Here’s the Justice League plan James Gunn had for DC before he walked away

So, James Gunn has left the big DC Studios job, but that hasn’t stopped the rumour mill from churning out what he might have cooked up before walking out. Remember, this is the same bloke behind Guardians of the Galaxy, so expectations (and speculation) have been fairly wild since he first signed on at DC. Now, though, we actually have some supposed details on what Gunn and producing partner Peter Safran were plotting before their own DC Universe chapter came to a not-exactly-warm conclusion.

James Gunn and Peter Safran were reportedly aiming to introduce Batman into the DCU by 2028, with sequels to Superman morphing into two Justice League films landing in 2029 and 2031.

The What-Could-Have-Been Timeline

If these reports are anywhere near the mark, here’s how Gunn and Safran planned to piece together the next era for DC — before everything got upended:

• Wonder Woman was set to be reintroduced in Man of Tomorrow, although she’d only arrive in earnest later.
• Batman’s proper DCU debut would have come in The Brave and the Bold — aiming for a 2028 release window.
• Gunn himself was apparently meant to direct sequels to Superman (the 2025 version), with these gradually dialling up the superhero ensemble factor, sliding neatly into what would basically become proper Justice League movies. These were supposedly on the calendar for 2029 and 2031.
• There was a through-line: start by assembling a small team (proto-Justice League, called the Justice Gang in Superman), then pull in more heroes against escalating threats. Man of Tomorrow would have brought even more DC favourites together, taking on Brainiac as the big bad.

The DCU's own 'Justice Gang', introduced in Superman (2025), was planned as a stepping stone towards a full Justice League lineup by the end of Gunn's run.

The Fallout and the Uncertainties

Let’s be honest, not everyone is feeling confident those plans will survive Gunn and Safran’s exit. Now Jeremy Latcham (he was at Marvel, now running DC Studios) is in the big chair, and no one knows if he’ll want to stick with Gunn’s playbook, or tear it up and start again.

Fans are already worried. Some reckon Blue Beetle — who Gunn made a point of hyping in earlier plans — might just get shunted to the background. Shows like Lanterns could find themselves quietly cancelled instead of renewed for a second season if DC swings back toward ‘safe’ territory.

And why did Gunn and Safran leave in the first place? Plenty of theories floating about. There’s blame aimed at Supergirl flopping, though others say the takeover of Warner Bros. by Skydance triggered a change in direction Gunn wasn’t on board with.

What Else Was In The Pipeline?

It wasn’t just Justice League and Superman on Gunn’s whiteboard. Other projects were simmering away when he left — a Paradise Lost prequel set in Themyscira, a full new Batman: The Brave and the Bold feature, and that oddball Booster Gold series that’s never quite materialised no matter how many times DC announces it. There’s supposed to be a formal reveal coming soon, but at this stage, it’s anyone’s guess what’ll make the final cut.