Before the decision was made to end the DCEU, James Gunn had other plans for Superman.
James Gunn never intended to make a Superman movie that was part of the DC Extended Universe.
James Gunn’s first plan
In Threads, Gunn discussed what the original idea was for his Superman project. When a fan asked him which executive approached him about the DC Universe superhero, he confirmed that it was Warner Bros. CEO Michael De Luca. Gunn was asked if Man of Steel was originally part of the DCEU or separate like The Batman, meaning in his own world, to which the director replied, “They’ve always been separate.”
It will be interesting to see if Gunu is considering making a DCEU-owned superhero movie since he directed a movie set in that world. Anyway, now the filmmaker is working on creating a new DC universe that will start in cinemas with Superman, the film will open in theaters on July 11, 2025.