James Gunn Says 'Very Famous Movie Actor' Is Writing a DC Elseworlds Movie Script — GeekTyrant

Geek Tyrant

19-06-2025

In a recent chat with Entertainment Weekly, DC Studios co-head James Gunn dropped an intriguing little bombshell that a very famous movie actor is currently writing a script for an Elseworlds project.
But before anyone gets too excited, Gunn made it clear that the project is far from a done deal. This is what he said:
'The script still needs to be good. We're not going to make it unless we like the script. But I think that there are exceptions. I told it to one person who came in and pitched something that was an Elseworlds tale. It was a very, very, very famous movie actor.
'I said, 'It depends on how the screenplay comes out … If it's a masterpiece, I'll make it, but it has to be a masterpiece.' [Laughs] And he is like, 'I don't know if it's a masterpiece.' He got all funny.
'He's still working on it, though. He is still trying to do it, so we'll see. Masterpiece might be pushing it, but it's got to be really great.'
So who's the actor? Gunn didn't say, and that mystery might be half the fun for now. Still, this gives us a peek behind the curtain at how Elseworlds projects are being considered under the new DC regime. For Gunn, they need to be just as strong as the main DCU films to warrant their own space. He continued:
'If it's an Elseworlds tale, then it's worth telling something that might tend to confuse a few people. But also part of our thing is really being clear about what is Elseworlds and what is DCU.'
So far, the Elseworlds banner only officially includes Matt Reeves' Batman universe, which covers The Batman , its upcoming sequel, and the spin-off Penguin series. The Batman Part II has been delayed to 2027, and Gunn has asked fans to be patient while Reeves finishes the script.
Meanwhile, DC Studios is focused on launching its new shared universe. After Creature Commandos gave us a taste, things kick off this summer with Superman , followed by Supergirl , Clayface , and more DCU entries over the next few years.
The tricky part here, as Gunn notes, is avoiding audience confusion. Juggling multiple Batmen or having parallel versions of major heroes can get messy. Gunn has even admitted that Batman is currently 'a problem' for DC.
Which brings us back to this A-lister's script. Even if it turns out to be something special, there's no guarantee it'll ever make it to production. The future of any Elseworlds project will hinge on timing, quality, and talent. But, I do love that they are looking at making self-contained, creatively driven comic book movies without the commitment of a cinematic universe.