In the new DCU film "Superman," audiences will be introduced to the freshly debuted "Justice Gang"—a corporate-backed superhero team funded by Maxwell Lord. Its members include Guy Gardner's Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Mister Terrific, with Metamorpho joining the ranks by the film's end.
Despite fighting alongside them, Superman is notably not a "formal" member of this team.
Addressing this, director James Gunn explained on Threads in response to a fan query: "I think there are probably a few reasons, but first, you have to think about how comfortable Superman would be joining a team funded by one of the world's largest corporations and essentially doing PR for them." He added, "Yes, he's part of the team, but our Clark is an independent guy."
This statement highlights Superman's reservations about working for corporate figures like Maxwell Lord, even as he stands with the Justice Gang during crises.
While Gunn hasn't ruled out the possibility of the "Justice Gang" evolving into the "Justice League" in the future, foreign media outlets speculate that Gunn might currently want to distance the new film from the 2017 "Justice League" and avoid associating the brand with the controversial "#ReleaseTheSnyderCut" movement.
As the inaugural big-screen entry in the new DCU, "Superman" has generated significant buzz among global fans. The film stars David Corenswet as Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The ensemble cast also includes Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, and Isabela Merced, among others.