Skydance is reportedly preparing to dismantle much of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s planned DC slate, raising questions about whether the franchise is heading toward another reboot.
According to Geeks + Gamers, citing Puck’s Matthew Belloni, plans are already being developed to dismantle much of what the pair envisioned beyond three projects: Man of Tomorrow, The Batman: Part II, and an unidentified HBO television series.
That series may be the already-filmed The People v. Gorilla Grodd, starring Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, although the connection remains unconfirmed. A complete continuity reboot has not been announced.
Robert Pattinson in The Batman: Part II test footage – ONE Media, YouTube
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With Jeremy Latcham replacing Gunn and Safran, DC now has an opportunity to reconsider a direction marked by uneven commercial results and complicated continuity. The reported overhaul also puts Gunn’s central promise under scrutiny: an interconnected story stretching across eight to ten years.
Gunn Promised One Connected Story
On January 31, 2023, Gunn introduced himself to viewers as DC Studios’ co-CEO and outlined his approach to a franchise already struggling with competing continuities.
One of his responsibilities, he explained, was to “make sure the DCU is connected in film, television, gaming and animation, that the characters are consistent, played by the same actors, and it works within one story.”
He also announced that “Peter and I, along with a group of very talented writers, have started to map out an eight to ten year plan of what DC Studios will be in film, television and gaming.”
James Gunn announcing “Gods and Monsters” – DC, YouTube
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The presentation introduced “Gods and Monsters,” with the announced projects representing only part of that opening chapter.
His ambitions went beyond occasional cameos. Characters would move between animation and live action, generally retaining their actors. Lanterns would introduce a mystery connected to the larger DCU story, while projects outside the main continuity would receive the DC Elseworlds label.
Gunn also emphasized preserving individual filmmakers’ creative visions. As DC’s accompanying announcement explained, different kinds of stories would contribute to a coherent whole.
Mixed Results Undercut the Long-Term Vision
The resulting franchise has struggled to establish consistent commercial momentum.
Variety reports that Superman earned approximately $618 million worldwide. That made it a relative success, but hardly the commanding launch that would settle questions about DC’s ability to compete at the top of the superhero market.
Superman wounded in the snow in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
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Supergirl delivered a much clearer disaster: approximately $126 million worldwide against a reported $170 million production budget, before marketing expenses. Clayface, meanwhile, reached approximately $109 million against a smaller $44 million budget, providing a more encouraging result.
The television projects have offered sharply different experiences, from the adult animation of Creature Commandos to Peacemaker’s irreverence and Lanterns’ more grounded approach. Supporters defend that variety, while critics question whether the projects amount to a cohesive vision.
An interconnected franchise still needs audiences interested in following its connections. An ambitious roadmap alone cannot establish that interest.
Continuity Became Another Complication
Even the promise of a comprehensible shared history became difficult to maintain.
As That Park Place previously examined, Gunn’s explanations of The Suicide Squad’s place in the DCU required qualifications about which events survived the transition.
Harley Quinn in The Suicide Squad – Warner Bros.
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Bloodsport’s attack on Superman had to be reconciled with the new film describing its hero’s first defeat. Harley Quinn’s history remained uncertain, while Peacemaker revised an earlier Justice League encounter.
Viewers were being asked to sort through preserved events, altered scenes, and unresolved backstories. For a reboot introduced as a solution to DC’s disconnected storytelling, that is an awkward outcome—and a consequence of Gunn’s choices about what to retain from the previous universe.
Another Reboot—or a Chance to Get DC Right?
The projects apparently surviving the reported overhaul offer only a limited picture of DC’s future.
The Batman: Part II exists outside Gunn’s main DCU continuity under the DC Elseworlds banner. Its preservation therefore says little about how much of his interconnected universe will remain intact.
Skydance’s official announcement reaffirmed Man of Tomorrow’s July 9, 2027 release. It also confirmed that the eight-episode The People v. Gorilla Grodd has completed filming and is expected in 2027, without specifying a premiere date.
Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen in James Gunn’s Superman – Warner Bros. Discovery, DC Studios
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Those commitments leave considerable room to replace Gunn’s larger roadmap. Skydance could retain selected actors and completed stories while taking the franchise in a different direction.
For viewers frustrated with Gunn’s approach, that offers reason for optimism. Latcham has an opportunity to simplify the continuity, reconsider the slate, and focus on stories with broader appeal. Releasing existing productions does not require carrying forward every creative decision that contributed to the franchise’s current problems.
Would you prefer Skydance to clean up the existing DCU or give the franchise a completely fresh start? Sound off and let us know!
UP NEXT: James Gunn Fans and Haters React to End of His DC Tenure
