As James Gunn’s Superman soars into theaters today, a bombshell report from The Wall Street Journal has revealed that another Man of Steel project was grounded by Warner Bros. Discovery’s top executive. According to the new report, a screenplay for a Black Superman film, written by celebrated author Ta-Nehisi Coates, was personally shelved by CEO David Zaslav in 2022. The reason provided by sources familiar with the matter was that the film, a period piece set during the American civil rights era, was deemed “too woke.” This news finally provides a concrete explanation for the long, silent stall in the development of the highly anticipated Superman movie from producer J.J. Abrams. While the report details a decisive shutdown from the highest level of corporate leadership, it also offers a glimmer of hope, suggesting that new DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran could still opt to revive the project in the future.
Before the Warner Bros. merger with Discovery, the studio had been developing two separate Black Superman adaptations. The first was the Coates and Abrams theatrical film, which was intended to be a standalone feature set in an alternate unvierse. The second was a limited series for the HBO Max streaming service, which was being developed by Michael B. Jordan’s production company, Outlier Society. That project was based on the comic book character Val-Zod, and in October 2021, it was announced that writers Darnell Metayer and Josh Peters had been hired to pen the script. Both projects generated significant fan interest but went quiet following the corporate restructuring and the installation of Gunn and Safran to lead the newly formed DC Studios.
DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn has previously noted that if Coates’ script is great and the timing is right, the project could “absolutely happen” as an “Elseworlds tale like Joker.” The Elseworlds banner is DC’s official strategy for telling stories outside of the main DCU, allowing for unique filmmaker-driven visions. Currently, there is only one active project in development under the Elseworlds banner, The Batman – Part II, which has been significantly delayed to October 1, 2027 due to a lenghty script writing process.
The DCU Just Launched Its Own Superman in Theaters
While we still don’t know when, or if, a Black Superman project will ever come to life, the DCU Superman has just launched to overwhelming success. The film, which opened today, has been met with a wave of positive critical reviews, currently holding a “Certified Fresh” score of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics are widely celebrating Superman‘s hopeful and sincere tone, the classic portrayal of the hero by David Corenswet, and James Gunn’s vibrant direction. While some reviews have noted that the screenplay feels overstuffed with characters and plot, the overall consensus is that the film is a triumphant start for the new DCU. This sentiment is strongly echoed by audiences, who have awarded the film a stunning 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with polling from early screenings suggesting a final CinemaScore in the “A” range.
This critical and audience acclaim is translating into a healthy performance at the box office, positioning Superman as a certified blockbuster. Following strong Thursday night previews that brought in $21 million, the film is now projected to earn between $120 million and $135 million in its domestic opening weekend. A debut on the higher end of that range would make it one of the best openings in DC’s history, providing a powerful commercial mandate for the new studio leadership. More importantly, the film’s success gives Gunn more creative freedom too explore other risky projects, including a Black Superman movie.
Superman flies into theaters on July 11th.
With the DCU’s new hopeful tone, do you think there’s still a place for the Ta-Nehisi Coates Superman movie? As an Elseworlds project? Join the discussion in the comments!
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