We don’t have a clue what James Gunn and Peter Safran’s roadmap for the future of the DCU even looks like, but the fact it doesn’t involve Henry Cavill has already proven to be a step too far for many fans.
However, it’s worth diving deep into the history of the comic book company’s live-action adaptations for comparison, because two of the greatest, most influential, and game-changing blockbusters in history were dragged over hot coals by insiders, analysts, critics, diehard fans, and the general public before each of them respectively altered the complexion of cinema forever.
The title role in Superman: The Movie was turned down by virtually every recognizable name in the industry before complete unknown Christopher Reeve was cast as Clark Kent, while director Richard Donner was famed for classic demonic horror The Omen, with screenwriter Mario Puzo known best for writing The Godfather novel and penning the screenplay for Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 all-timer.
Fast forward a decade, and tens of thousands of angry letters were sent to Warner Bros. headquarters when it was announced the director and star of Beetlejuice would be re-teaming to transform Batman into the star of his own blockbuster film series, and we all know how that turned out on the end.
Of course, we’re not suggesting that Gunn’s in-development Superman is going to even come close to matching either of the aforementioned greats in terms of quality, legacy, or longevity, but it’s worth noting that DC has survived vocal rebellions before to deliver greatness, so who’s to say it won’t happen again?