James Gunn Confirms Door Is Still Open For Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Superman Film: “That’s An Exciting Movie”
John F. Trent
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DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn recently confirmed the door is still open to create the previously announced Ta-Nehisi Coates Superman film.
James Gunn attends the European Premiere of Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 3” in Disneyland Paris on April 22, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by StillMoving.Net for Disney)
Coates’ Superman project was first reported by Deadline’s Anthony D’Alessandro back in February 2021. At the time, D’Alessandro wrote, “Deadline has confirmed that author Ta-Nehisi Coates is writing a Superman reboot feature for Warner Bros and DC, which J.J. Abrams is producing under his Bad Robot label.”
Coates confirmed he was indeed working on a Superman film while speaking with Shadow and Act, “To be invited into the DC Extended Universe by Warner Bros., DC Films and Bad Robot is an honor.”
He added, “I look forward to meaningfully adding to the legacy of America’s most iconic mythic hero.”
Author Ta-Nehisi Coates spoke to a packed house at Oregon State University on Feb. 2, 2017. (photo: Theresa Hogue) Photo Credit: Oregon State University, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Abrams also told the outlet, “There is a new, powerful and moving Superman story yet to be told. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with the brilliant Mr. Coates to help bring that story to the big screen, and we’re beyond thankful to the team at Warner Bros. for the opportunity.”
While then Warner Bros. Pictures Group Chairman Toby Emmerich said, “Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me opened a window and changed the way many of us see the world.
“We’re confident that his take on Superman will give fans a new and exciting way to see the Man of Steel,” he added.
“President Superman” in Infinite Frontier #5 from DC Comics, art by Bryan Hitch
The announcement from Warner Bros. and DC was highly criticized at the time with YouTuber Eric July slamming Coates, “Ta-Nehisi Coates, as far as I am concerned, and I’m not trying to be disrespectful, but I’m just going to give it to you straight, he’s talentless.”
He added, “For those that don’t know who he is, he is an activist absolutely, like a guy that literally wins awards for social justice, like in the past, the Harriet Beecher Stowe Award. Social justice.”
The project seemingly hasn’t made any head way since it was announced, albeit Variety reported back in December 2022 that the film was still in active development.
There were also alleged leaks from Twitter user GeoPanda24 that the film would use Superman’s alien heritage as a parallel to racism. The user tweeted in April 2022, “It’s not about a black superman being a victim of racism, rather it uses Superman’s alien heritage as a parallel to racism. They are, however going through with colorblind casting.”
Source: GeoPanda24 Twitter
James Gunn recently spoke to Gizmodo and informed the outlet that he was open to the film being made, but he hadn’t looked at a script yet.
He first detailed how Coates’ movie and his Superman: Legacy film are “unrelated.” He explained, “Those two things are totally unrelated. That’s an exciting movie. I know that Chantal Nong, who is the executive on that project, is extremely excited about it. So if it comes in and it’s great, which I haven’t read the script, and if the timing is right, that could absolutely happen.”
Gunn added, “That’s totally unrelated. It would be an Elseworlds tale like Joker.”
James Gunn and Kai Zen attend the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
What do you make of Gunn leaving the door open for Coates’ Superman film?
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