The comic book genre continues to be super popular, with a number of shared universes battling at the box office. The DCEU as we knew it ended with Aquaman 2 (which is streaming with a Max subscription), and fans are looking to how the upcoming DC movies will change things up thanks to James Gunn’s new DCU. We’ll get new takes on beloved characters, and Superman’s Sean Gunn explains how his take on Maxwell Lord differs from Pedro Pascal’s, saying “no one is gonna confuse me and Pedro.” Let’s break it all down.
What we know about Superman is limited, but fans are eager to see the first chapter of the new DCU, as well as the beginning of Gods and Monsters. The cast of Superman has plenty of familiar faces, including Sean Gunn as a new take on Maxwell Lord. Pedro Pascal played that character in Wonder Woman 1984 just a few years ago, we shouldn’t expect similar takes on him. During an appearance on The Kristian Harloff ShowGunn spoke about the discrepancy between performances, offering:
I can tell you that the one obvious thing is it’s me playing the role. It doesn’t just mean I’m going to give a different interpretation. Your own body is the vessel for what you’re doing, so obviously… no one is gonna confuse me and Pedro Pascal’s performance. So we’re obviously going to do something different. … I think that James is good about directing me towards the relevant source material. So, I think, the whole concept of the character takes a different type of tack. I saw the movie and Pedro is obviously a great actor, but what he does in that movie is not really relevant to anything that I’m doing.
There you have it. While he and Pascal would have played the same role, it sounds like their takes on the Maxwell Lord will be quite different from each other. This is part of the fun of the superhero genre, and comic book lore in general. And with Sean Gunn working with his brother and frequent collaborator on Superman, smart money says he felt comfortable taking big swings as the character.
Despite how early it is in the DCU, Gunn is already playing three roles. In addition to portraying Maxwell Lord in live-action he’s voicing two characters in Creature Commandos including Weasel. Still, fans are wondering how Lord will factor into the action of David Corenswet’s debut as Clark Kent. As a reminder, you can check out the first Superman trailer below:
Obviously this footage is limited, so Maxwell Lord doesn’t get to appear just yet. We saw only brief glimpses of Superman‘s other heroes, as well as plenty of time with Corenswet’s title role. Plus Krypto was the real scene stealer in this limited footage.
To note, there’s been some backlash about James Gunn hiring Sean Gunn to play Maxwell Lord. The push back is mostly related to him already voicing two roles in Creature Commandos, and (presumably) his familial connection to James Gunn. But the Gilmore Girls alum is clearly experienced within the superhero genre, playing Kraglin and standing in for Rocket during the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription).
All will be revealed when Superman hits theaters on July 11th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.
