Danny Ramirez, the MCU’s new Falcon, has already proven he knows how to handle turbulence. And thank God someone around Marvel knows how to fly through a PR storm.

Avengers: Doomsday has been under fire after revelations that filming began weeks ago, yet some of its cast—including Kelsey Grammer—haven’t seen a complete script. Grammer, returning as Beast, dropped this tidbit during a podcast appearance. This wouldn’t be too concerning if the film weren’t already two weeks into production.

Marvel making things up as they go is hardly breaking news. Jeff Bridges, who played Obadiah Stane in Iron Man (2008), described the production as “chaotic” with an unfinished script and daily on-set scene revisions.

Meanwhile, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness reportedly underwent major rewrites during production to accommodate scheduling conflicts and evolving plotlines. Thor: Love and Thunder saw scenes and subplots cut or reworked mid-shoot, with Christian Bale later revealing that much of his character’s backstory as Gorr the God Butcher didn’t make it into the final film. Even Black Widow, which was delayed multiple times, had to rework certain elements to maintain relevance within the MCU’s timeline.

While the situation has left many scratching their heads, Danny Ramirez seems to be taking the chaos in stride. After his breakout role in Top Gun: Maverick, Ramirez has quickly established himself as one of Hollywood’s rising stars. When a fan directly accused the film of shooting without a script, Ramirez responded with a cryptic quip about “a cultural phenomenon called Fin De Semana” (Spanish for “weekend”). It was cheeky, it was vague, and it was 100% Marvel-level trolling.

In a roundabout way, Ramirez is suggesting that maybe people should take a breath and step away from the rabbit hole of baseless rumors. 

While the actor is busy shutting down rumors, speculation about Avengers: Doomsday’s cast continues to swirl. Paul Rudd is confirmed to return as Scott Lang/Ant-Man. Evangeline Lilly might reprise her role as Hope Van Dyne, though she’s reportedly stepped back from acting in recent years. Whether she’ll make a full-fledged return or simply pop in for a cameo alongside Rudd is anyone’s guess. Another name making headlines is Kat Dennings, who plays Darcy Lewis. Recent photos of Dennings holding Captain America’s shield have sent fans into a frenzy. 

But for every confirmed or rumored name, there are just as many glaring omissions. The absence of key players like Brie Larson (Captain Marvel) and Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange) has fans wondering whether Doomsday will focus on introducing new heroes rather than relying on old favorites. With 18 months to go before the film’s release, there’s still plenty of time for Marvel to announce surprises—but for now, the uncertainty is only adding fuel to the rumor fire.

Fans have reacted to the release of a new teaser for the second season of Peacemaker, with series creator James Gunn also weighing in on the fanfare.

In case you missed it, a short clip promoting the sophomore installment of the DC series was released on Sunday, as part of a broader supercut teaser revealing other shows coming to Max throughout this year. It marks our most expansive insight into the new season of Peacemaker yet, with clips of John Cena’s return as the titular anti-hero and all the action-packed hijinks you’d expect from a Gunn and DC outing.

Counting the days until Peace on Earth. I just finished the DI & Mix on the Season Premiere yesterday and wow it’s one of my favorite things ever. DC Studios’ #Peacemaker Season 2 coming soon only on @StreamOnMax August 21. pic.twitter.com/df3yOcCsdn

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) April 7, 2025

While the teaser only lasts ten seconds (which is more than enough time for Cena to remind us of his scene-stealing status), Gunn did provide us with more details in the form of the long-awaited release date for Peacemaker season two. We now know that the show will return for its next victory lap on August 21 on Max, and will encom eight episodes. Ratcheting up the hype ahead of its release, Gunn took to social media to reflect on the teaser for Peacemaker’s second season. 

“Counting the days until Peace on Earth,” the DC Studios co-president wrote alongside the clip. Gunn went on to explain that he had “just finished the [Digital Intermediate] & Mix on the Season Premiere” of Peacemaker, and described it as “one of my favorite things ever.” Fans seemed equally enthused with the update, and flocked to X to share their thoughts on the Peacemaker teaser. “I have to rewatch season one again to get ready,” one fan wrote, with another adding that they were “SO hyped for this.” 

So excited to for everyone to dance with us again…the @Deacemaker family has such a special place in my heart and really loved making this season .#Peacemaker is coming to @StreamOnMax this year! @DCOfficial pic.twitter.com/BZyIaiTBCR

— John Cena (@JohnCena) April 7, 2025

Cena himself even ed in on the celebratory vibe. “So excited [for] everyone to dance with us again,” the actor wrote. “The [Peacemaker] family has such a special place in my heart and really loved making this season.” The release date reveal adds to a flurry of updates we’ve gotten around Peacemaker’s second season in recent months. In November, we were treated to an even briefer teaser of the show that included a cameo from Frank Grillo in the role of Rick Flag Sr. After that, Gunn revealed that the show had reached a production milestone as it wrapped filming towards the end of last year. 

Now, we’re just weeks out from Peacemaker finally becoming a reality, but it’s not the only buzzy show to land on Max this year. The Peacemaker teaser was one of multiple to appear in the streamer’s promotional video, with clips also shown from season two of The Last of Us, the new installment of Hacks, and the Steve Carrell-starring Mountainhead. Naturally, though, it was Cena’s appearance that captured the attention of fans, and honestly, we can’t blame them for being distracted. 

A trailer for HBO shows has been released, including new looks at:

• Task
• Peacemaker S2
• The Chair Company
• The Last of Us S2
• Welcome to Derry pic.twitter.com/43OXMNNdPq

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 7, 2025

Thankfully, they’ll be fed with far more than just Cena content, since Peacemaker s a long list of fellow DC projects in the works, including the much-anticipated Superman, as well as Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Lanterns and The Authority. In the meantime, fans will get to soak up all of Cena’s greatness when Peacemaker hits screens in August.

The DCU has been quiet lately, but a slew of announcements confirm that things are cooking up nicely in the James Gunn-steered ship. One particular property that remained shrouded in mystery was the Green Lantern franchise. Over time, confirmed casting rumors and an announced HBO TV series brought some clarity. But now, we finally have a clear glimpse of what the show will actually look like.

The last time fans watched a Green Lantern Corpsmen in live-action, it was the infamous stinker that is the 2011 movie starring Ryan Reynolds. Audiences didn’t receive the film at all well, and Reynolds spent a decade making self-deprecating jokes about the miscalculation. That made it difficult for anyone to figure out how to revive the franchise and DC’s behemoth issues kept Zack Snyder and other creatives too occupied to crack the code. At long last, that’s all in the past now. Gunn is in charge, and while some fans have loudly voiced their distrust, he clearly has an overarching plan.

And, on paper, it looks like he’s outdone himself. According to Vanity Fair, DC has teamed up with some of the best writers behind Lost, Ozark, True Detective, and other shows that became cultural touchstones of the 21st century. It goes without saying that they opted to ground the show on Earth, specifically Nebraska. The already announced Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre will play the most famous Lanterns, Hal Jordan and John Stewart, respectively.

Fans had long clamored to see Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, and it seems the producers at DC not only listened but agreed. Chris Mundy, best known for creating Ozark and serving as an executive producer on True Detective, had nothing but praise. “Kyle has been so ridiculously good in so many things. He’s also very funny, in a dry-wit way, which is important for the character. He’s going to make us all look really good, basically.” Mundy also described the show as a pulpy detective story that even those unfamiliar with Green Lantern Corps lore can enjoy. The first look had tongues wagging, as expected.

The first look at DC Studios’ ‘LANTERNS’ has been released.

Now in production. pic.twitter.com/30CvhqSQSB

— One Take (@OneTakeNews) February 27, 2025

The image was so subtle that some fans didn’t even notice the green ring on Chandler’s finger. One fan was already ionately declaring that this was not their Green Lantern.

That doesn’t look like Lanterns.

Wheres the Lantern Corps? Wheres Space? Wheres the Lantern Rings?

— SYMBIOTE LEGEND (@SYMBIOTE_LEGEND) February 27, 2025

Another fan voiced the common complaint that the characters look nothing like they do in the comics.

Love the way they don’t look like Hal or John at all

— Adrien (@A_ALeeder) February 27, 2025

Some fans just joked around that Ryan Reynolds has to be jealous of this.

Is @VancityReynolds jealous?

— Colin Craig (@colincraigcrtv) February 27, 2025

But it wasn’t all doom and gloom; some fans genuinely seemed excited by the first-look image.

I'm glad this is a series, and the casting is perfect!

— 🅽🆃🅷🅽🆈 (@MasterOfAnthony) February 27, 2025

Of course, as we can see there are fans who love the mythology. Those who can faithfully recite the Green Lantern oath word for word have understandably been worried that the story is being ruined by how understated the marketing has been so far. Some fear the brand is being cheapened by relegating it to TV. That’s where Lost showrunner Damon Lindelof comes in. Not only has he shared that he’s a fan of Alan Moore’s deep-cut Green Lantern Corps short stories, but he’s also one of the few showrunners to win an Emmy for a comic book TV series. His adaptation of Watchmen — a notoriously tricky source material — earned four Primetime Emmys.

Adding to all that, renowned comic book author Tom King is the brains behind the show. Production has just started, and experts in each area are handling every element. For those worried the show will feel too isolated from the greater DCU, Mundy reassures them that, while the show will focus on its own story, “other characters and aspects of the lore are going to show up or be name-checked.” Besides, at least one Lantern has already appeared in the Superman trailer.

Green Lantern has always been one of my favorite DC properties, and with a lineup like this for HBO’s Lantern, I can barely hide my excitement.

Cue lights, fade in on Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. Robert Downey Jr. slips off the Doctor Doom mask, and the walls reverberate with a thousand and one happy screams from the Marvel fandom. This was, is, and will remain the golden goose of realized MCU rumors, but it also underlined just how much glucose this franchise is running on.

Fast forward to now, where we’re in the wake of the franchise’s latest faceplant in Captain America: Brave New World — a meek mess of a film that any major studio should feel embarrassed to have put out. It was, however, a meek mess full of cameos, legacy characters, Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk, gratuitous punching, explosions, and a xerox of a xerox of an emotional identity. Acceptable in Kevin Feige’s eyes, but not in James Gunn‘s.

Per Deadline, Gunn was asked at a recent press event what he would do if DC Studios ended up turning into a machine that turns out products for the sake of brand consumption rather than a truly creative superhero storytelling hub. His answer was as inspiring as they come.

I’d quit. I’m being serious! I’m not going to do this unless I think we’re doing good stuff that’s cool, that works.

Gunn’s DC Studios co-chair Peter Safran chimed in similarly, noting that they’re “not looking to make five movies a year and five series. We’re really focused on telling great versions of the stories we want to tell, and we have zero pressure on us from [WBD CEO] David [Zaslav] or anyone else to deliver more than that.”

Elsewhere, ScreenRant reports that Gunn emphasized DC Studios as “a writer-driven organization and screenplay-driven company,” a claim that he and Safran have since made good on by greenlighting Mike Flanagan’s Clayface script for production, despite it not emerging until well after the first wave of projects was announced in January 2023. That film will begin shooting this summer, while others from that announcement have yet to lock down their scripts. Under Gunn’s hand, the stories are the golden geese.

Compare that to how the MCU has been walking the walk as of late. It famously undergoes extensive reshoots on many projects to keep the overarching events flexible at the cost of storytelling coherence and quality (as seen in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Secret Invasion, The Marvels, and now Brave New World), with some of these reshoots even occurring after poor test screenings because Marvel is too yellow to stand on business.

That’s because Marvel has no business to stand on — it exists solely to please the widest possible audience. Its is a product that relies on sugary fan service moves like a Downey Jr. Doctor Doom reveal to stay relevant, all while their actual filmmaking and storytelling approaches continue to be a laughingstock of the entertainment world.

Meanwhile, Gunn is committing to the exact opposite of that with his entire chest, having now gone as far as to say that he’ll quit if the DC Universe ever strays from its storytelling mandate. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a far better development than any A-list casting, post-credits scene, or Infinity Saga callback could ever hope to be.

James Gunn and Peter Safran gave us the first peek behind the DC Universe curtain back in January 2023, and since then, the only full emergence has been the first season of Creature Commandos, with Gunn’s Superman film set to properly introduce the franchise later this summer.

The initial reveal was packed to the brim with projects, and several more have popped up since then. But Gunn, famously taking a storytelling-first approach with this new DC Universe, has no intention on shuffling them all to the finish line before they’re ready. As such, the announcement-to-development-to-production timelines for all of these projects will vary greatly, as may the talent attached to them.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Gunn and his DC Studios co-chair Peter Safran touched on the status of every DC Studios project at this moment in time, sans the finished Superman. At the front of the pack is Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which is halfway through production, alongside the Green Lantern-centric television series Lanterns, which is currently filming. Both projects were part of the initial January 2023 announcement.

One of the fresher go-getters is the Mike Flanagan-penned Clayface movie, which was only greenlit in December 2024, but has since found a director in James Watkins and will begin filming this summer. Meanwhile, season two of Peacemaker will be hitting Max in August, and the Themyscira-set Paradise Lost remains in development.

Sgt. Rock has become an especially high-profile prospective film, but, per Variety, Gunn pointed out that it was never actually officially announced, despite the studio’s reported “bullishness” on Justin Kuritzkes’ script, per another Variety report back in November. The scribe’s frequent collaborator Luca Guadagnino nevertheless became attached as a director, as did Daniel Craig for the title role. Safran, however, pointed out that no official talks ever happened with Craig. Whether Sgt. Rock will be officially greenlit upon finding a leading man remains to be seen, and it frankly remains unclear if Guadagnino will or would be involved.

Also in the conversation is a live-action Teen Titans film, buoyed by a script from Supergirl writer Ana Nogueira that Gunn referred to as “amazing,” but “not ready.” Three animated series, My Adventures with Green Lantern, Dynamic Duo, and Starfire, have also been announced,

As for the initial reveals that have fallen down on the list of priorities, those include Waller, Booster Gold, The Authority, and Swamp Thing. Various reasons are attributed to the pivoting from these projects, including scripts that still need work and the simple lack of consistent conversation around them. For Swamp Thing in particular, Gunn notes that he and James Mangold, who was and currently still is occupying the writer-director slot of that project, only talk about it “occasionally.”

Moreover, DC Studios’ Batman/Damian Wayne-centric film The Brave and the Bold is still having its script developed by a writer that Gunn has declined to name. Andy Muschietti, who’s been earmarked as that film’s director and a producer, does not appear to be involved in the development of it.

Unsurprisingly, the mainline DC Universe seems to be taking priority over the Elseworlds efforts. According to Safran, The Batman mastermind Matt Reeves has yet to turn in a script for the sequel to his $772 million noir juggernaut, despite what Safran calls encouraging glimpses at the material. No light was shed on a potential second season for the film’s award-winning spinoff The Penguin, either.

In short, Gunn and Safran aren’t playing hard and fast with canon here, and seem to be prioritizing compartmentalized storytelling that just happens to take place in the same universe. By all appearances, this means project status will be up-and-down, but it also means that a project will only go into production if Gunn — a tried-and-true maestro of superhero storytelling — believes the script is worthy of being produced. We’ll have to wait and see if it pays off, but it’s certainly a refreshing approach in the wake of Marvel’s free-falling content machine.

James Gunn’s new DC lineup is ringing alarm bells. Not only does it seem the Marvel competitor hasn’t learned anything from the MCU‘s gradual post-Endgame decline in popular culture, but the new slate is also at risk of repeating mistakes that marred the Snyderverse.

As per The Hollywood Reporter, Gunn’s Warner. Bros Discovery vertical, DC Studios, plans to produce two theatrical live-action movies and one animated film per year, as well as two live-action and two animated series for the streaming service Max per year. Similar to concerns raised when Snyder’s Justice League was originally announced, DC is jumping into territory the MCU spent a decade building up to.

The Avengers was the culmination of multiple solo films, serving as the glue that eventually bound an ever-expanding universe together. It was a slow ascent, starting with Iron Man in 2008 and culminating in the cinematic event Avengers: Endgame over two decades later.

In comparison, Justice League (whether it be Synder’s authentic cut or Joss Whedon’s studio meddling disaster) kicked off after just Batman v Superman in 2016, and Wonder Woman in 2017. It was originally conceived as a team-up that would follow several origin films, including The Flash and Aquaman, but shifting slates and behind-the-scenes indecision created a huge mess with the timeline.

Gunn shared his opening move, Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, in 2023. It included projects now in the can like Superman (formally Superman: Legacy) and Creature Commandos, as well as ones such as Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. It was notable for its shared focus between big hitter characters from DC’s trinity — Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman — and niche C-listers, which are a group Gunn has historically gravitated towards (the Suicide Squad and the Guardians of the Galaxy).

He and Peter Safran are doubling down on this split philosophy, but with an increase in volume and frequency that has some of us nervous amid all this superhero fatigue. A Clayface body horror film, as non-lucrative as that sounds, has been promised, the Lanterns series is in production, and a Sgt. Rock movie directed by one of gay cinema’s top directors, Luca Guadagnino, is looking for its star.

If Sgt. Rock means nothing to you, it’s because it means nothing to most people. But DC Studios wants to fire on all cylinders, hoping to capitalize on what’s left of audiences’ hunger for superhero and supervillain stories.

“The DC brand was being defined by different creative teams at the company, each was pursuing their own distinct vision of the characters, the story… the result was not one DCU but many,” said Safran during a press event with the media on Feb. 21 . “This fracture proved very challenging to consumers and it chipped away at the identity of the brand.”

While it may have been perceived as “challenging” for audiences, it would be revisionist to not mention there have also been plenty of positive things said about the lack of homogeny that was present during Snyder’s years at the creative helm, so to speak. Audiences’ appetites may have furthered in this direction since, with projects that have distinct flair and voice connecting more than ever.

However, Safran believes DC Studios’ approach will allow for visionaries. “We don’t serve one kind of audience, so why make one kind of movie?” he said. “Working in a multitude of genres affords us the opportunity to allocate resources where they can make the biggest impact. We budget according to the demands of the story, and the revenue expectations of each title.”

Whether comic book movies still have the juice to facilitate new shared universes with high output, while the biggest one struggles to retain its existing fans, is yet to be seen. But when looking at box office data, it’s clear tentpoles are going nowhere soon. So, godspeed, DC.

James Gunn shared a photo to his socials Thursday, where he can be seen smiling happily as he drapes his arm around the shoulders of the man the internet has labeled his arch nemesis — Zack Snyder.

Knowing exactly what he was doing, Gunn took the chance to compliment his fellow filmmaker’s talent behind the camera. “Consummate filmmaker (and a doubly consummate storyteller!),” he wrote on X, effectively sending into overdrive every SnyderBro who has accused Gunn of freezing Snyder out of the new and improved DC Studios.

Were the conflict between the two men not a concoction by one of the most ionate and oftentimes delusional fan bases on the internet, this post could almost be labeled a “burying of the hatchet.” Either way, its existence is pretty significant.

In fairness, the bitter end of Snyder’s history with DC had little to do with James Gunn’s appointment as its new co-CEO in 2022. By then, the studios had already replaced Snyder with Joss Whedon at the helm of Justice League, while the former was dealing with the loss of his daughter. Snyder later revealed that he stepped down because he did not have the energy to fight for the version of the film that he wanted, later made famous by the relentless #ReleaseTheSnyderCut campaign.

When Warner Bros. finally made that version of the film available on its streaming platform in 2021, fans of the filmmaker had hopes Snyder could still be given the chance to finish what he had started — an overarching vision for the DCU known as the SnyderVerse. That didn’t happen, but Snyder’s Superman of choice, Henry Cavill, was still asked to return to the role, only to be unceremoniously dropped by Gunn a year later. That’s when the animosity towards the Guardians of the Galaxy creative began.

As it turns out, however, the rage was coming entirely from Snyder’s fans alone. The 58-year-old has been friendly with Gunn for quite a long time, and this reunion proves there’s no bad blood between the two after the DC chief decided to develop his own take on the Man of Steel’s story. “Always a pleasure catching up with my friend,” Gunn’s tweet continued.

Always a pleasure catching up with my friend @ZackSnyder, consummate filmmaker (and a doubly consummate storyteller!) pic.twitter.com/kkl1qZtNup

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) February 20, 2025

The post seems intentional, with the release of Gunn’s own Superman fast approaching — a ing of the torch, a way to regain the affection of the more hardheaded Snyder fans who considered Gunn a traitor, and an officialization of the transition showing that Snyder is A-OK with it.

The film, which will truly inaugurate Gunn’s DC brand after a few “warm-up” projects, is led by David Corenswet in the blue suit and red cape. The star-studded cast also includes Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, and Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern.

Though Superman has been every bit a ion project for Gunn, fans will now surely be hoping this publicized meeting with Snyder was more than just a friendly catch-up. What a full circle moment it would be if the Man of Steel director were to be invited back to DC. And how wonderful that would be for Gunn, who would instantly fall back into the good graces of the hardcore fans of that film who, up until now, were most likely not to be buying tickets for his movie.

A chorus of Hollywood icons have come forward to pay tribute to David Lynch, after the iconic filmmaker sadly ed away at the age of 78. Lynch’s death was confirmed by his family in a Facebook post on Thursday, which mourned “a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us.”

While the family did not reveal a cause of death, the Eraserhead director last year revealed that he had been suffering from emphysema and was unable to leave the house. Now, scores of his director peers and fellow Hollywood juggernauts have taken to social media to Lynch, whom Steven Speilberg described as “as a singular, visionary dreamer.”

The director, who cast Lynch in his 2022 film The Fabelmans, said in a statement to USA Today that Lynch “directed films that felt handmade,” adding that “the world is going to miss such an original and unique voice.” For his part, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn described Lynch — who co-created Twin Peaks and whose credits also include directing The Elephant Man and Mulholland Drive — as a filmmaker “who inspired so many of us.” 

Ron Howard, meanwhile, ed his fellow Best Director Academy Award nominee as a “gracious man and fearless artist who followed his heart [and] soul and proved that radical experimentation could yield unforgettable cinema.” Elsewhere, Jane Schoenbrun — whose 2024 film I Saw The TV Glow drew immediate comparisons to Lynch’s filmography upon its release — said Lynch “dedicated his life to opening a portal,” adding that the filmmaker’s “gift will reverberate for the rest of my life.” 

Erin Brockovich director Steven Soderbergh said in an interview with Associated Press that Lynch “was influential but impossible to imitate,” while Judd Apatow ed the the director as “kind and hilarious and full of life.” Meanwhile, Joe Russo, one-half of the Marvel directing duo that is the Russo Brothers, lamented how “the world lost a master of cinema today.” Tributes to Lynch extended beyond his director colleagues and were led by actor and longtime Lynch muse, Kyle MacLachlan.

The actor  — who appeared in Lynch’s adaptation of Dune as well as Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks — wrote of his gratitude for the director in an emotional Instagram post. “Forty-two years ago, for reasons beyond my comprehension, David Lynch plucked me out of obscurity,” MacLachlan wrote. “[He] was an enigmatic and intuitive man with a creative ocean bursting forth inside of him.” MacLachlan was ed in his tribute by fellow stars of Lynch films Nicolas Cage and Lee Grant, who ed him as “brave, brilliant, and a maverick” and “a one-of-a-kind artist,” respectively.  

In the music world, Sting — who starred in Dune — said Lynch was a “modern giant of the avant garde, while Billy Corgan — whose band Smashing Pumpkins contributed to the soundtrack of Lynch’s film Lost Highway — said “working with [Lynch] was like a dream out of one of his movies.”

Batman may be on the back burner for DC, but James Gunn’s extended world continues to spin. In addition to his Superman movie, Kal-El’s cousin will make her solo film debut in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

Gunn’s universe has already gone to task in reinventing the brand and he has recently added a familiar face to the mix. According to the Dune actor himself, Jason Momoa has been cast as the villain, Lobo. Momoa’s previous work in the DC universe is not cause for concern. After playing Arthur Curry in two Aquaman films, he will return to DC as one of his favorite characters. Momoa took to Instagram to officially drop the news. He posted a quote from an interview several years back about his hopes for his comic book future.

“I collect comics, and I don’t do so much anymore, but he was always my favorite, and I always wanted to play Lobo, because I’m like, ‘Hello? It’s the perfect role.'”

Momoa indicated that no one would have to twist his arm to audition for Lobo in the future. Patience is a virtue because, as Momoa succinctly said in his post, “They called.”

Momoa has now been confirmed to portray the role he has been gunning for in a surprising twist of fate.

Lobo is no Aquaman

James Gunn came into control of the DC brand at just the right moment. For the past decade, DC has been trailing behind its rival Marvel in of quality. But following the magnum opus, Endgame, there was a void to be filled. Marvel could never quite top the film and now it is DC’s time to shine. The success of Matt Reeves’ Batman started a butterfly effect that has created a new era for DC. Since Gunn took over as the creative head of the brand, he has been making waves.

Superman is one of the most anticipated films of 2025 and Supergirl already carries some heat. The role of Kara Zor-El has been awarded to House of the Dragon actor Milly Alcock. The young performer portrayed Rhaenyra Targaryen in the first half of Season 1. Jason Momoa will add to the high-profile film as a veteran of DC. His new character, however, varies distinctly from the rambunctious and fun-loving Aquaman. The illegitimate son of Queen Atlanna of Atlantis, Arthur never thought he would have real responsibilities. His desire to do good contradicts his half-brother Orm’s need for control.

In Supergirl, Momoa will lean more toward Orm on the personality scale. Lobo is an anti-hero character, first introduced to DC Comics in 1983. Hailing from the utopian planet of Czarnia, Lobo becomes a bounty hunter of the stars. After falling out of favor, the character was revitalized in the ’90s. While he was meant to be a parody of heroic characters such as Marvel’s Wolverine, he became a hit with fans — including Momoa. Viewers will have to wait for some time for the release of Supergirl, but in the meantime, can read up on some of Momoa’s favorite comic book characters.

James Gunn’s takeover of the DC film slate wasn’t received with the excitement one might expect for a director who’s already been so successful with comic book movies at rival Marvel Studios. But in reality, DC fans were suspicious that new blood would bring restructuring — and that’s how they lost Henry Cavill, the entire DCEU, and now fans are seemingly fearful that they might lose The Batman: Part 2 as well.

The Hollywood Reporter recently announced that The Batman sequel has been pushed further back from its previously scheduled Oct. 2026 release to Oct. 2027, leaving that 2026 slot open for a Tom Cruise collaboration with two-time Best Director winner Alejandro González Iñárritu. With Gunn’s recent announcement on his Threads that he still hasn’t seen a draft of Matt Reeves’ full script for the sequel to The Batman, it’s not all that surprising that the film has been delayed. Gunn elaborated further, explaining, “Once there is a finished script, there are about two years for pre-production, shooting, and post-production on big films.”

While it’s never ideal to wait for a long-awaited sequel, a five-year gap isn’t all that unreasonable. Gunn, again on Threads, pointed to other films that had a similar five-year wait between installments, such as Aliens and even his own Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. However, for some fans, the issue isn’t just the extended wait. Many are suspicious that Gunn might be preparing to soft-launch an eventual cancellation of Robert Pattinson’s Batman altogether.

For some fans, there is precedence for these fears. When Gunn took over in Oct. 2022, he, alongside the top brass, began reworking the DC vision, effectively terminating the ongoing DCEU. This included canceling movies like the final entry in the Wonder Woman trilogy and, in an even more egregious move, opting not to release a fully completed Batgirl movie. But perhaps the move that irked fans the most was the replacement of Henry Cavill in the all-new DCU. Cavill never truly got to stretch his cape as Superman, and his premature replacement — after a publicized push-and-pull over whether his continued portrayal of the Man of Steel was possible — means some fans may never truly trust what Gunn says, no matter how logical it may sound. Some fans have already taken to X to voice their suspicions.

Earlier, Gunn assured fans that he would not interfere with Matt Reeves’ vision for Batman, categorizing it as part of a DC Elseworlds initiative alongside Todd Phillips’ Joker and the hilarious animated Harley Quinn series. With the exception of Joker: Folie A Deux, it makes sense to take Gunn at his word, as the success of these titles has been crucial to the studio. After all, at a time when Warner Bros. is actively seeking success, it would make little sense to cancel some of their most beloved properties — especially Reeves’ The Batman.

The film clearly resonated with fans, thanks to its sleek cinematography, perfect casting, and a more detective-focused take on the Caped Crusader — a novel approach within the franchise. Fans showed up in droves, and the sequel is expected to perform even better, potentially breaking the $1B mark if it sures the original at the box office. James Gunn clearly has a lot of reasons to curry favor with DC fans. And even though all signs might point to trouble, it’s hard to believe they would consider canceling one of their most beloved properties just before the expected release of the DC universe-defining Superman movie on July 11, 2025.

For a long while there, superhero movies were the least risky films to make imaginable, but times are a-changing and audiences have made clear they’re done with seeing any old superpowered picture just because it’s based on a Marvel or DC comic (looking at you, Kraven the Hunter). Next summer’s Superman has the big job of winning over waning cinema-goers, then, so spare a thought for the man who’s got a whole cinematic universe resting on his shoulders: James Gunn.

While there are still many Zack Snyder loyalists out there, Gunn’s appointment as co-CEO of DC Studios (he’s in charge of the creative side of things, while producing partner Peter Safran handles the business stuff) was largely embraced as the best possible move. After the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, The Suicide Squad, and Peacemaker, Gunn knows how to turn in something that appeals to the masses and massive comic book nerds. And yet the director’s now itted just how much the stress of making Superman got him down.

James Gunn its he was “miserable” while filming Superman, but hopes it’s “for the greater good”

Gunn’s always been more honest with his fans than most filmmakers (and certainly most studio heads), but he’s now made one particularly startling revelation that offers a window into how unpleasant the pressures of realizing the best Superman reboot possible made the day-to-day process of shooting the thing.

In a Superman set visit published this week to tie into the release of the first teaser trailer, Gunn was asked how he was dealing with the fact that so much is riding on Superman to succeed. He didn’t hold back in his response.

“I’m miserable,” he came clean to io9. “Really I’m miserable. But hopefully it’s for the greater good.”

Gunn went on to clarify that his problems with making the film weren’t to do with any, say, nightmare production issues, but were entirely resulting from psychological stress. It’s clear he was feeling the immense weight of actualizing a film that not only needs to stand on its own as an entertaining and worthwhile reimagining of a very familiar character but also has to be successful enough to launch the planned DCU.

“A lot [is riding on Superman],” Gunn commented. “I mean, we’re not going to just keep making movies.”

With any luck, Gunn was able to relieve at least some of this pressure this week when the Superman trailer came out and was by and large hailed as a masterpiece of movie marketing. Going by this sneak peek, Gunn has managed to craft something that feels like a true love letter to the superhero genre, embracing the craziness and silliness of classic Superman comics and combining that with the awe-inspiring ambiance of the best moments of the Christopher Reeve and Henry Cavill films.

Gunn, DC Studios, and every Superman fan out there are hoping all the stress will be worth it once Superman soars into cinemas next July 11 and not only kicks off a new era for DC but maybe even a second wind for the superhero craze.

It’s been a million and one Kryptonian years, but we’ve finally gotten the teaser for the Superman movie, intended to revive the DCU in grand style. 

The electric teaser gave a glimpse into what to expect from David Corenswet as Clark Kent, and Gunn dropped a pretty cool surprise as well: Krypto the dog. While we still don’t know what to expect next year, the beloved super-powered sidekick was a welcome treat. But what exactly was Superman thinking naming his dog Krypto, especially when he literally can’t stand Kryptonite? 

Meet Krypto, the Superdog

Krypto was first introduced in the comics as the pet of a young Kal-El on Krypton. The canine was used by Kal-El’s father, Jor-El, as a test subject for the prototype rocket that would later send Kal-El to Earth. Krypto’s rocket was knocked off course, similar to Kal-El’s cousin, Kara, which led to Krypto landing on Earth years later when Clark was already a teenager.

His name, Krypto, isn’t derived from the power-leeching element Kryptonite, but from his and Kal-El’s home planet, Krypton. As Krypto was Kal-El’s dog as a toddler, it’s not hard to believe that the young boy chose the most basic name for his pet. Other iterations of the comic character have him as a regular dog who was rescued by Superman’s friend and fan Bibbo Bibbowski. Bibbo tried to name the dog Krypton after the planet but the engraver who made his collar didn’t put the “N,” and Bibbo chose to name the dog Krypto. 

James Gunn’s Superman is embracing the character’s comic book roots in a way that’s been missing from live adaptations. The teaser trailer showed that the movie will focus on Kal-El reconciling his dual Kryptonian and human identity, and showed some of the cast that will be ing him in this journey. However, the star of the teaser was undoubtedly Krypto the Superdog, Superman’s pet and super-powered dog. 

Krypto appeared in a scene where an injured Superman lay in an icy landscape. He called for his canine best friend, who ran to him at super speed, and grabbed onto Superman’s cape to pull him home after Clark asked for help. 

Krypto is not a dog like dogs on Earth are, but a member of a canine species from Krypton. He shares the same superficial similarities to dogs that Kryptonians share with humans and possesses the same abilities all Kryptonians do when under a yellow sun. In the comics, he often accompanies Superman or Superboy in their hero duties and wears a cape and a collar engraved with the Superman symbol. 

Superman re-introduces a host of comic favorites

The teaser trailer didn’t only introduce movie audiences to Krypto, but to a few more Superman comic characters that non-comic fans may or may not be familiar with. Superman will be ed by a few more heroes in this movie, as shown in the teaser.  Despite the announcement that Aaron Pierre will be playing Green Lantern John Stewart in the Lanterns series on HBO, Superman will feature another Green Lantern- Guy Gardner, played by Nathan Fillion.

Clark Kent’s long-time lover Lois Lane will also be a part of this movie, played by The Marvelous Mrs.Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan. Edi Gathegi is also among the cast, taking on the mantle of Mister Terrific, and Anthony Carrigan plays the shape-shifting hero Metamorpho. Rounding out the heroes introduced in this movie is Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl.