2023 is probably going to be a big year for DC films. While the studio will see three films released, with Shazam: Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, it’s what’s been going on behind-the scenes that will likely have the bigger impact. New studio co-head James Gunn promises we will learn more about what he and new partner Peter Safran are planning with DC Films in the new year, but if you’re hoping for a Christopher McQuarrie-directed Superman movie, maybe don’t expect too much.
As part of the news that Henry Cavill would not be returning to play Superman following his much publicized Black Adam cameo, James Gunn revealed that he was working on a script for a brand new Superman movie. A fan on Twitter suggested that Christopher McQuarrie should direct the project, but the director says he’s too busy directing Pom Klementieff in the new Mission: Impossible movies, and James Gunn would understand.
James and I don’t have the capacity to collaborate until we’re each finished harnessing the unimaginable power of @PomKlementieff.Have a great holiday. pic.twitter.com/yMIiw2fvCNDecember 25, 2022
Pom Klementieff had built a strong career in French films but was not widely known in Hollywood prior to being cast by James Gunn as Mantis in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. She’s now a significant part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe but she’s also snagged a second major franchise as she’ll be appearing in both of the next two Mission: Impossible movies, the first of which is set to open next year. At least one person appreciates the sentiment, Pom Klementieff herself.
❤️❤️❤️December 25, 2022
It’s hard to disagree that a DC movie of any kind, or a Superman movie specifically, directed by Christopher McQuarrie isn’t an exciting concept. At the same time, it seems like a long shot. While James Gunn has, on a few rare occasions, written scripts that he did not direct himself, McQuarrie has never directed anything that he did not write. It seems unlikely he would be interested in directing Gunn’s Superman script.
And certainly, while McQuarrie might be interested in some other DC project, he’s pretty deep in the weeds of all things Mission: Impossible, with Dead Reckoning: Part Two in the middle of filming, and with post-production on Part One probably not yet complete. It’s unlikely he’s even thinking about what’s next for him quite yet.
There are a lot of questions regarding the future of DC Films. With the word of Henry Cavill’s departure and the fact that Wonder Woman 3's future is also in question, it’s unclear if the entire current DC universe will be let go and things will start over, or who might be hanging around. We’ll certainly be seeing some new stars in front of the camera and some talented people behind it as well. And maybe Christopher McQuarrie will be one of them, once he has finished harnarsing the power of Pom Klementieff.
