James Gunn‘s stewardship is seeing an increased synergy between DC Studios and DC Comics, given the studio co-head is a big fan of the source material. The Superman director recently addressed criticism that media companies and comic book movie studios often do not adequately compensate the comic creators when they bring their superheroes and characters to the big and small screen.

Gunn clarified that Marvel and DC fairly compensate comic book writers and artists in a response on Threads to a fan who believes that even the great Stan Lee died a pauper. “Both DC and Marvel compensate comic book writers for their creations,” the DC Studios boss wrote. “I have created personal relationships with many, if not most, of the writers who have created characters, who I’ve gratefully put into films. Stan Lee was my friend, I loved him, and he did not die a pauper,” Gunn added. “When I said they get paid for their creations, I meant they get paid when they’re used in films,” he further clarified in response to a later post.

Gunn’s reverence for comic books and friendships with the medium’s creators is no secret. The filmmaker and studio head invited some of the industry’s heavy hitters to the set of Superman when the film was in production. The list included legends and acclaimed creators, such as DC Comics President Jim Lee, Frank Quitely, Angelo Exarhkios, Kevin Maguire, Carrie Williams, Scott Snyder, Josh Williamson, John Ostrander, and Anne DePies. Jerry Ordway, Christina Merkler, Cameron Merkler, Dan Jurgens, and Jason Aaron were also present.

Gunn’s upcoming Superman movie, which hits theaters in 2025, is heavily influenced by four iconic comic book stories, including Quitely and Grant Morrison’s All-Star Superman. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s Superman for All Seasons, Alan Moore and Curt Swan’s What Ever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? and Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross are the other books he pulled from. DC Comics will release The Superman Box Set, comprising softcover editions of the four graphic novels in June 2025, a month before Gunn’s movie debuts.

Gunn recently shot down a tantalizing rumor that purportedly revealed a planned creative partnership between the heads of DC Studios and DC Comics. In response to a post on Threads which stated that Gunn was “reportedly writing his own DC Superman comic book next year, with Jim Lee doing the art,” citing Bleeding Cool as its source, Gunn wrote, “Dear God no. Although working with [Jim Lee] would be amazing, I’d be dead if I took this on.“

Gunn’s Superman will fly into theaters on July 11, 2025.

Source: Threads via Bleeding Cool