James Gunn and Peter Safran have had tremulous early days as co-heads of DC Studios, having seen several DC-backed projects fail to attract both financial and critical success. However, the real-time to judge the two would come after they get to show their own vision by launching the DCU and unifying its film and television in one shared universe, akin to the MCU.
To make this happen, it’s vital for Gunn and Safran to first end the ongoing films and shows based on DC characters and start anew. The DCEU will conclude at the end of this year with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Meanwhile, it’s been confirmed that the television series Superman and Lois is also scheduled to take one final flight on the CW in 2024.
Fans React to the End of Superman and Lois for James Gunn’s DCU
Superman & Lois challenges Clark Kent (Tyler Hoechlin) and Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) to juggle work, justice, and parenthood in today’s society.
The show, which is created by Greg Berlanti and Todd Helbing, has enjoyed a lot more success than many DCEU titles, chiefly for being a faithful adaptation of the original character and still managing to present a completely new and refreshing side of Clark and Lois’ lives.
However, it has now been announced that the upcoming fourth season of the show will be its final chapter, comprising 10 episodes. As per The Hollywood Reporter, the development follows as Warner Bros. TV is “clearing decks of its DC Comics show that fall outside of the universe” being constructed by James Gunn.
The new DC slate announced by Gunn and Peter Safran earlier this year includes five films and five TV series, with Superman: Legacy leading the pack. The fans of DC comics characters are excited with Gunn’s revamp but are also disappointed with the plans to end Superman & Lois, which brilliantly combined the superhero genre with family drama for three seasons.
At least it will end with dignity. Unlike the DCEU.
— Mr. Oracle (@mr_oracl) November 2, 2023
That’s too bad. This show had some of the best Superman content in years. I was hoping for more season’s but grateful that it wasn’t just outright canceled, especially with that crazy cliffhanger at the end of Season 3. At least it will get a proper conclusion.
— Dillon (@HabsrAmazing) November 3, 2023
I would gladly trade James Gunn’s DC Universe for more seasons of Superman & Lois.
— Always Hold On To Smallville (@alwaysmallville) November 2, 2023
This is so when superman legacy comes out it’s the only superman around and wb hoping they have nothing to compare it to. Did the same with the flash as that was ended early – didn’t work then won’t work now
— simon (@sijosephr) November 3, 2023
Had a good run
— Eric (@elerictronico) November 3, 2023
Considering how Hoechlin and Tulloch have added new layers of depth and complexity to their characters through their performances, pressure will be high on Gunn’s Clark and Lois, David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan, to match the standards on the big screen.
James Gunn on DC Studios’ Decision to Introduce a New Shared Universe
There’s little to debate when it comes to the success of the DCEU. It has simply failed to keep up with the MCU, failing to capitalize on the promising start of Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel.
However, some fans aren’t too keen on investing their time and effort into yet another shared universe. On Threads, a fan asked Gunn to build on what’s already there with slight course corrections rather than a full transformation. The co-CEO had an interesting reply:
“If you think of anything as “investing time and effort”, no matter what shared universe, you definitely shouldn’t be! Every story should be enjoyed and worth partaking in, in and of itself, without its attachment to an outside world. If it feels like homework, screw it. “Shared universes” should add fun to the individual stories, not the other way around. The individual stories and characters are much more important to me than the connections between them.”
The last line in particular is interesting as it suggests Gunn will give his character ample time to develop rather than throw in new names for the sake of it. The SnyderVerse spectacularly failed in that regard, always rushing production to compete with the MCU rather than taking time to tell their story.
