A Superman Sequel Might Happen At DC Studios (But Not As Soon As You Might Think)

The new DC Universe is officially upon us. James Gunn, the director of Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy, and producer Peter Safran took over as the heads of DC Studios at Warner Bros. back in early 2023. They have built a plan for the DCU that spans the next several years at least. It all started, in earnest, with the release of "Superman" in theaters last weekend. So, what comes next? A sequel may happen at some point, but it doesn't sound like it'll be coming to fruition anytime super soon.

According to Variety, "a sequel announcement does not appear to be imminent." This comes after "Superman" opened to $220 million worldwide, which included $125 million at the domestic box office. There is some concern that international audiences thus far haven't shown up as much as those in the U.S, but for now, Warner Bros. is happy or, at the least, confident enough to proceed as planned. Those plans include a new "Supergirl" movie next summer, as well as the R-rated "Clayface" based on the Batman villain of the same name. Hence, as of right now, "Superman 2" isn't exactly in the cards.

This is where things get interesting. Gunn previously told Entertainment Weekly that he's working on some sort of follow-up but cautioned, "Is it a straight-up 'Superman' sequel? I would not say necessarily." What does that mean? Well, the Variety report further sheds some light on matters, explaining that the DCU's "Wonder Woman" movie, which was first revealed in June, is now said to be on the fast track. As the report explains:

Sources say the studio is fast-tracking a "Wonder Woman" movie. And the studio is thrilled with Matt Reeves' just-submitted screenplay draft for the sequel to "The Batman."

As the report notes, Matt Reeves recently turned in the long-awaited script for "The Batman Part II," which is currently set to hit theaters in October 2027 after years of delays. However, Robert Pattinson, who plays the Caped Crusader in the "Batman" universe, isn't expected to serve as the Batman of the new DCU.

Mind you, "The Batman Part II" is an important movie for WB as its predecessor was a huge hit. But Gunn and Safran also have to worry about finding their Batman, assuming it isn't going to be Pattinson.

Since "The Batman Part II" is a focus right now, and seeing as the studio probably doesn't want multiple Batmen competing for screen time, leaning on "Wonder Woman" does make a lot of sense. The fact of the matter is that Warner Bros. and DC Studios are trying to build out an entire universe right now. This isn't just about one superhero's franchise. "Superman 2" would make sense in most cases, but the studio powers that be have bigger fish to fry, it seems.

Gal Gadot previously played the role of Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in 2017's "Wonder Woman" and "Wonder Woman 1984," the latter of which disappointed both critically and commercially. Plans for "Wonder Woman 3" from director Patty Jenkins were then scrapped after Gunn and Safran took over at DC Studios. Thus, we're getting a reboot, though it's currently unclear which actor will take over the role.

Circling back to the Batman of it all, the DCU's "The Brave and the Bold" is set to be directed by Andy Muschietti of "The Flash" and "It" fame. Updates have been few and far between, but that movie was announced in early 2023 as part of the initial DCU slate. It was also said to serve as the debut of the DCU's new Batman, with Damian Wayne's Robin being a key player as well. Be that as it may, no actors are officially confirmed to be in the running to portray the DCU's Bruce Wayne at this time.

So, where does that leave David Corenswet's Superman? Where will he show up next if not a sequel? That's the million dollar question. Is he going to appear in "Supergirl" next year? Some unannounced project being cooked up in secret? Time will tell. In any case, the new DCU is starting to take shape. 

"Superman" is in theaters now.