After 3 years with no update, James Gunn reveals Ta-Nehisi Coates' Superman movie is still in development

James Gunn
(Image credit: DC Studios)

Ta-Nehisi Coates and J.J. Abrams' Superman movie is apparently still in the works.

"Yes," Gunn replied matter-of-factly to a fan asking whether the film was still in development.

The film was announced back in 2021, with Abrams set to produce. This was well before Gunn and Peter Safran took over as the heads of DC Studios (formerly DC Films). Though no plot details have been revealed, it's been reported that the movie will feature the first Black Superman.

Gunn previously said there was plenty of room for both Superman: Legacy and Coates' movie. 

"Those two things are totally unrelated," Gunn told io9. "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. That's totally unrelated. It would be an Elseworlds tale like Joker."

The film would exist in its own universe, much like Matt Reeves' Batman exists outside of the DCU.

Coates is a world-renowned author and scholar, and has written both a Black Panther and Captain America series for Marvel comics – receiving a special thanks in the end credits of their movie adaptations. Coates is also set to adapt Rachel Aviv's 2014 The New Yorker article "Wrong Answer" into a feature-length film with Michael B. Jordan to star and Ryan Coogler to direct.

The first Superman movie in Gunn and Safran's DCU slate is Superman: Legacy, starring David Corenswet as the titular hero. The film is due to hit theaters on July 12, 2025. For more, check out our list of the upcoming DC movies and shows that you need to know about.

Lauren Milici
Senior Writer, Tv & Film

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ currently based in the Midwest. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.

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