The superhero genre continue to be a powerful force in the entertainment industry, but the DC side of things is going through a transition. The DCEU (which is streaming with a Max subscription) is officially over, and co-CEO James Gunn is forming a new share universe. And the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker just shut down rumors about Batman and Booster Gold casting. Let's break it all down.
The DCU's original slate of projects is titled Gods and Monsters, and will begin with the Superman movie. With so little information revealed about what's coming, there are countless rumors and theories about the upcoming DC movies. Gunn regularly addresses these head on, recently taking to Threads when it was reported that the studio was looking for a "middle aged" actor to play Batman. And when someone clarified that DC Studios was in charge of casting instead of Warner Bros., Gunn responded:
(That’s true but the casting story is fiction.)
There you have it. James Gunn is refuting the claim that DC wants specifically a middle-aged actor to portray Bruce Wayne/ Batman in the developing shared universe. While he doesn't reveal the truth of their casting goals, Gunn helps to clear up this specific rumor.
The Dark Knight is expected to join the DCU with The Brave and The Bold, which will focus on Bruce Wayne and his relationship with his son/Robin Damian Wayne. But which actors get to play those iconic roles are a mystery for the time being.
Another character that had some discourse surrounding it is the futuristic and comedic Booster Gold. DC fans are eager to see that character finally come to life in the big screen, and there are a number of names being tossed around. The Boys' Antony Starr responded to Booster Gold rumors, but there are also other names being referenced online. Another possible choice was Eternals' Kumail Nanjiani, which James Gunn also addressed on Threads. When sharing a post about the DCU, a fan thought he confirmed that the Silicon Valley star was going to play Booster Gold. Gunn responded swiftly by saying:
No. I foolishly didn’t even know there was more than one photo!
Yet another casting rumor bites the dust. James Gunn's penchant for communicating directly with fans is super helpful in this way, as he's able to shut down rumors before they get too out of hand. But with so little information given to the public about his plans for the DCU, this discourse likely isn't going to stop anytime soon. Hopefully we get some casting nes soon.
As previously mentioned, the DCU will begin with Superman on July 11th, 2025. While waiting, check out the 2025 movie release dates to see what other titles stand out.
