James Gunn stopped by New York Comic Con 2024 this weekend to hang out on a panel with the cast Creature commandsthe strange upcoming animated series that kicks off its new DC universe in December. In particular, he also shared a few tidbits about other upcoming DC Films projects Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.
“Supergirl is a mess,” Gunn said fondly. That description of her does indeed match the comic’s source material. Based on the DC miniseries of the same name, written by Tom King and drawn by Bilquis Evely, Woman of Tomorrow opens with Supergirl flying a spaceship so far away from the yellow suns that her powers diminish, all in the quest to actually get drunk.
“I can’t wait for people to see it,” Gunn said of the film, which is currently set for release on June 26, 2026. “I think it’s a very different, unique take on a superhero.”
Read on for everything else Gunn said Great girlas well as his long-awaited one Superman movie, the Green Lantern buddy series Lanternsand a second season of Peacemaker.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
After Supergirl gets drunk and becomes stranded in space, she attracts the attention of a stoic young space farm girl, Ruthye, who makes a deal with Supergirl to track down the man who killed Ruthye’s father and get revenge on him. Yes, Woman of Tomorrow is Real Grit in space, with Supergirl as Rooster Cogburn.
“I saw the screen test for Ruthye, with Milly Alcock, who will be playing Supergirl,” said Gunn, “and oh my God, I’m so excited.”
He said production continues Woman of Tomorrow is “blessed from the beginning. (Screenwriter Ana Nogueira) came in and she pitched the story to me Great girland it was simply one of the best pitches I’ve ever heard. She wrote it immediately. She came up with a first draft that was great, and it just got better and better. And Dan (director Craig Gillespie) was incredibly easy to work with, and I can’t wait for that to come out.
Gunn said the film will closely follow King and Evely’s 2021 story. “There are a few differences because it’s a three-act structure, so it’s a little different than the (comic) structure, which is through different stories go. But it has all these main characters and main themes.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will begin filming in January, according to Gunn.
Gunn had little to say about his kickoff film for his new DC Films project, other than to wax eloquent about David Corenswet, who plays Superman/Clark Kent.
“David Corenswet is going to fucking blow people away. He is the movie star everyone dreams he could be. I don’t think anyone really understands the depth of this man’s talent, dramatic, comedic. He’s the best physical action star I’ve probably ever worked with. (…) He is a great actor. And Rachel Brosnahan (cast as Lois Lane), I think you’ll die for her too.”
He cryptically promised: “It won’t be long before we see a trailer (for Superman), but it won’t be too early either.” Superman is currently scheduled to hit theaters on July 11, 2025.
The second season of Gunn’s superhero show spin-off from his 2021 film The suicide squad was suspended in January 2023 so that Gunn could focus on his new duties as co-chairman of the DC studio, as well as writing, developing and shooting Superman. But Gunn confirmed that during the NYCC panel Peacemaker season 2 is currently being filmed and that he had taken time off from set to attend NYCC. Most of his commentary on Season 2 focused on its star, John Cena.
“John Cena has improved as an actor in a way that I have. Honestly, I’ve never seen someone who has improved so much in such a short period of time,” Gunn said. “He was great in the first season. This season he owns it and he is great.
“It’s a completely different season Peacemaker. Very magical.” Gunn did not indicate whether he was speaking figuratively or literally.
The second season has no release date, but is set after the events of Superman, so we probably won’t see it until late 2025 at the earliest.
News that Aaron Pierre (Rebel Back, The underground railway) was cast as the Green Lantern John Stewart, alongside Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, was only revealed a few weeks ago, and Gunn made sure to comment.
“Aaron Pierre is someone I’ve wanted for a long time,” Gunn said. “People don’t know it, but he was almost Adam Warlock. He’s a great actor, and I’ve really admired him from the beginning of his career. And so when it came down to it, he was just fantastic. Watching him read with (Chandler) was one of those wonderful moments where you go, Oh my God, I don’t care what they say, I just love everything they say together.”
Gunn said comic book writer Tom King offered the first pitch Lanternsand continued to work on the series with writers Chris Mundy and Damon Lindelof. “It came out very easily and very naturally. It’s a very grounded series, a very real series, which is a strange thing to say in a Green Lantern show.
Lanterns doesn’t have a release date yet, but is expected to start filming in 2025.