David Corenswet’s Superman might follow a similar path to Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel in his second DCU installment, but James Gunn’s plans for the hero may diverge in one key aspect. James Gunn’s Superman not only introduces a brand-new Man of Steel but also reveals an expansive, lived-in DC Universe filled with characters of all kinds, from supergeniuses to ultra-powerful metahumans to a skyscraper-sized kaiju. Superman follows the early years of Superman in his prime, though it isn’t an origin story like Man of Steel.

Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel spent most of its runtime developing Superman’s Kryptonian heritage, upbringing in Kansas, and internal struggle to find purpose on Earth. However, after Man of Steel, the DCEU rushed through Superman’s arc, including key milestones such as his death, resurrection, and his subsequent god-like superhero status in just a few films. The DCU aims to avoid these flaws, but it may follow a similar release plan around Superman, after all.

The DCU Might Still Repeat The DCEU’s Superman Team-Up Movie Model After The 2025 Film

David Corenswet’s Second DCU Movie May Not Be A Solo Sequel

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, James Gunn revealed that he’s working on Superman’s next DCU appearance, but clarified that it is “not necessarily” a “straight-up Superman sequel.” If David Corenswet’s next DCU movie isn’t a Superman sequel, it may be a team-up crossover film. Of course, the most likely characters to team up with Superman on the big screen are the Man of Steel’s fellow Justice League heroes, Batman and Wonder Woman. The first encounter between DCEU’s Trinity heroes took place in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which served as Man of Steel‘s direct continuation.

Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice remains one of the DCEU’s most divisive entries, largely due to its rushed expansion of its universe with the introduction of the Justice League only one movie after Superman’s debut. The DCEU’s deterioration has often been credited, in great part, to the fast-tracking of the Justice League’s creation. It would be a bold move for the DCU to adopt a similar approach to the DCEU with the release of one solo Superman movie, immediately by Superman’s supporting role in a crossover film.

Henry Cavill’s Superman Didn’t Have Time To Become A True Hero Before Dawn Of Justice

Dawn Of Justice’s Plot Required A More Developed Superman To Work

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice‘s plot hinges on Superman’s role as a selfless savior. Ultimately, Henry Cavill’s Superman gives up his life to save the Earth, becoming something of a metahuman messiah in the public eye. Although it was a creative and heartfelt take on Superman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice didn’t have the necessary groundwork. DC Comics’ Death of Superman works because the hero was already a beloved icon, whereas Cavill’s Superman was only beginning to establish himself as the DCEU’s most famous hero before he died in his second appearance.

Most of Superman’s feats of heroism are compiled in a Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice montage sequence. Man of Steel took its time to explore Kal El’s origins and his inner conflict as a near-omnipotent hero before the movie threw him into battle. Following Man of Steel‘s final battle, it seemed as though Superman’s arc would be explored gradually over the course of a trilogy and multiple crossover appearances. Yet, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice rushed through Superman’s superhero career, saw him team up with Batman and Wonder Woman, killed him off, and teased his resurrection — all within a single movie.

David Corenswet’s Superman Likely Won’t Face The Same Problems As Cavill’s Man Of Steel

There’s One Key Difference Between David Corenswet & Henry Cavill’s Supermen

Whether David Corenswet’s second DCU appearance as Superman will be a similar crossover to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is unknown, but even if it were, it likely wouldn’t have the same pacing problems. James Gunn’s Superman explores Superman’s public image in depth and establishes his status as a popular hero right from the start. By the time Corenswet’s Superman teams up with other DCU heroes, the world will be more than well acquainted with him. Superman will already have cleaned his image after his public battles with Ultraman, the Hammer of Boravia, the Kaiju, and other villains.

A universe filled to the brim with superheroes and metahumans sounds like the perfect scenario to undermine Superman’s uniqueness, but James Gunn’s Superman zeroes in on that specific conflict. The DCU’s Man of Steel needs to make an effort in order to stand out, not by showing off greater strength or feats of skill, but by challenging the status quo and prioritizing hope and selflessness. A kindhearted superhero with no ties to any enterprise or government, who breaks the standards imposed by other metahumans, is the kind of hero that becomes a world-class icon within the span of one movie.