James Gunn Addresses Recasting DCU Actors In Future

As the DC Universe is about to start, the franchise’s creative chief, James Gunn, has commented on what could be up for the universe in the future when it comes to recasting. The subject of recasting has become a growing issue in superhero adaptations, as the MCU is dealing with it after the Infinity Saga ended, and DC has had to let go of actors from the DCEU’s movies, like Henry Cavill as Superman, as the new DCU starts. While the franchise will begin this week with Creature Commandos, Gunn already has ideas for the future of the DCU.

On Threads, James Gunn addressed what the DCU’s plans for recasting actors could be like.

A fan asked the director whether the DCU would recast characters or retire them when actors no longer want to continue playing their roles. According to Gunn, the matter has no exact answer. He believes that either case could happen, as it all depends on the situation in question. While the upcoming DC movies and series will serve as only the start of the DCU, it is interesting to see that Gunn already plans for the franchise’s distant future.

Marvel Studios Is Already Dealing With Recasting Questions

Back in 2016, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige commented on how the MCU would deal with recasting its biggest heroes. The executive specifically said that he could not imagine someone being better than Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man or Chris Evans as Captain America. However, he used Spider-Man to show that recasting major MCU heroes would be possible. At the time, Tom Holland was joining the MCU as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, with Feige noting how the fans embraced the casting. By using franchises like James Bond, Batman, and Sherlock Holmes, Feige said MCU recastings could happen.

However, after stars like RDJ, Evans, and Scarlett Johansson left the MCU with the release of Avengers: Endgame, the franchise chose not to recast their characters. Instead, Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Widow all got definitive endings to their MCU journeys. That said, the MCU previously recast characters like the Hulk and War Machine, keeping them around up to this day. James Gunn’s DCU comments tease that both paths are an option for DC, with the DCU’s creative chief seemingly defining that there will not be a mandate on the matter, with decisions varying as the story dictates them.

DC Has The Perfect Plan In Place

I agree with James Gunn’s thoughts about future DCU recastings. I don’t think it is a one-size-fits-all topic, so taking it case by case to find the best solution when actors feel it is time to move on from the franchise is best. I can’t imagine the DCU ever working without Superman, Batman, or Wonder Woman, for instance. However, smaller characters or villains could be killed off/retired, leading to story solutions instead of recasting heroes as should be the case for DC’s Trinity. Thankfully, the DCU is just starting, so any recasts should be at least a decade away.

Upcoming DC Movie Releases

Source: James Gunn/Threads