James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ And DCU Are Being Compared More To Star Wars Than The Marvel Cinematic Universe In Its Overall Structure

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Darth Vader (James Earl Jones/David Prowse) with Commander Daine Jir (Al Lampert) by his side in Star Wars: A New Hope (1978), Lucasfilm

Superman isn’t out for another year, but one thing is perfectly clear already. James Gunn will attempt to not make the same mistakes and stylistic choices as his predecessor Zack Snyder. The word going around is Gunn’s movie is going to be the opposite of the DCEU.

Reeve Superman-thinking
Superman (Christopher Reeve) pauses to give an answer in Superman: The Movie (1978), Warner Bros. Pictures

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That also reportedly means Gunn’s DCU is going to be more lived-in than the Snyderverse, and not in the way you might think – or so says an inside source. Scooper Daniel Richtman recently shared a bevy of DCU and Superman details including how everything links together in the inchoate film-verse.

According to ComicBookMovie, Richtman described the film as “set in a world very different from ours and far removed from the DCEU. Heroes have been around for ages, and we’ll see how it affected this world’s history and has shaped the DCU.”

Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire. (Featured) Director Zack Snyder on the set of Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire. Cr. Clay Enos/Netflix ©2023.
Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire. (Featured) Director Zack Snyder on the set of Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire. Cr. Clay Enos/Netflix ©2023.

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Yes, that sounds a bit like the MCU, doesn’t it? However, that’s apparently not the structure Gunn may be going for as he may have a different Disney property in mind. “The DCU will feature various projects set across different timelines, not just present day. So more in line with the approach of Star Wars than Marvel,” Richtman said.

This is to say, the upcoming DCU might be steeped in its history and lore in a non-linear way from the beginning that’s similar to how George Lucas unfurled his trilogies from the 1970s onward. In other words, Superman sets things up like A New Hope and Gunn’s answer to The Phantom Menace will come out later down the line.

Darth Maul (Ray Park) ignites his lightsaber in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999), Lucasfilm
Darth Maul (Ray Park) ignites his lightsaber in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), Lucasfilm

Superman stars David Corenswet in the title role, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. It’s currently set for a July 2025 release but will be preceded by the Creature Commandos animated series, and followed by Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow starring Milly Alcock.

Daniel Richtman also says Superman is “a complete shift to hardcore sci-fi and fantasy, the exact opposite of Man of Steel.”

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