It’s learned that James Gunn’s has decided to skip Superman’s origin story in his upcoming film, we well as for Batman when the Caped Crusader gets introduced to the DCU.
Instead of rehashing the familiar tale of Krypton’s destruction or Clark Kent’s early years, Gunn apparently plans to dive straight into Superman’s heroic exploits.
Worth a mention is that while everyone loves a good origin story, Gunn’s approach offers more time for actual Superman content, unlike Richard Donner’s 1978 classic, which spent nearly an hour on Krypton and Clark’s upbringing, or Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, which devoted a lengthy sequence to Krypton’s fall.
The strategy also mirrors Marvel’s handling of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, who was introduced in Captain America: Civil War without an origin story, and that worked out well. Marvel skipped the well-worn “Uncle Ben” tragedy, and audiences embraced the character seamlessly. And we all know Peter got bit by a radioactive spider, just like we know Superman comes from Krypton and that Bruce becomes Batman following the death of his parents.
What did James Gunn say about Superman and Batman’s origins in the DCU?
Responding to fan questions on Threads, Gunn clarified why he’s avoiding retelling Batman and Superman’s origin story in the DCU. When asked why he’s overlooking origin stories for iconic characters like Superman and Batman, Gunn replied:
“I’m not telling Batman and Superman’s origin stories again because everyone knows them.”
Will not using origin stories alienate fans?
Gunn further addressed concerns that not using origin stories might alienate general audiences and that the DCU is for hardcore fans, with the fan pointing out lesser known characters like Swamp Thing and Sgt. Rock:
“And don’t put Swamp Thing in the corner. That’s a project in development we’ve actually announced, and he’s an incredibly well-known character with not only some of the greatest comics of all time but a successful film series and his own TV show, something that could be said of only a very small handful of DC characters.”
Another fan said more of the same, that it sounds like the DCU is only for hardcore fans, which saw Gunn reply:
“Again, it’s just two DC characters: Batman and Superman. And it is definitely for everyone.”
On Wonder Woman’s origin
Gunn’s decision to skip Superman’s origin story saw another fan ask about how much of the general audience truly knows about the origins of other characters, such as Wonder Woman. Gunn acknowledged that her backstory isn’t as universally known and confirmed the Paradise Lost TV series is in very active development:
“Not as many people do – also because she’s had various origin stories.”
James Gunn’s DCU has existed for decades
Gunn’s DCU also seems to have existed the years, even decades. One fan raised concerns about throwing audiences into a DCU where characters like Hal Jordan and Hawkgirl have already existed. They also questioned the decision to introduce Batman as a seasoned hero with Damian Wayne as his Robin, bypassing stories with earlier Robins like Dick Grayson. Gunn responded rather bluntly:
“I see you’ve asked this question a thousand times. Just FYI I mute folks when they spam or ask the same question over & over. That said, that seems to be YOUR hesitance not general audiences’. Some comic book fans are constantly questioning the ability of general audiences’ understandings of basic concepts. Also, The DCU is NOT the DC Comics Universe. It’s a separate universe. Not all timelines will be the same. (An impossibility since the comics universe took place over 85 years).”
James Gunn’s Superman gets released July 11, 2025 starring David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult.
