Ever since James Gunn‘s new role as the CEO of DC Studios was announced — replacing the so-called Synderverse — fans of the franchise have been split between excitement and fear. At first, many were dismayed by the axing of various favorites that came in the wake of the announcement, but some were eager to see what the Guardians of the Galaxy and Suicide Squad director could do with all this ripe intellectual property. The mood around social media and fansites has generally become more positive about Gunn’s attachment to the project as more information is released by the studio and the CEO himself, with a lot of vocal fans happy to have a creative mind prioritizing storytelling at the helm. And with Gunn’s track record and obvious passion, can you blame them?
Among all the positive feelings, however, there have been some shocking developments with regards to casting in Chapter 1 of the project. If you’ve not been following the news, or just want a quick overview of who’s out, and who we’re unsure about, then read ahead for our guide to all the stars confirmed to be out of James Gunn’s DCU.
Dwayne Johnson – not returning
After the critical and commercial failure of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Black Adam, the former wrestler confirmed via a tweet that Gunn would not be moving forward with the character in Chapter 1 of the DCU, thus ending his involvement in the franchise for now.
However, as mentioned in the tweet, Johnson hasn’t ruled out working with Gunn in the future, stating that he and the director “have always rooted for each other to succeed.” Although Black Adam was definitely lacking in a lot of areas, there’s no doubt Johnson brings a certain wholesome star power to most of his roles that meshes perfectly with big-budget comic adaptations, so here’s to hoping we’ll see him back soon.
Henry Cavill – not returning
When it was announced at the tail-end of last year that Henry Cavill wouldn’t be returning as Superman, it sent shockwaves through the DC fan community. A few weeks prior, Cavill had been discussing how happy he was to be in the role, but Gunn’s decision to focus on the younger years of Clark Kent effectively aged Cavill out of the part. The news was followed by confirmation Cavill wouldn’t be reprising his role in Netflix’s The Witcher, spurring rumors that he was in talks to be the next James Bond. The only thing Cavill is confirmed for is an adaptation of the classic tabletop game Warhammer, of which he’s a massive fan.
Robert Pattinson – returning, but not in the DCU
Despite the box office success of Robert Pattinson’s The Batman, it’s been confirmed that Gunn’s DCU will be taking the Batman story arc in a different direction, allowing Matt Reeves to continue working on his trilogy and an associated television show. While many fans had their hearts set on his casting in the role, the Twilight heartthrob definitely isn’t in the running.
George Clooney – not returning
Although it’s been a while since he donned the famous mask, there were still rumors that George Clooney would be making an appearance in Gunn’s DCU as Batman. These were mostly stirred by entertainment reporter Grace Randolph, who tweeted that a “former Batman” was set to cameo in The Flash, and that this person was in the running to become “the new permanent DCU Batman.”
However, now that The Flash trailers have been released to much fanfare, we can see that the legacy Batman was in fact…
Michael Keaton – cameo appearance confirmed
Although he’s now in his seventies, Michael Keaton still seems to have what it takes to play the caped crusader, with the few glimpses we saw of him during The Flash trailer giving plenty of fans goosebumps. While he is confirmed to be in the film, it isn’t certain that he’ll be Bruce Wayne, as many believe this adaptation of The Flash is based on the Flashpoint comics, which take place in an alternate universe where young Bruce was gunned down and his father Thomas became the brooding superhero. There are also rumors that Keaton will play the lead role in a legacy Batman series, which has left the door open to plenty of speculation as to who might play a younger Batman.
Ben Affleck – not returning as an actor
It’s one hundred percent confirmed that Ben Affleck won’t be reprising his role as Batman in James Gunn’s DCU, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be involved in the project at all. There have been many reports that he met with Gunn to talk about directing a film in the universe, so DCU fans who also love the two-time Oscar winner will have something to look forward to.
Gal Gadot – not returning
While many of the actors on this list aren’t returning because their role is being recast, Gal Gadot is set to miss out for now because Wonder Woman won’t be making an appearance in the first three years of Gunn’s universe. While there is speculation Gadot may retain her role as Diana Price, for now everything Wonder Woman-related is on the back burner.
Ezra Miller – no confirmation
Whether or not they’ll be reprising their role as The Flash in James Gunn’s DCU is probably the least of Ezra Miller’s worries right now, given the seriousness of all the allegations against them. Gunn and Safran have taken a careful approach to questions about whether or not Miller will be in the DCU, with Safran telling the The Hollywood Reporter:
“Ezra is completely committed to their recovery. We are fully supportive of that journey they are on right now. When the time is right, when they are ready to have that discussion, we will all figure out what’s the best path forward. But right now, they are completely focused on their recovery. And in our conversation with them, in the last couple of months, it feels like they are making enormous progress.”
Gunn added:
“Actors, filmmakers that I work with are going to say things that I agree with, and things that I don’t agree with,” but “I can’t be changing my plans all the time because an actor says something that I don’t agree with.”
So, no news either way on the We Need to Talk About Kevin star.
Margot Robbie – no confirmation
Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn is a fan favorite that many believe will survive Gunn’s purge thanks to Robbie’s work on Suicide Squad and her close relationship with the new DCU CEO. However, like with most actors on this list, nothing is confirmed about the Australian star’s return to the role. For now, fans can see Lady Gaga’s interpretation of the twisted character in the next Joker film, out in 2024.
Amy Adams – no confirmation
Even before James Gunn’s DCU was announced, Amy Adams was unsure about her future as Superman’s love interest Lois Lane. Since the sweeping changes, there hasn’t been much news on that front either, so while it isn’t confirmed we can hazard a fairly safe guess that we’ve seen the last of Adams in the Superman world. With that said, many of the major compliments about her performance stemmed from her chemistry with Henry Cavill, and with his axing from the universe, it was always likely Adams wouldn’t return.
Zachary Levi – no confirmation
Until recently, Zachary Levi seemed to be a shoe-in to be kept on for Gunn’s DCU. Shazam! Fury of the Gods was generating a lot of buzz, and he has a close relationship with Gunn. However, recent anti-vax comments posted on his social media have cast doubt on his inclusion in Chapter 1 of the rebooted franchise, and Gunn is yet to confirm if the character will even play a part in the new DCU.
Jason Momoa – will be returning, but maybe not as Aquaman
After earning rave reviews as Aquaman, many were certain that Jason Momoa was a shoe-in to be recast in Gunn’s DCU. However, the messaging from the actor has been fairly cryptic. Speaking at Sundance, the star stated:
“I love [James] Gunn and so there’s gonna be some really cool things, what they’re doing with DC, and I definitely will be in more than just one. There’s room for me to play a couple different [roles]. I’ve seen other actors do it. Yeah. I want a shot. We have a special relationship… I wish I could say more. I’ll always be Aquaman, and there’s a lot of evolution for that. So I’m not going anywhere and it’s very exciting.
This lack of confirmation that he would be recast as Aquaman has led many fans to theorize Momoa will play Lobo, but Gunn has been equivocal about this prospect, saying: “…we won’t have an actor playing two different roles.”
One thing is for sure, though: Momoa and his rippling muscles will be gracing the screens in Gunn’s DCU universe.