Black Superman movie update: James Gunn reveals whether it’s a part of his DCU

While James Gunn is writing and directing DCU’s Superman: Legacy, there’s another Superman in the works that has been under development for a while. Many assumed that after James Gunn took the reigns of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran, another Superman movie featuring an actor of color would have been axed. However, that’s not the case.

Writer Ta-Nehisi is still working on a story that will feature Clark Kent played by an actor of color. It will be produced by J.J. Abrams under his Bad Robot banner, and James Gunn revealed how it will take place in a different space than his DC Universe.

---

James Gunn gives out Black Superman movie’s progress report

Black Superman movie (Image via DC)

In an interview with io9, the co-CEO of DC Studios talked about Ta-Nehisi Coates' Black Superman movie still being on the board for Warner Bros. Discovery. There’s still a vested interest in it, but Gunn is yet to read any script for it. However, he confirmed that it will be a separate tale taking place in DC’s Elseworlds division.

When asked about it, James Gunn stated:

"Those two things are totally unrelated. That’s an exciting movie. I know that Chantal Nong, who is the executive on that project, is extremely excited about it. So if it comes in and it’s great, which I haven’t read the script, and if the timing is right, that could absolutely happen."

Noting that it would be totally unrelated, he added that it would be an Elseworld's story, like the Joker.

For now, 2024's Joker: Folie a Deux and 2025's The Batman - Part II are the only ones that have confirmed release dates under DC’s "Elseworlds" banner. However, as the development of the Black Superman movie continues, it could become the third official "Elseworlds" film.

---

When will the Black Superman movie release?

Elseworlds Superman movie (Image via DC)

James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy has been fast-tracked to release on July 11, 2025. However, the two DC Elseworlds movies, Joker 2 and The Batman 2 would arrive before and after it, respectively. Both these films have been granted October release windows. So, it’s possible that DC will save the October window for every Elseworlds movie.

Ideally, DC Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery would want to put at least a year’s gap between Superman: Legacy and the J.J. Abrams-produced Black Superman movie. Considering all these parameters, October 2026 (or 2027) might be the perfect window for the latter to hit theaters.

DC’s canceled Batgirl movie (Image via DC)

That being said, it is too soon to comment on anything regarding that as the film is still in its early development phase. It’s nowhere close to pre-production. No actor has been cast. In the past as well, many DC projects were put under development, but they never saw the light of day. So, it’s also possible for Ta-Nehisi Coates' Superman movie to be canned if its script isn’t approved by WB and DC executives.

If that happens, then it’d join the countless canceled movies from the studio. These include films like Batgirl, Deathstroke, Zack Snyder's Justice League 2 & 3, Ben Affleck’s Batman, Ava DuVernay’s New Gods, Green Lantern Corps., Cyborg, and several others!