James Gunn takes to social media to defend what he addresses as “niche characters” in his and Peter Safran’s DC Universe. Gunn, whose highly anticipated Superman film will officially become the first big-screen entry in the DCU, isn’t focusing strictly on the publisher’s major comic book characters like the Man of Steel, Batman, and Wonder Woman, nor origin tales, for that matter. And, as a result, a Threads user @shubhang.fearless, calls out Gunn in the same post by writing:

“James why are you overlooking origin stories? Those make us connect with the characters well at emotional level. And your choices of so niche characters to headline their own movie like Sgt. Rock or Swamp Thing makes it look like you’re making the DCU for hardcore comic book readers and not for the general audience.”

Gunn, who is the co-chair and co-CEO of DC Studios, along with Safran, has his hands full with a slate of projects which will launch under the upcoming “Gods and Monsters” line-up, including the aforementioned Superman, the Dark Knight’s The Brave and the Bold movie, and the Lanterns series, among many others. Gunn replied to the Threads user by saying:

“I’m not telling Batman and Superman’s origin stories again because everyone knows them. And don’t put Swamp Thing in the corner. That’s a project in development we’ve actually announced, and he’s an incredibly well-known character with not only some of the greatest comics of all time but a successful film series and his own TV show, something that could be said of only a very small handful of DC characters.”

The DCU Won’t Shirk Meaningful Characters

Certainly, there’s a lot of excitement swirling around David Corenswet taking up the mighty mantle of the Man of Steel, and fans can even expect the first Superman trailer to drop in mid-December. However, James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU won’t shirk when it comes to exploring other meaningful characters outside the comic book’s Trinity of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.

The Superman movie alone will feature a number of so-called “niche characters,” who might not receive their own standalone feature films in DCU, including Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi). And on the animation side of DC Studios, another exciting project will feature a pair of Robins, Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, in the upcoming Dynamic Duo flick.

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Swamp Thing, who was part of the Threads’ discussion regarding “niche characters,” will also receive his own film during the first chapter of the DCU, titled “Gods and Monsters.” However, the Avatar of the Green will also be accompanied by plenty of good company outside of DC’s vaunted Trinity, including Milly Alcock’s Supergirl movie, Booster Gold’s live-action television show, and The Authority film. So, don’t sleep on these so-called lesser-known superheroes and just remember the success Gunn delivered with a similar group of “niche characters” for Marvel in The Guardians of the Galaxy.

Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman is the first movie in Warner Bros.’ rebooted DC Universe to center around the titular comic book hero. It introduces a new version of the Man of Steel after Henry Cavill’s departure from the role, honoring the character’s roots as “the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way.”Release Date July 11, 2025 Cast David Corenswet , Rachel Brosnahan , María Gabriela De Faría , Edi Gathegi , Nicholas Hoult , Frank Grillo , Nathan Fillion , Milly Alcock , Sara Sampaio , Pruitt Taylor Vince , Skyler Gisondo , Anthony Carrigan , Wendell Pierce , Beck Bennett , Sean Gunn Expand