Superman’s Next DCU Appearance Officially Confirmed by James Gunn

Superman director James Gunn recently let slip that he already has plans for the Man of Steel's next DCU appearance. After years away from the big screen, DC Comics' last son of Krypton is mere days away from hitting the silver screen once again, this time played by Twisters star David Corenswet. Gunn's new super-powered blockbuster is said to be just the beginning for this character (and universe), with extensive plans for future projects already on the books for the new DC film/TV franchise. 

Despite his first DCU film not having even come out, James Gunn already teased the next appearance for David Corenswet's Superman. Gunn's take on the iconic superhero will lead the DCU into the future, yet with titles like Clayface, Supergirl, and The Brave and the Bold on the slate, Corenswet's next big screen appearance is not immediately apparent from first glance. But worry not, because Gunn is ready for more Superman.

Speaking with Omelete in Brazil, Gunn revealed that he has already spoken with David Corenswet about where he will next appear in the DCU. In that conversation, Gunn posited, "[David] knows I'm working on something" but doesn't "know what it is:"

"He was asking me what I was working on....He knows that I'm working on something. He knows he's a part of it. He doesn't know what it is...literally nothing."

This is the first real indication that Gunn has given about where/when Superman will next show up in his new superhero franchise. Previously, when asked about a potential Superman sequel, the filmmaker remarked that "yes," he is working on some sort of follow-up but questioned if he would consider it a "straight-up Superman sequel" (via Entertainment Weekly):

"What I'm working on is in some way…I mean, yes, yes, yes, yes. But is it a straight-up 'Superman' sequel? I would not say necessarily."

Gunn's Superman debuts in theaters on Friday, July 11, kicking off the director's new vision for an interconnected on-screen DC universe. The movie stars David Corenswet as the titular Man of Steel. Corenswet is joined by a stacked cast that includes Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Isabela Merced, and Nathan Fillion (read more about the Superman cast here). Superman follows its central hero several years into his superheroing journey, as he contends with the evil Lex Luthor, a megalomaniac genius with a deep-seated hate for the emergence of super-powered, extraordinary individuals.

Where Will the DCU's Superman Next Appear On-Screen?

There has been no official confirmation of a proper Superman sequel in the DCU, so fans are a bit confused about where this next appearance for David Corenswet's DC Comics character will be. 

The most likely place that would make sense for Superman to next pop up would be 2026's Supergirl (formerly Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow). Milly Alcock's Kara Zor-El is said to have a small cameo in Superman, so why shouldn't Kal-El return the favor in Supergirl?

The only thing that pokes a hole in the Supergirl theory is Gunn's explicit mention that he is actively writing Superman's next DCU appearance on screen. Supergirl has already been written and has even finished filming, so it is doubtful that this is the project Gunn was talking about.

There is also the chance that Gunn is straight-up talking about the next Superman movie or whatever a direct follow-up to Superman may look like. When it eventually sees the light of day, this could take several forms. 

The first and most straightforward would be a full-fledged Superman 2, simply tackling another adventure focused on the Man of Steel. The next could be a Superman vs. The Authority movie, picking up on Superman's conflict with the Engineer as set up in the 2025 Superman film.

And lastly, and perhaps most exciting for fans, Gunn could be referring to a World's Finest film, telling the story of Superman and Batman teaming up and laying the roots of what will eventually become the Justice League.