The excitement around James Gunn’s DCU is gone. What began as a promised fresh start for DC on film has turned into another messy chapter that fans are walking away from.
After Superman underperformed and Peacemaker Season 2 barely registered, it’s clear the DCU isn’t connecting with the audience Gunn was supposed to win back.
The “Superman Family” reboot was meant to symbolize hope, but the fanbase that once rooted for Gunn seems to have checked out entirely.
The Fan Disconnect
It’s not just about box office numbers — it’s about trust. Fans have seen too many resets, too many empty promises, and too many mixed messages about what counts as canon.
The Batman and Joker still exist in their own universes. The old Snyder-era characters are gone, except for the ones Gunn chose to keep, mainly from The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker. His wife and brother are front and center in every project, and the goofy humor-first tone doesn’t fit Superman, Batman, or Wonder Woman.
Even casual viewers are confused. Is this a reboot or a remix? Nobody seems sure, and worse, few care anymore.
The Numbers Tell the Story
The data paints a grim picture. Superman topped out at $615 million worldwide, which barely covered costs, a weak result for the first film in a supposed cinematic relaunch.
It also performed especially poorly internationally, where studios often rely on strong foreign numbers to help offset budgets and reach profitability. Reports have said Superman flopped financially, failing to turn a profit even after months in theaters.
On streaming, Nielsen reports show Superman trailing Black Adam in total viewing minutes, and Peacemaker Season 2 failed to break into the Top 10. Samba TV confirmed the drop, revealing nearly 40 percent fewer households tuned in for the finale compared to Season 1. Gunn has also revealed there will be no Peacemaker Season 3.
For a franchise that needed to grow its audience, that’s a complete collapse.
Gunn’s Leadership Under Fire
Industry chatter has already shifted to what happens next. With reports that Paramount may acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, insiders suggest Gunn’s DCU could be one of the first things cut loose under new leadership.
Even before that, there’s tension within Warner Bros. Discovery itself. Many creatives reportedly don’t want Gunn overseeing their projects — particularly after his interference in scripts and his insistence on inserting political messaging.
As one insider put it to CBN earlier this year, “His contract hasn’t been renewed… but his action speak as to what might happen.”
What’s Actually Coming Next
Right now, Gunn’s slate is almost empty. The only confirmed film he has on deck is Man of Tomorrow, which he plans to shoot next year, the same year his contract expires.
After Lanterns, Supergirl, Clayface, and Man of Tomorrow, there are no new movies or TV shows confirmed to be in development for the DCU (the former three already having completed filming). If nothing else moves forward, that lineup could mark the end of Gunn’s DCU experiment.
Adding to that uncertainty, Mike De Luca’s Warner Bros. team recently scheduled the Minecraft 2 sequel just two weeks after Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow release date, signaling a possible shift in studio priorities.
The Future of DC on Film
If Gunn is on his way out, what comes next? One scenario sees Mike De Luca — the film executive who discovered Blade writer David Goyer and built The Conjuring franchise — taking the reins. He’s seen as director-friendly and focused on storytelling, not self-promotion.
Fans have also been calling for Zack Snyder to return for The Dark Knight Returns, the Frank Miller classic about an aging Batman and Superman. It’s the one DC story Snyder has said he’d come back for — and one that could reconnect the audience that’s abandoned Gunn’s “Superman Family” experiment. Snyder recently became active on Instagram teasing, “Henry Cavill is Superman,” which has set the internet on fire.
Can DC Recover?
Right now, the brand feels adrift. Gunn’s upcoming Supergirl and Clayface projects don’t inspire much confidence, and there’s no sign the general audience is waiting for them.
Gunn promised a “bright, hopeful new DC Universe.” Instead, fans got another divisive reboot with weaker results than before.
The question now isn’t whether Gunn can turn things around — it’s whether Warner Bros. even lets him try.
