James Gunn discusses Superman post-credits scene approach as he prepares to debut the Man of Steel in the first film of the DC franchise’s new era, set for release on July 11. Gunn, writer and director of Superman and co-head of DC Studios, confirmed that a post-credits sequence will be included but suggests audiences may encounter something different than the usual setup for sequels or spin-offs.
Shaping the Next Phase of DC Films with Superman
During an exclusive interview for Entertainment Weekly’s Superman cover story, James Gunn explained his reasoning for including a post-credits scene, hinting that his approach has evolved based on past experiences. Gunn acknowledged his own philosophy, connecting it to lessons learned working on the Guardians of the Galaxy series and his earlier time at Marvel Studios.
“I have a philosophy about post-credit scenes,”
—James Gunn, Writer/Director and Co-head of DC Studios
“It’s somewhat related to my own mistakes in my time with Marvel.”
—James Gunn, Writer/Director and Co-head of DC Studios
Reflecting on his past, Gunn remembered the post-credits setup in Avengers: Endgame, where Chris Hemsworth’s Thor was positioned to join the Guardians on their next adventure. Gunn admitted that he objected to this direction in script notes, stating that he did not want Thor included, as he did not feel comfortable writing the character.
“I said in the script notes: ‘I’m not gonna put him in. I don’t want to have Thor in the Guardians. I don’t want to do a movie with Thor,'”
—James Gunn, Writer/Director and Co-head of DC Studios
“I don’t understand the character that much. I love watching his movies and I love Chris Hemsworth as a guy. I don’t understand how to write that character.”
—James Gunn, Writer/Director and Co-head of DC Studios
The director also referenced his handling of Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock. This character was introduced in a post-credits tag of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which later led to a prominent role in Vol. 3. Gunn admitted to misgivings about setting up plotlines or characters in this way if future plans were not fully mapped out.
“I did not like what I did in Guardians 2 where we set up Adam Warlock and we set up the Guardians of the Galaxy and we set up all this s— that I didn’t necessarily plan on,”
—James Gunn, Writer/Director and Co-head of DC Studios
“Well, I guess I kind of planned on fulfilling that [Adam Warlock] promise, but you want to be careful about that. The way a post-credits scene works is a punch to the face, like, ‘Oh my God! Look at this.’ At times when you’re using it just solely to set something up, sometimes you’re screwing yourself over. It was not easy to work Adam Warlock into Guardians 3. I loved working with Will, and I liked dealing with the character, but at the end of the day, was he kind of fitting a weird square peg into a round hole? A little bit, yeah.”
—James Gunn, Writer/Director and Co-head of DC Studios
Gunn noted that he was more satisfied with the tag used in the first Guardians film, which featured Howard the Duck in a comedic light with no immediate implications for future stories. This memory underscores his intention not to include post-credits scenes solely for foreshadowing, unless they serve a clear and compelling narrative purpose.
Learning from Previous Film Experiences
Gunn contrasted this reflective approach with his work on The Suicide Squad (2021), his first project at DC prior to leading the next stage of the franchise. The Suicide Squad’s post-credits scene directly set up the Peacemaker series for HBO/Max, benefiting from clear plan and continuity between the projects. He described the process of integrating that tag as straightforward since he was aware of the television series in progress at the time.
“I started shooting the Peacemaker show and then I shot [the post-credits scene] and then put it in there, so it was easy,”
—James Gunn, Writer/Director and Co-head of DC Studios
“I knew it was coming, so that was fine, but I got to be a little bit careful about it. I do love giving something back to the audience, so I will try to put something in the end credits for audiences to see, because I think it’s great. I love my crew, and I want you to stick around and see who the gaffers were.”
—James Gunn, Writer/Director and Co-head of DC Studios
This comment highlights Gunn’s commitment to rewarding audiences who stay through the credits, whether by delivering surprises or acknowledging the contributions of his team members, such as the gaffers.
What Fans Can Anticipate From Superman’s End Credits
The upcoming Superman film, starring David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Kal-El, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, will showcase a diverse cast of DC characters. Unlike many recent superhero movies, the intent for this post-credits tag seems less about launching sequels and more about engaging the audience meaningfully while reflecting Gunn’s evolving philosophy.
As Superman lands in theaters on July 11, fans can expect a closing scene shaped by Gunn’s past lessons at both Marvel and DC Studios. Rather than following a predictable pattern, the post-credits sequence is poised to offer a distinctive touch that resonates with the story and the characters, while providing something special for dedicated viewers who stay until the very end.
