Superman was the hardest film James Gunn ever made.
The DC studios boss and director admitted he had his doubts about making the 2025 film and never would have worked on it if he didn’t find the perfect Superman in David Corenswet.
He told the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast: “This was the hardest movie I’ve ever made. The next hardest was probably the first Guardians. With Guardians, you were building a corner of the universe that felt completely different from everything else Marvel was doing at the time. Here, I was reorienting something everyone already thinks they understand. Strangely, it’s the most comic-book-driven thing I’ve ever done. More than any of my other superhero films.
“Everyone in the world thinks something different about Superman. Everybody knows who he is.
“There were all the eyes on us — on DC, on the DCU, on everything. That pressure was real.
“If I couldn’t find Superman, I wasn’t going to make the movie. I remember thinking [after Corenswet’s audition], ‘If that’s the worst we do, we’re in great shape.’”
And, Gunn always had a clear idea of who he wanted his Superman to be.
He said: “When I first talked to the cast and crew, I wanted to make something about goodness. This guy isn’t perfect, even though he’s Superman. He’s really just trying to do his best. He’s good-natured. He’s loving. He sees the best in everyone.”
Gunn juggles his role as a filmmaker with that of co-CEO of DC Studios and he admitted it is an unusual set-up.
He said: “I don’t think it’s ever really been done. Even Walt Disney was more of a producer than a director. It’s an experiment. And yes, sometimes it probably sounds like madness - especially since I don’t make the most conventional films. But I love big spectacle. That’s my jam. I originally said no to the job. I didn’t want to do what Kevin Feige does. But once Peter [Safran] and I knew we’d be doing it together, it became exciting. I still don’t know if it’s sustainable long-term. It’s a lot. There just aren’t enough hours in the day.”
