MCU Star Campaigns To Join James Gunn’s DCU Before His Marvel Series Releases

An MCU newcomer already has his eyes set on a potential role in James Gunn's rebooted DCU. While Marvel and DC remain at the center of many fans' minds for 2025 and beyond, the two franchises continue to find new faces to bring their biggest heroes and villains to life. Some of these actors wind up becoming stars in both worlds - a feat one MCU rookie hopes to achieve soon.

Daredevil: Born Again star Matthew Lillard expressed his hope to take a role in James Gunn's DC Universe. Lillard is one of a handful of newcomers joining the Daredevil revival series, bringing his horror and comedy expertise to a new story within the MCU. While fans are still in the dark on what he will be doing with Marvel, the actor is already looking ahead to where he wants to go next.

Taking part in a panel at Los Angeles Comic-Con (via Screen Rant), Lillard offered a small tease for his role in Daredevil: Born Again, saying he does not "wear any Lycra." He then told fans to tell DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn (who wrote the live-action Scooby-Doo movies featuring Lillard as Shaggy Rogers) that he is "available" and "waiting for that invitation" to join the DCU:

"I'm in 'Daredevil' next season. I do not wear any Lycra. I know you're sad. I've wanted to be in the superhero world. If anyone is curious, if you run into James Gunn, tell him I’m available. James Gunn wrote 'Scooby-Doo 1' and '2,' he's one of my dear friends. I keep waiting for that invitation. I don’t know if it’s lost in the mail. For me, playing a superhero...I'm not playing a superhero, but to be in that world, the stakes are really high, and I like really high stakes. I’m not really the guy you hire for an office drama. I like really high emotional stuff, so it’s great. Charlie is great, and Vincent is divine, and those guys are both incredible actors, and I'm very proud to be part of the world."

While Lillard will embark on his first superhero project with his role in Daredevil: Born Again, he is a veteran of major franchises like Five Nights at Freddy's and Scream. As of writing, there are no reports or rumors teasing who he would play in the DC Universe if he were to join the new saga.

Meanwhile, Gunn is in the midst of developing the early stages of his new DC Universe, which is now nearly a year into its run on the big and small screen. Along with Creature Commandos and Superman, DC Studios is in the middle of weekly releases for Peacemaker Season 2, which will end its run on HBO Max on Thursday, October 9.

Who Could Matthew Lillard Play in James Gunn's DCU?

While Matthew Lillard's role in the MCU is still a question, fans have had ideas for who he could play in the DC Universe for years. In fact, Gunn confirmed on Threads in mid-September that he and Lillard pitched an idea to former Warner Bros. executive Lorenzo DiBonaventura for Lillard to play DC's Plastic Man in a movie.

Plastic Man is still a character fans want to see join the DCU, although Lillard might be past the age where he could play that specific role. Even so, the former Scooby-Doo star could have more than his fair share of options for who he could embody in the DCU, especially considering his history with Gunn after their time on Scooby-Doo.

Along with Plastic Man, some have thrown out the idea of Lillard playing the DCU's new Commissioner Jim Gordon, last portrayed in live-action by J.K. Simmons in the Snyderverse and Gary Oldman in the Dark Knight trilogy. This could give him a chance to use his comedic and dramatic skills while embracing the darker side of Batman's world inside Gotham City.

For now, while Lillard does not have a direct line on a DCU role, his relationship with Gunn could certainly lead to a reunion in one of countless new DC projects currently in development.