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James Gunn's Superman will hit the theaters in a matter of months, hoping to revitalize the slate of DC-backed movies with a new spirit. It is trying to move the franchise in a different direction than the ones led by Zack Snyder. The creative overhaul is expected to help the studio get recognized and appreciated by people of all ages. However, a recent report from The Wrap suggests a potential creative overhaul in a completely different direction was expected, with Transformer helmer Michael Bay being eyed to direct Superman.
This report ties in with a 2022 report from Variety, which revealed David Zaslav's plans after the Discovery-WarnerMedia merger. Zaslav reportedly wanted to leverage the DC's IP to churn out projects much like Marvel has done successfully for over a decade. Sources told Variety that the studio was trying to hire someone who could build a similarly successful cohesive string of projects, focusing more on business acumen over creative input. Now, the new report suggests that Michael Bay, rumored to be working on a Skibidi-themed movie, was expected to direct a Henry Cavill-led standalone Superman movie.
Eventually, James Gunn and Peter Safran were brought in to head the DC in the wake of a disjointed DC-backed universe. In reference to them, Zaslav highlighted his business strategy in a recent conversation.
“When you look at the major characters that James Gunn and Peter Safran are developing with their 10-year plan around DC, that is to build asset value for us globally everywhere in the world, Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, Supergirl. We look at those as big asset builders and big differentiators.”
Will Superman help Warner Bros achieve success like the Marvel studios? Here's what the analysts say
James Gunn, the current co-chief of DC, is also the director of the David Corenswet-led Superman. It puts a bigger responsibility on his shoulders to achieve an anticipated level of success for Warner Bros. For that, it has to appeal to the newer generation of audiences.
Gunn's project stars relatively new faces, and even if most of them have shown their acting chops in other projects, they might not have reached the mainstream audiences. It is reportedly made on a $225 million budget. So, to be successful, they need to cross at least a $500 million mark. Some other sources claim that it should be past $700 million. How can it achieve that kind of success? Here's what an agent told The Wrap:
“While release dates are important, I don’t think the challenge is ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ or any other film. The challenge is almost entirely a question of if Superman resonates with today’s audience. Did they successfully update an Eisenhower-era character so the 2025 Gen Z audience can identify with him?”
Tying to that, in 2023, James Gunn told Variety,
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“The next Superman has to be someone who has all the humanity that Superman has but he’s also an alien. It’s gotta be somebody who has the kindness and the compassion that Superman has and be somebody who you want to give a hug.”
Will that be enough for DC to crack the records? We'll learn that once Superman gets released in theaters on July 11, 2025.
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