Fortunately, the project is moving forward. This news is courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter with the publication stating, “Warners has also been developing a Black superman film written by Ta-Nehisi Coates and produced by J.J. Abrams, and Gunn’s new movie is said to not have an impact on that project, with Coates still working on the script.” The DCU’s recent Superman projects starred The Witcher actor, Henry Cavill, in the titular role. Following several years of absence, the actor announced in October that he will be returning to the role. Unfortunately, that was before Gunn and his co-chair, Peter Safran, took over and decided to pursue a different direction for the beloved character. However, Cavill was a fan favorite and the news of his exit from the role attracted the ire of many fans some of whom took to Twitter to demand Gunn’s sack and Cavill’s reinstatement. Superman is one of the most iconic comic book characters in history with representations across different media formats, including film. However, there has never been a live-action black version of the character until now. As a result, many DCU fans are excited about the possibilities and looking forward to it, especially since there were rumors earlier in the year that the film’s script is almost ready. Abrams’s Black Superman project was originally announced last year. However, Warner Bros. did not provide many details beyond the fact that Coates will write the film’s script and it will feature a black Superman. According to rumors that emerged about the project, it will exist outside of the current DCU. The reports further stated that the project will focus on a different version of Kal-El who will come to earth from his home planet of Krypton and be set in the 20th century. Following the many changes that have occurred at the DCU since these rumors emerged, it remains to be seen what exactly will happen to the character. Nevertheless, as time goes on and the project progresses, fans can expect to receive more credible reports on the character in the future. As for Gunn, his take on the character will focus on a younger version of the Man of Steel. The DCU co-chair stated in a Twitter post, “In the initial stages, our story will be focusing on an earlier part of Superman’s life, so the character will not be played by Henry Cavill. But we just had a great meeting with Henry and we’re big fans and we talked about a number of exciting possibilities to work together in the future.” Gunn explained that his plans for the DCU likely won’t be felt and/or seen after the current slate of upcoming films run its course, starting with Shazam! Fury of the Gods on March 17.
