Resurrection is practically baked into superhero DNA. In fact, it has always been part of the comic books and comic book movies. Remember how Superman: The Movie (1978) had Christopher Reeve flying around Earth to rewind time and save Lois Lane? Or how Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman killed off the Man of Steel, only to bring him back in Justice League like it was a minor inconvenience. Well, James Gunn promises that he isn’t playing games with your feelings. The filmmaker, who now steers the DC Universe ship, made it very clear in a recent Threads exchange: “In the DCU, if you die, you’re dead.” That’s it. No take-backs. No “multiverse magic.” No resurrections. Death in the DCU is final. Of course, that bold stance raised eyebrows and questions from fans.
One user called it “a big commitment.” Gunn replied, “It’s the way I’ve always done it,” referencing his work in the MCU. Sure, Groot died. But “Groot 2 was his son,” Gunn reminded everyone.
Even when asked about iconic DC resurrection tools, like the Lazarus Pit, Gunn didn’t backpedal. “I wouldn’t mind using the Lazarus Pit (and/or resurrection) in a story,” he said. “But it would have to be a part of the story itself. I won’t be killing major characters just to pop them in the old LP to be alive again.”
That means that if you see someone bite the dust in the DCU, don’t wait for the funeral scene to morph into a teaser for their spin-off.
Of course, fans weren’t fully convinced. One commenter argued, “Dead is dead sounds cool, till fans want Bloodsport back or Zatanna blows up… What if a new actor kills it, or fans flip? No resurrections = no do-overs. That rule could backfire fast. Please don’t kill Krypto.”
Gunn’s response was stone cold: “What backfires more is people believing there are no stakes and death doesn’t mean anything.”
He’s got a point. Look at Marvel. Tony Stark died in the most epic way, but, much to the objection of MCU fans, Robert Downey Jr. is returning as Doctor Doom. That sort of “comic book logic” can deflate any real tension.
In Batman v Superman, Superman’s death lacked emotional weight because audiences knew he’d be back faster than you can say “his mother’s name is Martha.” If death doesn’t stick, then nothing really matters, right?
Gunn wants the opposite. He wants you to care. To believe that if a hero sacrifices themselves, it’s not for plot convenience, it’s permanent. “Dead is dead” isn’t just a rule. It’s a promise to restore stakes and meaning to a genre that’s often too quick with the resurrection card.
So yes, cry if Krypto dies. Because in the DCU, death is forever.
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