My DC scoops continue to be confirmed as this time James Gunn confirms that Mike De Luca had a big vision for the DC movie universe.
Recall how I revealed the real ending to The Flash involving De Luca’s plans for the DC movie universe if David Zaslav hadn’t interfered. I also revealed the real villain which was confirmed by Jay Oliva.
The info is from the same crew who filled me in about how Marvel was retooling Daredevil which the Hollywood trades exactly confirmed months later.
What did James Gunn say?
Regarding what Gunn has to say, a fan on Threads questioned, “Always been curious about this but specially which executive hired you to write ‘Superman’ around August 2022?”
Gunn replied, “Mike Deluca of course.”
Another fan questioned, “Was Superman gonna be a part of the DCEU or was it separate like The Batman?”
“Aways separate,” said Gunn.
The De Luca DC Universe
Regarding what I have been told, I was told Mike De Luca oversaw a version of The Flash movie considered a “masterpiece.” I was told, “It’s a beautiful movie with a beautiful ending.” I believe that is also why Gunn described The Flash as the best superhero movie, which of course, was the original version not the theatrical release which is horrible.
Mike DeLuca is in charge of WB Pictures and happens to be a huge comic book fan (got the Blade movies made).
From my understanding, the DeLuca DC Universe would have been something like a big Multiverse, as the end of The Flash was supposed to feature Ben Affleck trapped in time, a take on Final Crisis, which is something Zack Snyder teased and from what I have been told the real reason Grant Morrison appeared in Titans (with the Titans also having been cut from The Flash movie).
I was told Henry Cavill was going to return as Superman, with Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in additional movies.
Big DC plans involving Batman
The end of The Flash also would have led to Michael Keaton sticking around as Batman in a Batman Beyond movie (as confirmed by Kevin Smith via Batman producer Michael Uslan’s son at The Flash premiere) along with the Sasha Calle Supergirl.
“The real ending of The Flash would have been a real tear-jerker and a heartfelt ending,” my insiders filled me in.
I was also told Zack Snyder could have returned to DC if he wanted to, which I am guessing now likely would have been Snyder’s take on Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, as that’s all Snyder has been talking about as of late.
Following The Flash, I was told Ben Affleck was to get his own movie versus the Joe Manganiello Deathstroke, which was Affleck’s version of The Batman (and since Affleck got f’d over again, hence his reaction to Gunn’s DCU comments).
Admittedly, this is the first I’ve heard about James Gunn doing a separate and solo Superman project, and I figured he would be the “Kevin Feige” of the DC movie universe, but maybe De Luca was going to fill that role.
What could have been
Five years ago, I was told both Gunn and Matt Reeves were involved with a DC reboot along with J.J. Abrams. Recently saw Gunn confirm that Reeves’ Arkham series had been grandfathered into the new DCU, so that fits with what I have been told.
So what happened?
It’s my understanding David Zaslav demanded that Gunn recast the DC movie universe with cheaper talent. It’s also possible Zaslav might be using Gunn’s new DCU to help sell Warner Bros. Discovery to Comcast/Universal.
So putting everything together, it sounds as if there would have been one heck of a DC movie multiverse as the DCEU would have continued; Michael Keaton would still play Batman; there would be the Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson The Batman universe; the Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix Joker movies would be separate, and Gunn would have been able to do a separate Superman flick using his own vision. What could have been, eh?
