James Gunn’s DC Universe Did One Character Dirtier Than Henry Cavill’s Superman

Ending the DC Extended Universe was necessary. Despite dominating the headlines due to the “Release the Snyder Cut” movement, the franchise’s last couple of years weren’t anything to write home about. Shazam! Fury of the Gods, a highly anticipated sequel, fell flat on its face, and Blue Beetle, despite getting solid reviews, couldn’t get enough butts in seats, so it was time for a change. James Gunn and Peter Safran were brought in to reboot the DC Universe, and they decided their first order of business was to begin work on a Superman movie that would introduce a new version of the Man of Steel.

The biggest hurdle the new DC Studios was facing at the beginning was the bad hand it was dealt right before taking over. After a lengthy absence from the franchise (not counting Zack Snyder’s Justice League), Henry Cavill’s Superman returned in an unexpected place and teased a major fight. Gunn and Co. couldn’t make good on that promise, which was a tough pill for many to swallow, but it wasn’t the toughest decision they had to make.

Superman’s Beef With Black Adam Arrived at the Worst Time

In 2022, Warner Bros. was searching for a box office hit. James Gunn had just delivered a stellar Suicide Squad movie, introducing a whole new cast of characters, including Peacemaker, who would go on to get a spinoff show. However, Task Force X didn’t bring in enough dough, which meant another villain had to step to the plate with massive expectations. The Rock had been working on a Black Adam movie for years, and he was finally ready to deliver it. The titular anti-hero was going to change the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe by battling the Justice Society of America. The conflict doesn’t last forever, though, because Sabbac arrived and terrorized the people of Kahndaq. Black Adam eventually put down the villain and freed the country before agreeing to serve as its protector.

Not long after seizing control, Black Adam came face-to-face with the Man of Steel, who didn’t appreciate the way the situation in Kahndaq was handled. Superman promised to have a conversation with Black Adam in the future, but that was news to Gunn. His deal had just closed, and he told all the higher-ups that he was rebooting the character. That came to pass, and Cavill had to move on from a character that meant so much to him. But at least he got multiple opportunities to play Superman because another DC actor had to walk out of the door as soon as they finally got through it.

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Despite wanting to blow the whole thing up, there were a couple of DC projects that Gunn had to let slip through the cracks, including The Flash, which he had high praise for. The movie was met with a mixed reception, but one of the major highlights was Sasha Calle’s performance as Supergirl. When Barry Allen traveled back in time in the 2023 movie, he changed the timeline and needed help making things right. He found a new version of Batman first before tracking down a Kryptonian pod that he thought housed Superman. The Man of Steel’s cousin, Kara Zor-El, was inside instead, and she decided to help the other heroes fight Zod, who was invading the Earth.

Calle had to bring her A-game because her character had no time to adjust before being tossed into the thick of it, and she ended up delivering the best performance in The Flash. Unfortunately, she was living on borrowed time because Gunn turned around and recast the role in his franchise. Of course, it’s hard to blame the filmmaker because anything the DCEU touched turned to the opposite of gold, but Supergirl didn’t spend enough time in the franchise to pick up any bad habits. Maybe Gunn will find another role for Calle because it’s a shame her talents were wasted on a single movie that didn’t make much of an impact.

The Flash is streaming on HBO Max. The DCU Supergirl movie will star Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon) as the new Kara Zor-El, with Jason Momoa co-starring as DC anti-hero bounty hunter, Lobo.

Did you enjoy Sasha Calle’s performance in The Flash? Would you like to see the actor land another role in the DC Universe? Let us know in the comments below!