James Gunn’s burgeoning DC Universe is about to face its biggest test yet with the release of Superman, DC’s most iconic character is played by David Corenswet in the film, just three years after the previous Superman, played by Henry Cavill, graced screens. The new casting is just one of countless decisions made by Gunn and the rest of the creative team that will surely light up comment sections and message boards across the internet based on the cultural saturation of the property alone.

Thankfully, Gunn is no stranger to such things. The man who brought the Guardians of the Galaxy to the Marvel Cinematic Universe has successfully translated character after beloved character to the big screen, most recently in that franchise’s third outing and the hit Max series Peacemaker. Still, Superman is the most well-known character Gunn has tackled to this point; a responsibility which came with its own set of internal pressures.

ScreenRant’s Ash Crossan spoke with James Gunn about his work shepherding the DCU’s version of Superman to the screen. Gunn discussed how this take on the hero is different from previous iterations (and not just because of its Krypto storyline), and how he mentally prepared himself to take on the project. Plus, Gunn revealed the little-known DC character he hopes to sneak into a future project.

If You’re Going To Direct Superman, Learn To Trust Yourself

James Gunn Reveals The Most “Daunting” Part Of The Job

James Gunn became something of a household name because he did what many thought was impossible in taking a C-list Marvel property and turning it into one of Marvel Studios’ biggest hits. But exceeding expectations when handling one of the best-known characters in history is a different thing entirely. “I think the challenge was mostly my own feelings,” James Gunn replied when asked what the biggest hurdle was in adapting Superman, “my own fears. It was daunting to create a character onscreen that was so mainstream.”

“Everyone has their concept of what Superman’s supposed to be, whether it’s trunks or no trunks, [et cetera],” he continued, adding, “All of that stuff is so important to people, so you’re letting down people with every choice you make. And so I had to let go of that.”

In the end, Gunn said, the trick was “really allowing me to trust myself and let go of all the numerous other voices that are talking.”

How David Corenswet’s Superman Stands Apart From The Rest

The Movie “Isn’t Really … Your Normal Superman Story”

Gunn’s take on Superman has already drawn some criticism based on an implication in trailers that the character is “too weak”. Although this plays into Gunn’s thoughts that every decision will rub someone the wrong way, the director affirmed that this Superman will, “to some degree”, be more emotionally and physically vulnerable than audiences may expect. “Emotionally, for sure,” he continued, “simply because we’re invited into Superman’s personal life, at the core of the story.”

Although the meat of the story is “surrounded by pyrotechnics and flying dogs and robots,” Gunn shared, “it’s about a person who … thinks of himself in a certain way, finds out that isn’t true, and has to recontextualize who he is in the face of that.”

On the physical side, Gunn said, “he’s fighting an equal and opposite force, so in some ways, it’s no different than when Superman was fighting the bad guys in Superman II, in [Richard] Donner’s film. But we do see him bleed, which is different. He can’t make the world go backwards in time through spinning around it. So, I took a Superman that was a mix of different Supermans throughout the comics in terms of his power set.”

James Gunn Has His Eyes On One Obscure DC Character

But, He Says, “I Don’t Know How To Do It”

Deservedly, Gunn has a reputation for uplifting lesser-known comics characters. And he already has one in mind for a future DC project. “Everybody knows I love Bat-Mite,” he shared, “Bat-Mite’s my man. He’s creepy as hell, and I think I’ve got to do something with Bat-Mite someday.” Unfortunately for Bat-Mite fans, though, Gunn added, “I don’t know how to do it.”

“Unless Matt’s doing it in his script,” he joked. “I got his [The Batman Part II] script yesterday, and I haven’t had a chance to read it yet. Maybe Matt Reeves put Bat-Mite in his script. If you did, Matt, I’m going to be really, really stoked, and it’s in instant green light.”

Check back soon for our other interviews here:

• David Corenswet & Rachel Brosnahan
• Maria Gabriela De Faria & Sara Sampaio
• Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan & Nathan Fillion
• Skyler Gisondo, Wendell Pierce, Mikaela Hoover & Beck Bennett

Source: Screen Rant Plus