The Black Superman reboot from J.J. Abrams and Ta-Nehisi Coates is apparently still in development at Warner Bros. Discovery. The DC brand has undergone significant change in 2022, with Warner Bros. Discovery’s major merger finalized earlier this year. In addition, due to a change in the network’s main ownership, several DC television series had to be canceled at The CW. As for DC’s film division, Warner Bros. Discovery shelved the Batgirl feature after principal filming wrapped in late March.
Despite Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav’s promise of a 10-year strategy for the DC IPs, there has been concern about the DCEU’s future. This week’s release of Black Adam marked the sole DCEU film scheduled for release in 2022 (the other three, The Flash, Shazam! Aquaman, and the Lost Kingdom), and the sequel to Fury of the Gods, have been delayed until 2023.) Joker: Folie à Deux, a spinoff from the main DCEU storyline being produced by Warner Bros. Discovery, and The Batman 2 are both in active development. However, director J.J. Abrams and screenwriter Ta-Nehisi Coates are working on a Superman reboot that is not part of the DCEU and will feature a Black version of the Man of Steel.
Even though there have been very few updates on the Black Superman project, The Hollywood Reporter stated that the film is still moving forward at Warner Bros. Discovery. Trade sources have confirmed that Abrams is still on track to produce Coates’ new Superman feature, despite the studio’s current uncertainty regarding his participation. This is especially true in light of the fact that other of Abrams’ WB-produced projects have been canceled or are seeking new platforms. However, there is currently no word on where they are at with the writing and casting and who will helm the Black Superman revival.
Man of Steel 2, Henry Cavill’s version of the DC hero, is in the works. The announcement that a Black Superman reimagining is still going coincides with that. There is no reason why both films can’t be in theatres simultaneously, despite the lack of a definitive release date for either. The universe, which will play a significant role in the upcoming Flash film, is one notion that the DCEU is starting to embrace more fully. Due to the fact that Coates’ proposed Superman film would take place on another Earth, it wouldn’t interfere with the DCEU. It could instead explore a Black version of Krypton’s final son as Henry Cavill reprised his role in Man of Steel 2.
You may also recall that Superman & Lois is still airing on The CW and that Michael B. Jordan is executive producing a Val-Zod series for HBO Max, which will focus on a new Man of Steel from Earth-2. It’s possible that within the next few years, there may be four distinct live-action Superman depictions across many platforms. Because consumers can pick and choose what appeals to them, no property is hurt by the presence of others. Time will tell if the Black Superman movie will happen following the recent departure of DC Films CEO Walter Hamada, as the project is still vulnerable to the whims of Warner Bros. Discovery and their future ambitions for the DC IP.
