James Gunn confirmed that he halted a DC Universe (DCU) movie that had already been approved and assigned a director. The decision came after multiple drafts of the script failed to improve, leading Gunn to conclude that the screenplay was simply “not good” enough to move forward. This revelation was shared during a recent interview, shedding light on the challenges behind the scenes of DC Studios’ new phase.
Script Quality Concerns Prompted the Unprecedented Move
Gunn explained that although the movie had secured greenlighting and involved a strong creative team, the screenplay remained stagnant through its second and third drafts. He stated,
“We had a movie that was greenlit. We got [the] second draft and [the] third draft, and it just wasn’t changing. It wasn’t getting better.”
Due to the lack of progress, he made the difficult choice to cancel the project rather than risk a subpar film harming everyone involved.
He further emphasized the consequences of proceeding with a flawed script:
“Just because we have a good director attached and a good screenwriter, it doesn’t mean the script is working. Everyone is going to be upset at the end of this. It’s going to come out, the movie’s not going to be good. Director’s going to look bad, screenwriter’s going to look bad and we’re going to look bad. So I don’t want to have this. We’re not going to make the movie. And so we killed it.”
Current and Upcoming Projects Highlight DCU’s Focus on Strong Scripts
The DCU recently premiered a new Superman film, introducing a fresh take on the Man of Steel starring David Corenswet alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. This movie marks the beginning of the DCU’s theatrical slate under its revamped leadership. Following Superman, the studio is moving forward with a Supergirl film, praised by Gunn for its “incredible script,” and a Clayface movie is slated to start production later this year.
The Significance of Prioritizing Quality in DC’s Reboot
By publicly scrapping a ready-to-go project due to the script’s shortcomings, James Gunn and DC Studios co-CEO have demonstrated their commitment to maintaining high standards in storytelling. This move signals that future DCU films will undergo thorough scrutiny and creative refinement before release, ensuring audiences receive quality content. Gunn’s candidness about the failed script underlines the tension and frustrations involved in rebuilding DC’s cinematic universe, promising a more careful and deliberate approach moving forward.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What is James Gunn’s religion?
A. The new CGI version of Krypto the Superdog in Gunn’s 2025 Superman movie was inspired by Ozu. Gunn grew up in a Catholic family. He often talks about how prayer remains significant for him, even though he describes himself as “in some ways, anti-religion.”
