While there’s many a steadfast DC fan out there who maintain that Henry Cavill remains the perfect pick to be the DCU’s Superman going forward, as we know well by now, James Gunn isn’t of the same opinion. Gunn famously ousted the Man of Steel star from the role as one of his first acts as co-head of DC Studios, and for better or worse, he is on the hunt for a replacement.
For right now, though, Gunn is fulfilling his final Marvel duties as director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but that didn’t stop reporters trying to get a peek behind the curtain at what he is getting up to with the competition he is defecting to. One such question, posed, was what exactly is he looking for in the next Superman? He tells Variety:
“It’s hard, but we’re looking – and we actually have some really great choices which I’m excited about. But it has to be somebody who is, you know, has all the humanity that Superman has, but he’s also an alien. It’s gotta be somebody who has the kindness and compassion that Superman has, and it has to be somebody that you want to give a hug. All of the Supermen have been good, so we just have to add to that story.”
Off the back of Gunn’s comments, Variety’s Marc Malkin jokes that Gunn must have narrowed the casting choice down to Chris Pratt. Gunn laughs the comment off and dismisses the prospect immediately, adding, “If he was a few years younger, maybe.” At least we know Gunn is sticking to his word of looking for a younger actor to step into the role.
In the meantime, Gunn’s MCU swansong is less than a week away, with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 landing in theaters on May 5, 2023. The new DCU co-head will continue to be a busy man, though, with The Flash arriving just over a month later on June 16.