James Gunn Just Shut Down Tom Holland Joining the DCU with a Hilarious Answer
James Gunn has built a reputation for being one of the most online studio heads in Hollywood, regularly wading into fan conversations on social media to tease projects, defend creative choices, or simply crack a joke at someone’s expense. That willingness to engage directly has made his replies something fans actively watch for, since you never know when a passing comment might turn into real news.
It’s also made him a magnet for wishful thinking, especially when it comes to actors fans would love to see cross over from Marvel into his growing DC Universe. With ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ still fresh off a massive theatrical run, it was only a matter of time before someone asked Gunn directly about Tom Holland’s future in the DCU.
That’s exactly what happened when a fan asked Gunn whether Holland could ever have a role in the DCU, floating a long list of possibilities including Beast Boy, Kid Flash, Speedy, Aqualad, one of the Robins, Kyle Rayner, Brainiac 5, or Mon-El. Gunn’s response was blunt: he wasn’t sure a 30-year-old Tom wanted to follow up ‘Spider-Man’ with Aqualad, effectively closing the door on the idea without ruling out every possibility entirely.
The reply is classic Gunn, using dry humor to deflect a fan-casting question rather than fully confirming or denying anything. It also lines up neatly with Holland’s real-life age and status as one of the most in-demand young leads in Hollywood following his run as Peter Parker.
Aqualad himself carries some interesting DCU history that makes the joke land even harder. The modern version of the character, Jackson Hyde, was previously developed as the lead of a planned HBO Max series based on the graphic novel ‘You Brought Me the Ocean,’ with Charlize Theron attached to produce. That project never made it to series, but it shows DC Studios has had its eye on the character for years.
Gunn’s fan interactions have become something of a pattern this year. He’s previously clapped back at critics questioning the tonal consistency of his DCU slate, citing classic DC Comics covers to make his point, and has used cryptic social media posts to stoke speculation about future casting without confirming anything outright.
That track record makes moments like the Holland exchange tricky to read. Gunn rarely closes a door completely, even when his responses sound dismissive, and his history of teasing projects through seemingly offhand replies means fans are likely to keep parsing this one for hidden meaning regardless of how casual it looked.
For now, Holland remains firmly on the Marvel side of the aisle, with ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ having just wrapped one of the year’s biggest theatrical releases under director Destin Daniel Cretton. Whether that leaves any real-world room for a DC detour further down the line is something only Gunn seems willing to joke about at this point.
The DCU itself isn’t short on projects to keep fans occupied in the meantime, with ‘Lanterns’ currently airing on HBO Max, ‘Supergirl’ recently released, and ‘Clayface’ set to arrive in theaters on October 23. Gunn’s Superman sequel, ‘Man of Tomorrow,’ is also on the way in 2027, giving the studio plenty to focus on without needing to poach talent from the competition.
Could you see Holland joining the DCU someday?
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