James Gunn's newly launched DC Universe is abandoning the interconnected superhero formula this summer with two wildly different genre experiments. Supergirl delivers intergalactic action and space adventure, while Lanterns pivots hard into crime thriller territory with a murder mystery at its core.
This dual-genre strategy represents a significant departure from how Gunn structured the DCU's opening slate. The filmmaker, who revitalized Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy franchise through irreverent sci-fi storytelling, is applying similar creative flexibility to DC's filmmaking and television operations. Rather than force every project into the standard superhero mold, Gunn greenlit projects that lean into distinct tonal identities.
Supergirl positions itself as a cosmic adventure story, tapping into the space opera DNA that made Guardians work. The film strips away the typical cape-and-tights expectations to focus on wonder and exploration. Lanterns, the HBO Max limited series, takes the opposite route entirely. By framing Green Lantern mythology through a procedural murder investigation, the show treats superhero material like prestige crime television, similar to the approach HBO took with True Detective.
The strategy tests whether audiences will follow DC characters across genres rather than treating every project as standard superhero content. It also reflects Gunn's directorial philosophy. He made Guardians Vol. 3 a sci-fi heist film wrapped in character grief. He sees genre as a vehicle for storytelling, not a constraint.
This summer roll-out could either validate the approach or reveal that audiences expect consistency across a shared universe. Supergirl and Lanterns premiere back-to-back, giving the DCU a chance to prove that creative ambition and genre diversity can coexist within a single slate. For Gunn, who built credibility by breaking Marvel's formulas, the