James Gunn denies 'his involvement' in Henry Cavill's DCEU exit
James Gunn is dispelling a conspiracy theory claiming he was aware of Henry Cavill's Superman recasting during the promotion of The Suicide Squad. Gunn refuted the timeline on his Threads account recently, stating he wasn't overseeing DC Studios during the release of The Suicide Squad in 2021. It was only announced in December 2022 that Gunn and Peter Safran would lead DC Studios. Here's what exactly happened, per Gunn.
Why does this story matter?
The anticipation surrounding Cavill's Superman comeback gained momentum in 2022 when he appeared as the Man of Steel in the post-credits scene of Black Adam. This cameo teased Cavill's return. However, the revival hopes were short-lived. Shortly after, Warner Bros. and DC Studios appointed Gunn and Safran as their new leaders—with plans to revamp the DC Universe. Their strategy included casting David Corenswet as the new Superman in Gunn's upcoming film, slated for a July 11, 2025 release.
Nathan Fillion's 'Guy Gardner' role news added fuel to fire
Accusations surfaced from some DC enthusiasts, claiming Gunn lied about his knowledge of Cavill's Superman departure. Nathan Fillion's statement to Collider added fuel to the fire, alleging that Gunn disclosed Guy Gardner's role to him at The Suicide Squad premiere party in 2021. Fillion recounted, "'Hey, did Peter [Safran] tell you what we've got for you next?' I said, 'No...' He looked around...We were in a throng of people, but he leaned over and said, 'You're gonna be Guy Gardner.'"
Said conversation didn't happen in 2021, Gunn clarified
Fillion's statement sparked speculation that Gunn was aware of his involvement in DC Studios and Cavill's Superman replacement in 2021—well before he took reigns in 2022. Gunn's earlier remarks about his disinterest in leading DC further fueled theories, branding him as a "liar." However, Gunn clarified that Fillion confused the timeline, indicating that their discussion about Guy Gardner occurred at the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 party last year after Gunn assumed control of DC with Safran.
'I don't quite understand how that fits': Gunn
On Threads, when a fan suggested that Gunn had always intended to reboot DC and create his own Superman movie, the filmmaker responded by saying, "I don't quite understand how that fits." He clarified, "Aside from the fact I had no interest in running DC until Peter decided to do it with me so he could do the exec stuff & I could focus on creative..."
Gunn questioned the logic of the conspiracy theory
Gunn further explained his position on his Superman story, stating that when he was hired to write it, it was always intended as a new narrative. He questioned the logic of the conspiracy theory, asking, "Why would I lie about not planning that at the Squad premiere which would have amounted to the same thing at the end of the day? How does this particular conspiracy theory make sense?"
