James Gunn Explains Why Superman Can’t Be All-Powerful in the DCU
James Gunn recently shared why he chose not to make Superman “all-powerful” in the new DC Universe movie. His comments got many fans thinking that a Green Arrow project might be in the works soon, and for a good reason.
Superman is now showing in theaters across the U.S. The film, written and directed by Gunn, stars David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. It marks a big step for the new DCU, which Gunn and producer Peter Safran are building together.
Their rebooted universe officially began in late 2024 with the animated series Creature Commandos. After Superman, the next DCU project fans can expect is the second season of Peacemaker. Other titles like Lanterns, Supergirl, and Clayface are planned for release in 2026.
In a recent interview with CBS Mornings, Gunn explained why he didn’t want Superman to feel like a character who could do anything without challenge. He said he wanted to avoid making Superman too overpowered, which would make other heroes seem pointless.
“There are some writers in the comics, like Grant Morrison, who took the idea of the all-powerful Superman and told great stories with it,” Gunn said in the interview. “But, for me, yes. As a child, the reason I liked Batman better than Superman was because Superman was just too strong at times. We’re building a whole universe of characters. I didn’t want to have one guy who was so much stronger than anybody else that a guy with a bow and arrow didn’t matter.”
Gunn’s comments led many fans to start hoping that Green Arrow might appear soon in the DCU. The mention of “a guy with a bow and arrow” seemed like a clear reference to Oliver Queen, also known as Green Arrow.
This is far from the first time that Gunn is defending the fact that Superman does have clear limitations in the movie.
This is a big shift from how Superman has been shown in the past. Henry Cavill’s version in the DCEU and Christopher Reeve’s classic take on the character both showed Superman doing almost impossible things. Reeve’s Superman even turned back time in the 1978 movie by flying so fast he reversed the Earth’s rotation. Gunn doesn’t seem interested in repeating that kind of thing.
Instead, he’s been clear that making Superman less godlike is a choice, and not just because it fits the story he wants to tell. It also helps make the rest of the new DC Universe more believable. Gunn said that if Superman was too powerful, the other heroes wouldn’t really matter.
“We’re creating a whole universe now, so what’s a girl with wings gonna do in the face of that? So he’s a little less powerful. Guy Gardner’s pretty f***** powerful. They’re all pretty powerful,”* he explained.
While Superman continues to perform well in theaters, fans are now looking ahead. Gunn’s comments have sparked excitement about how other heroes will fit into this new DC Universe. Whether Green Arrow will be among them remains to be seen, but it’s clear that Gunn wants every hero, even one with just a bow and arrow, to feel like they belong.
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