James Gunn's Superman secretly sets up a massive DC project involving the Justice Society of America via a hidden Easter egg inside a prominent location of the movie. The first DC Studios movie under Gunn's leadership is jam-packed with Easter Eggs and references that even eagle-eyed fans will miss during their initial viewing. Given that Superman wastes no time in showcasing an established metahuman-infused world, there is a lot to unpack, and one good example is how the film potentially introduces the idea of a secret DC superhero team-up movie down the line.
Superman's promotional drive heavily featured the Justice Gang as an already important team of metahumans, funded by Maxwell Lord, tasked with protecting Metropolis (and the world) from otherworldly threats. While some would think that they are the fake Justice League in the movie, Superman hinted that the team has a hidden history tied to the Justice Society of America, and it had something to do with a mural that can be found in their current headquarters: the Hall of Justice.
After Lex Luthor imprisoned Superman in a pocket dimension, Lois Lane went to the Hall of Justice and asked the Justice Gang for help.
During her conversation with the team, a mural high on the wall can be seen, which showcases some of the members of the DCU's Justice Society of America, including Wildcat, Atomic Knight, Vibe, Doctor Fate, Black Pirate, and Jay Garrick as the Flash.
This significant Easter egg means that a version of the Justice Society of America was present in the DCU, and Superman's opening crawl can prove it because it confirms that metahumans existed in this world for 300 years. This could hint that a movie featuring the Justice Society of America could happen at some point in DCU's Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.
Created by Gardner Fox, E.E. Hibbard, and Sheldon Mayer in All-Star Comics #3 in 1940, the Justice Society of America is the first superhero team in comic book history. JSA #1 by Jeff Lemire, Diego Olortegui, Luis Guerrero, and Steve Wands in November 2024, then pulled back the curtain on how the Justice Society became the first DC team to assemble during World War II, a time when the world desperately needed heroes.
Directed by James Gunn, Superman tells the story of the titular Kryptonian as he protects Metropolis from Lex Luthor's nefarious plans. The movie stars David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho. Superman premiered in theaters on July 11, 2025.
Why the DCU Needs a Justice Society of America Movie
It's worth noting that live-action versions of the Justice Society have already been done, specifically in Arrowverse projects like Stargirl and DC's Legends of Tomorrow. On the big screen, the Dwayne Johnson-led Black Adam introduced a version of the team composed of Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Cyclone, and Atom Smasher.
Still, a Justice Society of America (JSA) movie is what the DCU needs before going all-in for a Justice League project down the line because it has the opportunity to fill in the gaps of this new universe's history. It would allow fans to see what transpired when metahumans first arrived, and how it slowly changed the world.
A JSA movie could also provide a solid explanation about the creation of the Justice Gang and tell the story of how Maxwell Lord learned about these past heroes.
Pushing the Justice Society to the forefront could finally bring lesser-known heroes like Atomic Knight, Vibe, and Black Pirate into the spotlight, and there is no better man to do it than James Gunn.
While a Justice Society of America movie has not been officially announced, Gunn seems poised to be the man for the job (if he is willing to) because he already proved he has what it takes to make obscure characters shine (just look at what he did with Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad).
