There’s an interesting development in the James Gunn and Peter Safran co-run DC Studios. Gunn’s “Superman Legacy” is set to shoot soon and debut in the summer of 2025, and a new actor has been cast in the DC Universe but could be saved for later. According to reports (Deadline), Sean Gunn, James’ younger brother who also appeared in “Guardians Of The Galaxy” franchise, is set to play the DC Universe villain Maxwell Lord, but curiously enough, he may not even show up in “Superman Legacy.”
So what does that mean exactly? Well, it sounds like Gunn is world-building and hiring actors to play critical characters who could show up in other superhero films down the road—his master plan does at least feature five films and five TV shows, so clearly a road map to a bigger plan is being built.
Deadline says Lord may be referenced in “Superman: Legacy,” but may not appear. Instead, he could turn up in one of the other films in what Gunn has described as “Gods & Monsters,” his chapter 1 for DC Studios, which also includes a “Supergirl” film and a Batman film based on the “Brave and the Bold” storyline that looks like it will be directed by Andy Muschietti, the filmmaker behind “The Flash.”
The character of Maxwell Lord was previously played by Pedro Pascal in “Wonder Woman 1984,” but critics and fans largely derided the character, interpretation, and broad performance. In the comics, Lord has been a Machiavellian Lex Luthor type without powers, a shrewd and powerful businessman with great wealth and influence. Lord was also once an ally of the Justice League but seemingly always had self-interest at heart.
Some versions of the character have been gifted powers over the years in comics, but it’s probably a good bet that he’ll appear closer to his original incarnation when he was introduced in the rebooted “Justice League” #1 in 1987 (a more comedic run that was rather classic).
Gunn played Kraglin in “The Guardians Of The Galaxy” and was part of the new reconstituted team that surfaced at the end of ‘GOTG Vol 3.” He also did the stand-in mo-cap performance for Rocket Racoon when on set of the Marvel movies. He has also appeared in “The Terminal List,” “The Good Doctor,” and “The Suicide Squad.”
“Superman: Legacy” is set to be the first film in Gunn’s new DC Studios era and is due in July 2025. No other films have been officially given release dates. Still, rumors exist that “Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow” is starting to be cast and that the character could appear briefly in ‘Legacy.’ Either way, DC Studios’ building blocks like Maxwell Lord are clearly being formed, so it would not be a surprise if similar future casting for DC characters like this one surfaces soon.