7 jaw-dropping DC moments James Gunn better deliver

James Gunn is running out of room for excuses. The new DC Universe starts fresh with Superman in July 2025. That means no leftover mess from past films and no confusing timelines. Fans are not just hoping for something decent. They expect big scenes that feel like pages ripped straight from the comics.

This is not about fancy visuals or clever one-liners. It is about giving characters the kind of moments people remember years later - Superman tearing open his shirt and Lex Luthor delivering a cold speech with no fear in his eyes. A Green Lantern reciting the oath like the world depends on it.

These moments do not need extra flash. They just need to feel right. Gunn has full creative control. He has time. He has a cast built for success. So, if these scenes are missing, there will be no soft landing. Fans will speak up. They already know what greatness looks like.

They have seen it in animation and comics. This new DCU needs to prove it belongs in that league. If it does not land these seven scenes, then what is even the point? We are not just watching. We are keeping score.

7 jaw-dropping DC moments James Gunn better deliver

1. Superman rips open his shirt for the first time

James Gunn's Superman (Image via Warner Bros)

Clark Kent should hear chaos while working at the Daily Planet. He should push back from his desk. He should move fast but keep calm. As he reaches a quiet hallway or stairwell, he pulls open his shirt, and the Superman symbol appears. It must be one smooth action. No dramatic pause. No hesitation.

This quick change is iconic because it’s about instinct. It tells the audience Clark is not second-guessing his purpose. The city needs him, and he moves. The old films nailed this. Henry Cavill only got to do it once at the end of Justice League, and even then, it felt more like a throwback than a real moment.

This should be a real beat of transformation. One second, Clark is blending in. Next, he steps forward as Superman. Gunn needs to treat this shift like it matters. Not as a tribute but as a proper introduction.

2. Lex Luthor grabs the mic and goes full supervillain

Lex Luthor must have a scene where he steps in front of cameras, and the mood shifts. It could be a press event or a boardroom filled with nervous investors. He needs to speak slowly and clearly. He needs to be calm. He must explain his point with surgical clarity.

Nicholas Hoult should not shout. He should not pace. He should lay out facts and let everyone listening connect the dots. He should question Superman’s place on Earth. He should say things that sound reasonable but feel cold. People should applaud him and not realize what they just agreed with.

This scene must carry real danger. It should feel like Lex just declared war without firing a shot. His power is not in gadgets. It is in how he uses words to shift the room. Gunn needs to make sure this Luthor scares people not through force but through belief.

3. Batman and Robin jump into battle – together

Bruce Wayne and Damian need a proper two-on-many fight scene. It should start during an argument. Damian rushes into danger before Bruce is ready. Bruce follows and tries to control the damage. The location could be a rooftop or a crowded alley.

We need to see their fighting styles clash. Damian moves like an assassin. He aims to injure. Bruce blocks more than he hits. They should argue in motion. Bruce should pull Damian back. Damian should push forward again. They should move together even when they are not in sync.

The moment becomes iconic when they stop fighting each other and face a second wave of enemies. This is where they find rhythm. No words. Just timing. This is how you sell the idea that they work even when they argue. Gunn needs to make this the visual that defines their relationship before the dialogue ever does.

4. The Green Lantern oath at full volume

This moment must show what the Lantern Corps actually means. The oath needs to be said in full with confidence and volume. Whether it is Guy Gardner, Hal Jordan, or John Stewart does not matter. The setting must allow the scene to breathe.

It should happen during a critical moment. Maybe the ring is low on power. Maybe the Lantern is facing doubt. He raises the ring and starts with “In brightest day.” Each line must push back against fear. The words should be clear. The light should intensify with every word spoken.

There should be no music drowning the lines. No distraction. This is not just about charging a ring. This is about making a promise to stand against evil. The scene only works if it treats the oath as more than nostalgia. James Gunn needs to show that the Lantern Oath is sacred and still matters.

5. Supergirl turns into a fiery cosmic angel

This scene must start with Kara at a breaking point. She has Ruthye to protect. A space dragon is destroying their path forward. Her powers are not enough under the red sun. She opens her palm. Inside is a red kryptonite pill.

She knows what it will do. The comic makes it clear. It gives her fiery wings and a rage boost, but it takes a toll. She swallows it without a word. Her body changes. Her back burns open. Wings made of fire erupt. The dragon charges. She launches into it with no hesitation.

This is not about power. This is about desperation. James Gunn should not explain it in dialogue. It must happen fast. One move that turns Kara from protector to weapon. The scene has to show she is willing to become something terrifying to protect someone smaller. That is what made the comic so powerful.

6. Krypto takes a hit that should’ve killed Superman

The scene begins with Clark or Kara cornered. Someone attacks with a lethal weapon. A moment passes where no one reacts in time. Krypto does. He leaps between them, and the strike lands. He drops. He does not cry out.

The room must be still. There should be no music. Clark or Kara should run to him and realize it was a hit meant for them. This is not a scene to play for laughs. It must look brutal. It must feel sudden.

In the comics, Krypto takes a poisoned arrow. In this film, it can be any threat as long as the damage is real. James Gunn already confirmed Krypto would appear and that he’s modeled after his own dog. That makes this a chance to tell a story that means something. A dog does not hesitate. A dog protects. This moment shows Krypto is family, not just a sidekick.

7. The Bat-Signal summons the whole Bat family

The Bat-Signal lights up the sky. Batman sees it. So does Robin. But they are not the only ones. One by one, we see others. Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood, and Tim Drake. Each figure arrives without fanfare.

They land on the rooftop. They nod to each other. They do not need introductions. The camera should show them in a lineup. Different suits. Different gear. Same mission. The scene should not explain who they are. It should trust the audience to recognize that Gotham has a history.

This works only if the signal feels like a call to family, not just to Bruce. If The Brave and the Bold gives us Damian, then the rest of the family must exist. James Gunn does not need to show them for long. He only needs to show that they are real. The Bat-Signal is not just a beacon. It is a call to arms.