James Gunn’s “Superman” film didn’t just fly high at the box office – it’s proven to be a pivotal success for the entire DC Universe (DCU). In a recent chat on the “I Think You’re Overthinking It” podcast, Gunn dished on the film’s impressive performance, the intense creative journey, and what this means for the future of DC’s interconnected stories.
A Swift Digital Take-Off and Box Office Triumph
“Superman” made its digital debut for download on August 15th, a noticeably rapid turnaround from its theatrical release. Gunn revealed this expedited home video availability was primarily to ensure audiences could see “Superman” before the highly anticipated return of “Peacemaker” on August 21st, acknowledging that not everyone can make it to the cinema. While this “handoff” model deviates from past practices of months-long waits for home video, Gunn clarified that future films will see a “longer” gap between theatrical and home releases, with this quick release being “purely because of Peacemaker”.
The decision appears to have paid off handsomely. “Superman” has been hailed as a “massive success” that did “really well” at the box office. It was a “hugely profitable movie” for Warner Bros., contributing to a streak of “one hit movie after the next” for the studio.
The Pressures and Personal Touch of Creation
Bringing “Superman” to the screen was no small feat, with Gunn describing it as “very, very difficult from a pressure place”. He felt “a lot of pressure” and acknowledged the “high stakes” involved in “creating a new type of thing that was different than what came before it”.
Gunn shared insights into his meticulous writing process:
– He starts with a “pre-writing stage” of open-ended ideas.
– The “treatment” is the “hard work,” often running to about 56 pages with photographs and dialogue. In fact, Gunn revealed he “just finished the treatment for the next movie in the Superman saga” prior to the interview.
– Transforming the treatment into a screenplay is “the fun part”.
– He also noted he could have “kept going on Superman” in terms of refinement but stopped to allow sufficient time for visual effects to be completed at the “highest quality possible”.
Intriguingly, Gunn connected his ability to write “Superman” to his past work, stating he “wouldn’t have been able to write Superman” without first navigating Rocket Raccoon’s “journey of self-acceptance” in “Guardians 3”, which he considers autobiographical.
Streamlined Storytelling Amidst a Universe of Characters
Addressing the common concern about introducing numerous characters, Gunn firmly asserted that “Superman”‘s storyline is “very linear and it’s streamlined,” making it “elegant and simple”. He pushed back against the idea of “too many characters,” arguing that other classic films also feature many characters, but because they lack costumes or superpowers, they don’t seem as numerous.
Gunn emphasised that “none of those characters exist for no reason” in “Superman”. For instance, Peacemaker’s cameo serves to offer “a certain perspective of the world on Superman”. Similarly, Supergirl’s presence isn’t just for a spin-off, but to highlight Clark’s profound empathy through his responsibility for her dog – a “really important part of the movie”. This aligns with Gunn’s philosophy that “every character, every beat has to be there especially in a movie”.
A “Proof of Concept” for the DCU’s Future
The success of “Superman” has been a “huge relief” for Gunn in his role as the head of DC Studios. He stressed the stakes, explaining that if the film hadn’t worked, it would have negatively impacted upcoming projects like “Supergirl”, “Peacemaker” Season 2, “Lanterns”, and “Clayface”, all of which are connected to “Superman”. The film’s triumph provides “proof of concept” for Gunn and Peter Safran’s strategic vision, allowing them to confidently proceed with building the rest of the DCU. Gunn gleefully noted that he “learned what works” and “what doesn’t,” making future writing “so much more fun”.
Looking ahead, Gunn indicated that the “next movie we’re going to be making is probably the followup to Superman”. However, he also expressed hopes of making “Batman 2” before that. He firmly believes that the intellectual property (IP) of a character like Superman is “more important than the actor, if as long as the actor’s good,” observing that traditional movie stars no longer guarantee box office success as they once did.
Ultimately, Gunn sees the story of “Superman” as telling the story of a “kind man”. He’s been heartened by the film’s positive impact on children globally, reflecting, “we did something good for culture here”.
With “Superman” soaring to success and laying a strong foundation, the future certainly looks bright for the DCU under James Gunn’s guidance.
Buy or rent “Superman” on Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Plex and Amazon Prime, or pre-order your physical copy on 4K Ultra HD Steelbook + Digital, 4K, Blu-ray and DVD ahead of its release on September 23rd.
NOTE: When you make a purchase using the links in this post, the Superman Homepage receives a percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. It’s a great way to help support our website.
