Fans are always looking for the inside scoop on their favorite upcoming movies, which explains why so many rumors about upcoming DC movies exist. But nobody has done more to at least try and stop the rumor mill from churning as James Gunn. The co-head of DC Studios has not only made a point of debunking untrue rumors, but has tried to educate fans about what news they should take seriously, and now he’s going after reports surrounding the upcoming Lanterns TV series.
James Gunn frequently interacts with fans on social media, so he gets asked a lot of questions about the rumors surrounding his projects. A fan recently asked the Superman: Legacy director on Threads about a report that John Stewart, one of the two Green Lanterns who are set to lead the upcoming DC TV show, would be in his early 20s in the series, much younger than the character is traditionally presented. Gunn responded that the news is “bullshit” because there was no way anybody could have gotten such information. He said…
Guys. If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a thousand times. Everything out there is bullshit unless it comes from me. People don’t even know the writer on the show. How do you think they’d know the age of the character?
James Gunn has previously said that any casting rumors for DC movies should be ignored until a script is done, as no casting is considered until they know they have something on paper. While it sounds like Lanterns has a writer or writers, that writer has not been publicly announced, and as such, nobody would know where to go to get details about the show. It’s also unclear how far along the writing is, so it’s possible that even if there is a conception of the character right now, it could change.
Lanterns was announced as part of the DCU’s Gods and Monsters, the first chapter of the new franchise. It will follow a story led by two popular Green Lantern characters from the comics, John Stewart and Hal Jordan. Gunn has compared the show to True Detective, and based on what he has said, it sounds like it will also introduce the audience to whatever the larger story of this first chapter will be.
No writer is known, and therefore no casting for the roles of Jordan and Stewart can be considered. However, we do know that another Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, will also become part of the fledgling DCU. Nathan Fillion has joined the Superman: Legacy cast in that role.
It’s clear that nothing James Gunn does will stop the rampant rumors and baseless speculation. It will continue, but Gunn seems committed to fighting the good fight.
