DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn confirmed that Superman will not rely on one key aspect that made his Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies work. Before spearheading the DC Universe into a new era, Gunn introduced the Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014, making the cosmic team beloved and well-liked to the same level as the Avengers across the Infinity Saga. The visionary filmmaker did the same thing to Task Force X in 2021's The Suicide Squad, pushing the likes of Bloodsport, Peacemaker, King Shark, and Ratcatcher to the forefront like never before.
As Gunn prepares to release Superman to the rest of the world, the DC Studios executive and director pulls out all the stops to ensure the reboot's hype is at an all-time high. Aside from doing a press tour around the world, Gunn is divulging some interesting details about the upcoming David Corenswet-led reboot, such as debunking various Superman rumors and hinting that the DCU's Superman might be weaker than Henry Cavill's Man of Steel in the DCEU. In a brand-new interview, James Gunn pulled the curtain back even more on how his Superman movie will differ from his previous superhero flicks.
Speaking as a guest at the DC Studios Showcase Official Podcast, DC Studios co-CEO and Superman director James Gunn shared that the upcoming reboot will be "different" from his past superhero movies (the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and The Suicide Squad) by not relying much on songs this time around, noting that "[taking] away things that he relies on" is crucial in allowing himself to grow as a director.
While there are "a couple of songs" in Superman, Gunn confirmed that the movie will mostly rely on its score:
DC Host: "I wanted to bring it back to music and your love of music. You typically build your direction over soundtracks, but this time with Superman, you did it with a score. How different was that for you?"
James Gunn: "[It’s] different. I love music. I love putting songs in movies. And there are a couple of songs in Superman, but mostly it’s its score, and it’s different. In some ways, it's the first movie I’ve done that with. Yeah. Because even going back to 'Slither' and 'Super,' they were pretty soundtrack-heavy. So, there was a little difference. It was different. There are a lot of ways in which I feel like I’m able to grow as a director or an artist, [and one of them] is to take away things that I rely on. I don’t want to really call it a crutch because it’s not a crutch, it’s just something that I use."
Gunn continued by talking about his approach in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies and how developing Superman is "always going to be different:"
"When I did ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ my work had always been very brash, very in your face. It’s not the ’Guardians wasn’t edgy but very much about, you know, The ‘FU’ of it, all right? And with 'Guardians,' I was like, ’Oh, there’s like a sweetness here. Even though there’s the craziness and the oddness, there’s a sweetness to these characters, and this is about love and being vulnerable. And so, it was taking away a lot and I learnt a lot, not only about making movies and what people love but also, but myself through that process. and now it’s doing it even more with Superman, you know, taking away some of like the need to even be edgy in the first place because Superman, It’s always going to be different."
Gunn ended his statement by disclosing that Superman is not relying on the songs because the movie will dive deep into the titular hero, who is "trying to get by in a world... and just happens to have superpowers."
"Anything I do is going to be different, but it isn’t about that, it’s not relying on that, it’s not relying on the songs, it’s about this pure good, beautiful guy, who is trying to get by in a world that isn’t those things and just happens to have superpowers, right?"
The DC Studios co-CEO also revealed that the plan is to incorporate more scores in future projects:
DC Host: "Do you think you are going to incorporate scores more in your future films and projects?"
James Gunn: "Yeah, I do. Yeah, I do."
James Gunn's comment about Superman not relying on songs is a bold yet understandable move for the filmmaker, mainly because the movie's iconic score is more than enough for the reboot to stand out. The main promotional drive for Superman even maximized its score to its fullest extent, and it is one of the things that both diehard fans and casual followers notice since it pays homage to John Williams' original Superman score.
Directed and written by James Gunn, Superman introduces a brand new take on the titular hero with David Corenswet taking the reins as the Kryptonian hero. The DCU's first big-screen entry features a star-studded cast joining Corenswet, which includes Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and Skylar Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen. Superman arrives in U.S. theaters on July 11, 2025.
Why Not Relying on Songs for Superman Is the Best Move for James Gunn & the DCU
It is no secret that James Gunn's approach to utilizing songs for his superhero projects made his movies stand out and memorable. The director does not just weave these songs into his films for no reason. Instead, these songs are in them because they have a specific purpose in the story.
For example, in Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill used a mixtape during his adventures because it was the only physical memento he had that would remind him of his mother (read more about the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 soundtrack here).
While Gunn's decision to abandon this approach for Superman (a project deemed to kickstart a new DC Universe across all media) is daring, it further proves that he is willing to take risks for DC's on-screen reboot.
Superman's 2025 score (created by John Murphy) is well-loved even before the movie arrives because it resembles John Williams' score while including new elements that forged its new identity. This new score could provide a hint of what's to come for the franchise, considering that Gunn confirmed in the interview that the DCU will incorporate more scores in the future.
Future scores of the DCU may pay tribute to past iconic themes while still ensuring that they include fresh elements to make them stand out, similar to how Superman utilized its music score.
