With Superman, DC’s Man of Steel has successfully stepped into a new era. Director James Gunn made a good call in setting the new DC Universe on Clark Kent’s shoulders: though other projects unrelated to Superman are in the works, his optimistic vision will likely remain the saga’s focal point. According to Warner Bros. head David Zaslav, Superman, Supergirl, Batman, and Wonder Woman are the “pillars” and “asset-builders” of the DCU, and with that in mind, it’s safe to say the next chapter in Superman’s story isn’t far off.
Supergirl is poised to take the spotlight in 2026, but Gunn is working to build out the DC slate beyond that. Clayface is the only film with a concrete release date so far, with other projects, like a Wonder Woman film, Batman’s introduction in The Brave and the Bold, and a Justice League-level crossover, still in development. And with the DCU still in its infancy, fans are in for a few surprises. Per Zaslav, Gunn will be adding a new Super film to that line-up soon, and he might also be poised to direct.
Zaslav teased a new addition to the DC slate on a recent financial call. With Superman heralding “the beginning of a new era for DC Studios,” Warner Bros. seems all-in on Gunn’s vision. That extends to “the next installment within the ‘Super-Family,’” which Gunn “is already writing and preparing to direct.”
Gunn is working on the next chapter of Superman’s adventure, but don’t call it Superman 2.
The WBD boss was careful not to name the project, or to tie it to either Superman or Supergirl. Whatever Gunn’s working on, it doesn’t seem to be a direct follow-up to either film. Even Gunn has tiptoed around its subject matter, telling Entertainment Weekly that it wouldn’t be “a straight-up Superman sequel.”
Gunn later clarified the scope of this new film and what role Superman will play in it on social media. Speaking to a fan on Threads, Gunn revealed that “Superman has a major role” in the upcoming project — but “it’s not Superman 2.”
It’s too soon to draw any firm conclusions, but Gunn’s next film could see Superman teaming up with Supergirl (and her dog Krypto, who became a fan-favorite in Superman) to face a new threat. Just as Superman subtly set up the adventure to come in Supergirl, we could see the seeds of the “Super-Family” story planted in DC’s next film. We’ll just have to wait a bit longer for a concrete tease from Gunn, whether in Supergirl or another future project.
