July 11, 2025, isn’t just the release date of Superman. It’s also the official beginning of James Gunn’s DCU and the official end of Zack Snyder’s DCEU. It’s the moment the baton gets passed, or maybe gets ripped from the grip of die-hard Snyder fans kicking and screaming into the new era. See, while Superman fans are excited to see David Corenswet don the cape and Gunn’s lighter tone take flight, not everyone is happy. Some Snyderverse loyalists have already declared war on Gunn’s film before it even hits theatres. But in the middle of the DC war, Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld has stepped into the fray with a clear message: “It’s over.”
Posting on X, Liefeld wrote: “I understand the Snyderverse disappointment – I loved MOS, enjoyed the JL Snydercut. I talked of this on my podcast. I realize that they have anger towards the finality of Snyder’s vision, but it’s over. The corporation moved in a different direction. I’m looking forward to a great new SUPERMAN era.”
And he’s not alone. Even some Snyder fans have admitted it’s time to move on. As much as we loved Henry Cavill’s Superman, Ben Affleck’s Batman, Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, and Ezra Miller’s Flash (well… that one’s complicated), the studio has shut that door. Justice League 2 and 3 have been shelved, and probably forever.
Of course, that didn’t stop one disgruntled fan from pushing back on Liefeld’s post: “Rob, For almost 10 years, I was attacked for enjoying the films that I love and now the same people are telling me why can’t we all just come together and enjoy things? No… I also just can’t support a filmmaker such as James Gunn.”
Liefeld’s response was short and savage: “You are welcome to your bitter outlook. Free country.”
James Gunn, of course, isn’t shy about addressing the backlash. When a Reddit post calling for review bombing gained a little traction before being taken down, Gunn clapped back on Threads with a sarcastic: “lol I think we’ll survive. I’m not sure the eight people that listen to that guy (I’m going to go out on a limb and guess it’s a guy) are going to impact the course of events.”
Savage.
What’s odd, though, is that Gunn and Snyder themselves don’t seem to have beef. In fact, they’ve been photographed together and have exchanged creative input. Gunn even recently revealed that he asked Snyder for his thoughts on the Superman trunks. So why the fandom war?
Maybe it’s not really about the movies. Maybe it’s about identity, loyalty, and the internet making everything more extreme. But at the end of the day, Rob Liefeld said it best: “It’s over.” And unless DC suddenly decides to animate Snyder’s lost sequels or publish them as comics, it’s time we all start looking ahead.
It’s over.
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