One of the challenges with the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise will not be repeated in James Gunn’s DC Universe. While the MCU has been running since 2008, DC Studios is starting from scratch when it comes to interconnected universes, through Gunn’s DCU, which got properly started in 2025 with the Superman movie.
A big challenge that the MCU has been dealing with in the last few years is the sudden need to recast various roles, especially after the franchise got rid of Jonathan Majors’ Kang. However, Gunn, who began his superhero career through Marvel Studios with his Guardians of the Galaxy movies, is already setting ground rules for his franchise when it comes to recasting.
As Gunn is known for answering a lot of fan questions through his social media, one user recently asked Gunn on Threads, “If an actor, for some reason, can no longer play a character within the DCU, is there a possibility of changing the actor or will the character be discarded?” It didn’t take long for Gunn to respond, as he shared the following:
While keeping it short and sweet, Gunn commented, “If an actor can’t continue a role I’ll change the actor no problem.” Since the DCU is still relatively new, following the releases of Creature Commandos and Superman, no major parts have had to get recast as of right now.
There has always been a big debate when it comes to recasting major roles in ongoing and interconnected franchises like the MCU, especially when they have been operating for as long as they have. With situations like Majors’ Kang being removed from The Multiverse Saga, Marvel Studios complicated things by having as many variants of him as they did be played by the same actor.
In the case of the DCU, which has only just begun, Gunn has set up Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters” in a way where they likely wouldn’t have a character like Kang with multiple versions of him. Instead, if there were a situation where a major Justice League hero would have to be recast,
With that in mind, if there were a situation similar to the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, who became synonymous with the role of Black Panther, DC Studios would obviously take a similar route as Marvel Studios did and not recast instantly. If it’s a legacy role, like Black Panther was, the DCU could transition the mantle to another character.
While recasting will hopefully not be something that the DCU has to do too often or anytime soon, it’s good to hear that Gunn already has an approach in mind. But given how DC Studios doesn’t have a complicated arc like The Multiverse Saga’s Kang, there won’t be that type of situation for Gunn’s franchise.
But if there was an instance where someone gets cast as the DCU’s Batman, and for any reason exits the franchise, at least now people know that Gunn wouldn’t bench the character, and simply let a new star take on the role. For now, time will tell if the DCU will ever have to deal with recasting in the immediate future.
- Created by
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Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson
- First Film
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Man of Steel
- First TV Show
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Peacemaker
- Cast
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Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevingne, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Zachary Levi, Dwayne Johnson, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett, Rosie Perez, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, Ewan McGregor, Idris Elba, John Cena, Michael Keaton, George Clooney, Xolo Mariduena
- Movie(s)
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Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Justice League, Aquaman, Shazam!, Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, The Suicide Squad, Black Adam, Shazam! The Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, Superman, The Brave and the Bold
- Character(s)
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Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, Cyborg, Harley Quinn, The Joker, Shazam, Darkseid, Amanda Waller, Lex Luthor, Doomsday, Deadshot, Deathstroke, Black Canary, Black Adam
