’ will star Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as Green Lanterns.
Gunn has a talent for turning lesser-known characters into hits, as seen with ‘The Suicide Squad’ and ‘Peacemaker.’ As of now, ‘Superman’ is the only DCU movie in post-production. It’s set to release on July 11, 2025, as the first DCU film.
