After working with James Gunn on the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Zoe Saldana addresses the possibility of joining the DC Universe. Following his time at Marvel Studios, Gunn is bringing a new era of DC to life, as he and Peter Safran, together as DC Studios’ co-CEOs, are working on the DCU’s Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters,” replacing the former DCEU franchise. To this point, several of Gunn’s collaborators from his MCU films have appeared in various roles in the DCU.
ScreenRant’s own Ash Crossan recently caught up with Saldana for her new movie, Elio, where her history with Gunn came up. The actress was told how the filmmaker had said that he has a character in mind for the Gamora actress in the DCU timeline. When asked if Gunn and Saldana have had a real conversation about it happening, the MCU veteran shared the following while also showing her excitement for the new Superman movie:
ScreenRant: James Gum was saying he would love for you to be in the DCU and he said he’s a character in mind for you. He said this on Threads. Have you guys had a real conversation about that happening at this point?
Zoe Saldana: No, but I can’t wait for Superman. I think we’re all sort of anticipating. He’s so talented and I’m pretty sure that he’s going to bring a lot of heart, but also a lot of humor and levity to this beautiful legacy of a story.
What Zoe Saldana’s Comments Mean For The DC Universe
As exciting as it would be to see Saldana in the DCU, it’s key to remember that, given how long she was involved with the MCU, she may not be actively looking to jump into another superhero franchise right away, allowing her to work on other projects. It’s also worth taking into account that Gunn is trying to cast new faces in the DCU across film and TV who may not have already had a superhero gig previously. It doesn’t benefit either Gunn, Saldana, or fans, if they rush to get her into the DCU simply because they have worked together before.
The DCU is still very fresh, as the franchise only began in 2024 with the animated Creature Commandos TV show, and the world is only a month away from Gunn’s Superman movie arriving in theaters. While Gunn’s MCU relationships are definitely beneficial, it’s important that the DCU isn’t get swarmed by every Guardians of the Galaxy actor that he worked with during his trilogy. If there is a role that makes sense for one of those actors and the timing fits the franchise, that is when it will happen, and that could be what Gunn is looking at with Saldana, hence why they haven’t had conversations about it yet.
Our Take On Zoe Saldana’s DCU Comments
While it may not be on the table for the time being, as per Saldana’s comments, the DCU franchise is just getting started, and this new universe will ideally go on to exist for many years to come. Given how Saldana was one of the strongest actors in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, it would be incredible to see the MCU star appear in the DCU in a new role once the timing is right, whether it is as a hero or villain. Hopefully, as the DCU finds its footing, Saldana will eventually get her due in Gunn’s new superhero franchise.
Elio opens in theaters on June 20.
Upcoming DC Movie Releases
-
Superman
- Release Date
-
July 11, 2025
-
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
- Release Date
-
June 26, 2026
-
The Batman Part II
- Release Date
-
October 1, 2027