Warning: The Following Contains Spoilers for Superman
James Gunn’sSupermanmovie is finally in theaters, and the first feature film from the new leadership at DC Studios is off to a hot start. The movie has already received mostly positive reviews and overperformed at the box office with its early opening weekend numbers, even proving to be James Gunn’s best opening weekend of his career. David Corenswet’s portrayal of Superman has helped bring the film to new heights, but another large reason for its success is the intricate worldbuilding and the seeds Gunn has planted for future DC Projects. While the movie already features plenty of heroes onscreen, there are also plenty that fans may have missed.
During one scene that takes place in the Hall of Justice (headquarters of the Justice Gang), a mural on the ceiling of the building depicts many iconic DC superheroes. It’s a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, as the scene is entirely focused on Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) trying to get Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabel Merced), andMister Terrific (Edi Gathegi)to help her rescue Superman. However, a closer inspection of the scene reveals paintings of heroes such as Wildcat, Vibe, Jay Garrick’s version of The Flash, Black Pirate, and a character that bears a resemblance to Doctor Fate.
James Gunn Insists ‘Superman’ Won’t Be a Flop If It Doesn’t Reach This Box Office Milestone
The co-CEO of DC Studios isn’t as concerned as everyone else is about ‘Superman’s box office.
It’s an exciting Easter egg that establishes the fact that this new DC Universe is one with a rich history and lore. The mural also supports the opening text narration of the movie, which states that Metahumans first started appearing on Earth 300 years ago. This first saga of the new DCU, titledGods and Monstersby DC Studios co-chairmen James Gunn and Peter Safran, wants to skip out on some of the origin stories in favor of jumping into the action with some more well-known characters. Still, the reference to all these other DC heroes may mean that they could be featured in another story down the line.
The New DCU Is One With a Rich History Behind It, Waiting to be Explored
DC Studios already has plenty of other exciting projects lined up afterSuperman, withPeacemakerSeason 2 being released in August, andSupergirlandClayfacemovies slated for 2026. There are still other projects that Gunn has teased that we don’t know about, and after seeing this Easter Egg in Superman, the possibilities feel endless. The DCU is only just starting, and while the currently announced films won’t likely have a connection to some of these golden age heroes, there could still be new series or movies that introduce them.
Supermanis a refreshing change of pace when compared to previous iterations of the character, and it’s largely thanks to the supporting cast of characters.All other live-action iterations of Supermanin feature films titled after the character usually have him without other heroes, with the world left grappling with the Kryptonian being the only metahuman they are aware of. Thankfully, this new film switches up the formula, allowing the Man of Steel to exist in a world where there are already plenty of other super-powered individuals.
All signs point to an eventual Justice League movie happening down the line once other heroes like Wonder Woman and Batman are introduced into the new DCU, which could also open the door to other teams like the Justice Society of America being brought into the story. James Gunn’s unique approach to worldbuilding and interconnectivity will hopefully pay off, as the financial and critical response indicates that this new cinematic universe may be here to stay.
